Santa getting prepped in Solden, Austria...
Merry Xmas from all of us at J2Ski! This week brings significant snow to parts of North America, Canada, Japan, South-West Europe, and the Pyrenees, while the Alps remain mostly dry but still offer decent on-piste conditions above 1800 m.
The Snow Headlines - December 24th
- A series of Pacific storms brings hope to North America's beleaguered West Coast resorts.
- The poor season start in Bulgaria continues, with most slopes closed for Christmas.
- An Italian resort reports 93 cm/37 inches of snow in 48 hours, but most of Europe remains dry.
- Scotland's season gets underway with machine-made snow.
- Up to 155 cm/61 inches in 7 days in Canada; one resort claims it has had the best December snow since 1950.
- Snowfall in the Pyrenees as Grandvalira overtakes Baqueira Beret to offer the most open runs.
- Further significant snowfall in Japan's Hokkaido.
Snow in the forecast.
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World Overview
After a few weeks of little snowfall in much of the skiing world, with exceptions in Canada, Eastern USA, Japan, and South-West Europe, we are seeing a change for Christmas week with snowfall in South-Eastern Europe and much-needed snow for Western North America.
Despite ski areas in the Pyrenees receiving up to 55 cm/22 inches of snow and one area in South-West Italy an impressive 93 cm/37 inches in 48 hours, the Alps remain mostly dry and sunny for a third week. This is not a complete disaster, as most major resorts have decent early snow cover, making on-piste conditions fine, especially above about 1800 m/5906 ft. Take care over the week ahead as thin bases may be icy at times on lower slopes...
In North America, a series of Pacific storms is bringing blizzard conditions to previously bare slopes, allowing closed resorts to open some terrain and those already open to add more. It is not yet clear how significant the overall impact will be.
In the wider world, Scotland's season has properly started at three of the four ski areas still operating, with the last hoping to join on Boxing Day. Meanwhile, Japan continues to report the largest snowfalls globally.
Europe
Austria
There is little change to report from Austria this week, with little or no fresh snowfall for a third consecutive week. It has been slightly colder, helping snowmaking on higher terrain.
On the pistes, conditions are good, especially on the upper runs. However, with three weeks without snowfall, off-piste is not an option for those hoping to find powder.
Most of the country's larger areas still have around two-thirds of their runs open, although two of the biggest, the Arlberg around Lech and St Anton and Saalbach Hinterglemm, are struggling, each with just under half their runs open. Ischgl and the Skiwelt (Soll, Westendorf, Ellmau, Brixen, etc.) are both reporting around 190 km/118 miles of slopes open, the most in the country for Christmas week.
France
It has been a colder, cloudier week in the French Alps than in previous weeks, with a few snowflakes reported in the north and more substantial accumulations of 20-40 cm/8-16 inches in the Southern Alps for resorts like Isola 2000 and Serre Chevalier for the second consecutive week, as weather systems have favoured the south.
There is not much change in the forecast, with most weather fronts tracking south. For most French resorts, the best conditions are at higher altitudes, where on-piste conditions are pretty good, with plenty of snow lying and most of the country's major ski areas 70-90% open.
Italy
Western Italy has again seen the Alps' best snowfall, with Piedmont favoured and ski areas like Artesina and Prato Nevoso adding another 93 cm/37 inches in 48 hours after last week's gains at the same resorts. Fresh snow extended along the French-Swiss border into the Aosta Valley, where Cervinia picked up about 20 cm/8 inches at higher elevations.
Much of the rest of the country to the east remained drier, although ski areas in the Dolomites are still managing to open most of their terrain. Val Gardena is 95% open despite its snow being only 10-50 cm/4-20 inches deep.
The rest of this week brings mixed cloud, brighter spells, and light snow, with freezing levels fluctuating between around 1,600 m/5249 ft and 2,000 m/6562 ft, and a few centimetres likely in the Dolomites and South Tyrol.
Switzerland
Switzerland saw limited benefit from Monday's southwestern Alpine storm, leaving under half the country's slopes open and many areas still awaiting meaningful December snowfall. The larger, well-known resorts are in good shape, especially on their groomed runs, which are typically 60-90% open. High-altitude areas, including Saas Fee and Glacier 3000, continue to report some of the world's deepest upper-mountain snow.
Les Portes du Soleil and Zermatt/Cervinia have the most open terrain, with the latter reporting fresh snow on Monday.
More cloud, brighter spells, and passing snow showers are expected into Christmas, with freezing levels around 1,400 m/4593 ft to 1,800 m/5906 ft, and light to moderate snowfall favouring Valais and Graubünden.
Scandinavia
Scandinavia experienced heavy snowfall late last week, with parts of western Norway receiving several feet in 48 hours. Since then, conditions have turned dry and mostly sunny during the brief daylight hours, with temperatures widely between -10 °C/14 °F and -20 °C/-4 °F. Gaustablikk currently holds the region's deepest snow, while Sweden's Åre has the most terrain open at around 32 km/20 miles.
The coming days will remain sharply wintry, with Arctic air, valley-floor freezing levels, and light snow mainly in western Norway.
Pyrenees
It has been a good week in the Pyrenees, with temperatures dropping to -3 °C/27 °F to -13 °C/9 °F and regular 5-10 cm/2-4 inches daily snowfalls, plus up to 55 cm/22 inches at higher elevations reported at resorts including Spain's Formigal. Conditions are fresh, and terrain openings continue to expand.
Andorra's Grandvalira now leads with 125 km/78 miles open, ahead of Baqueira Beret's 105 km/65 miles. The deepest base is on the French side, where some centres have reached 1.5 m/59 inches.
Christmas weather will remain unsettled again, with fluctuating freezing levels between 1,400 m/4593 ft and 1,800 m/5906 ft, light snow, and slightly heavier falls forecast.
Eastern Europe
It has been colder in Eastern Europe, with temperatures largely below freezing, especially in the north. Not much snowfall has been reported, with only a centimetre or two.
In Bulgaria, only Bansko has been able to open so far, and it only has a small part of its ski area open on its highest slopes.
Some snow is forecast for the next few days, which may improve conditions slightly, but not expected to exceed 10 cm/4 inches in total.
Scotland
Scottish ski centres have faced persistent gales, heavy rain, and unseasonably mild temperatures for much of December after what had looked like a promising November start. In recent days, however, cooler conditions have turned rainfall into snow at higher elevations, gradually rebuilding bases that were previously washed away. Glencoe reported about 30 cm/12 inches on higher slopes over the weekend.
Resorts are also relying on all-weather snowmaking to open limited terrain. Glencoe has created a sledging slope and opened its access chair for tourers, Cairngorm is running a beginners' area, Glenshee has two runs available, and The Lecht is aiming to open its own area for skiers from Boxing Day.
North America
Canada
Canada continues to be the place to ski for abundant fresh cover, with more significant accumulations in Alberta and eastern British Columbia, reporting up to a metre/39 inches more.
Things have finally improved on the Pacific Coast, too, with Whistler Blackcomb jumping from less than 10% open to nearly 40% after nearly a metre/39 inches of snowfall on higher slopes. Conditions remain fairly good on the East Coast as well, although there was a warm weather snap at the end of last week with rain and thawing temperatures. That did not last long, and we are back to sub-zero conditions now.
USA
Western North America is finally seeing improvement after one of its worst season starts ever, with many resorts previously closed or running only a few trails. A series of Pacific storms is now delivering snow instead of rain at higher elevations, but it is a case of wait and see how much difference they will make, as totals remain uncertain and blizzard-strength winds are causing disruption.
Several areas in California, Oregon, and Washington have opened at last, some with 30 cm/12 inches of new snow. Jackson Hole was the standout, receiving over 50 cm/20 inches in 72 hours.
The East Coast remains strong, enjoying one of its best Decembers in recent history, with Vermont's Jay Peak nearing 5 metres/197 inches of early-season snowfall.