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Snow Report Summary
Ooh look, it's been snowing again. And next week it's going to snow some more...
This Week's Headlines
- Up to 1.7m (nearly six feet) of new snow in the Pyrenees.
- Up to 85cm (nearly three feet) of new snow in the Rockies.
- Up to 1m (over three feet) of new snow on Scottish slopes.
- Up to 90cm (three feet) of new snow in the Alps.
- Much needed snow falls in California, as well as in the Dolomites.
- Almost as much snow expected again in coming week.
- Resorts in France, Italy and Switzerland reporting joint world's deepest snowpascks at 4.8m (16 feet)
The last week of February has been one of the snowiest weeks of the season, and certainly the snowiest of the month in many areas of the northern hemisphere. Most resorts in the Alps have had significant snowfall, with once again the Western and southern alps getting the most, although this time the area covered has stretched further north. Bigger snowfalls still have been reported in the Pyrenees. The Dolomites, which much of the big snowfalls have missed this season so far, got up to around a foot of snow too. There have also been significant snowfalls in Scotland, with one area estimating around a metre of fresh snow has fallen on their slopes this week.
Across the Atlantic it has been a fifth snowy week in a row for New England but there have also been significant snowfalls in the Rockies and even further west in California where it's particularly needed this winter.
Compared to last year
A quick review of current snow depths against the last two seasons (all available on J2Ski's snow history pages) shows that the season has recovered well from a late start, and some areas now have more snow than a year earlier.
In the French Pyrenees, impressive bases (exceeding 3m) are deeper than the same time last year. The French and Swiss Alps have comparable snow levels at altitude, although snow at low levels is still below average in places. Austrian areas are similar, but with notable exceptions like St.Anton where snow depths are well ahead of a year ago. In Italy, the Aosta Valley is reporting similar depths (to last season), although the Dolomites are generally a bit behind.
In The Forecast!
All the current forecast models are indicating that widespread snows will continue across The Alps and Pyrenees into the next week, and there is now a possibility that the effects of a forecast move in the Jetstream will bring further cold and snow in from the East in 10 days time. In other words; there's no sign of the snow stopping yet and late-season prospects are looking good at this point!
Check the J2Ski Forecasts regularly for the latest updates!
The Alps
Austria
In common with the past few waves of snow bearing clouds that have crossed the alps, Austrian areas have fared the least well of the big four Alpine nations, with the snow arriving from the west there last and falling, so far at least, in smaller volumes than further west and south. BUT Austrian areas have, non-the-less, benefitted from the fresh snow with many areas reporting 10-20cm of new snow and some – including Obergurgl and Kaprun, closer to 50cm. There's been about a foot (30cm) at St Johann in the Skiwelt, at St Anton and many other areas have had 15-20cm of fresh.
France
French resorts have seen some big snowfalls this week, with the biggest accumulations in the country – and in the world – reported in the French Pyrenees with up to nearly six feet of new snow (1.7m at Cauterets). Other resorts in the French Pyrenees report 60-90cm of fresh snow. But the French Alps too, have reported big accumulations, led by Avoriaz with 80cm of snow so far. Other areas Like Val Thorens, Flaine, Les Gets and Tignes have had 60cm/two feet and Chamonix, Les Menuires, Serre Chevalier and many others are close behind with 50cm. Snow depths are very healthy across the country with all resorts reporting at least 40cm at resort level and most 1.5-2m on upper slopes.
Italy
There have been healthy snowfalls again in Italy and this time the snow has continued across to the Dolomites where resorts like Val Gardena have had a foot of fresh cover, and are rather excited about it. The biggest snowfalls have once again been in the West though and Cervinia has had one of the biggest snowfalls in the world this week – reporting just under a metre (98cm/3.3 feet) of fresh snowfall. There's been 42cm in the Milky way area and 50cm at Madesimo, which continues to measure 4.8m on its upper slopes, one of three resorts in Europe measuring this figure, the deepest in the world at present. But snow depths are good across the country, the thinnest cover remaining in the Dolomites where many areas have 10-15cm at resort level although mostly over a metre on upper runs.
Switzerland
Home to a second ski area claiming a 4.8m base, Andermatt, which had another two feet or so of snow this week, Swiss resorts have also had a good week for fresh snow with powder the order of the day now at most areas and Gstaad reporting 95cm (over three feet) of new snow this week – another of the leading resorts in the world for end-of-Feb snowfall volumes. Other Swiss resorts posting big new snow totals include Wengen with 60cm, Grindelwald with 85cm and Saas Fee with 65cm. Many other Swiss resorts report 30-50cm of fresh snow so far. Again snow depths are good pretty well everywhere with most areas having at least 30cm at resort level and a metre plus on upper runs – often double or triple those numbers.
Scandinavia
Another moderately snowy week in Scandinavia. Most Norwegian resorts reported 20-30cm of new snow, spread through the past few days, whilst in Sweden there was 20cm at Salen, but only 2cm at the region's largest resort Are, which has a 45-55cm base, one of the smallest in Scandinavia. Only a few centimetres of snow in Finland but cover remains good at close to a metre in most Finnish slopes.
Pyrenees
A remarkably snowy week in the Pyrenees with big snowfalls on the French side, as mentioned in the French report, but also 90-120cm of fresh snow in Andorra (that's 3-4 feet!) . In Spain snow depths are now passed the 3m/10 feet mark at a number of areas with a metre of new snow at the largest resort, Baqueira Beret, which now has more than 2.5m of snow at resort level, and over 3.6m (12 feet) on upper runs.
Eastern Europe
There's been little or no fresh snow reported in Eastern European nations over the past week, but large snowfalls are expected in the coming days as the snow bearing clouds over the Alps continue east. In any case snow depths remain largely good thanks to the healthy snowfalls earlier this month.
Scotland
Virtually all of Scotland's runs remain open after more fresh snow fell, improving conditions. The biggest accumulation is an estimated metre at Glencoe. As is often the case, strong winds have had the greatest impact on operations, with partial closures on occasions, particularly on higher runs. Cairngorm has the most closed runs, whilst the four other Highland areas are more or less fully open. Cairngorm says fresh snow is improving conditions on lower runs. The off piste avalanche danger is reported to be high.
North America
Canada
Western Canadian resorts got some respite from the unseasonably mild conditions early last weekend when 5-20cm of fresh snow freshening up the slopes, but there's been little since. Instead areas in Quebec were the most recent beneficiaries of fresh snow, with Tremblant and Mont Ste Anne announcing around 20cm each fell on Monday. Not a lot of fresh snow is expected in the West over the coming week but there may be more substantial falls in Quebec.
USA
Although it was another snowy week in the East, for the first time this month, possibly this year, Western areas took top spot for the most snow in the US this week, with Durango (formerly Purgatory) in southern Colorado reporting nearly three feet (78cm) of fresh snow, nearby Telluride wasn't far behind. Most other Colorado ski areas got a foot of snow and there were smaller falls in Utah, Montana and Wyoming to the north. Southern California also got some much needed snow with a foot at Mammoth Mountain, although only a few inches made it up to Tahoe resorts. As mentioned it was a fifth snowy week in a row on the east coast with 30-45cm (12-18 inches) of new snow reported by many resorts in the region. More large snowfalls are expected in the Rockies and once again in New England over the coming week.