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Snow Report Summary
Well, well, turned out nice again (in Europe, at least)! The snow forecast last week for The Alps arrived in some style, although with considerable variability in quality and quantity...
This Week's Headlines
- Up to 1.7m (just under six feet) of fresh snow in the Alps.
- Deepest reported snow base of 2015 hits new high of 550cm (over 18 feet).
- Significant snow in Scotland and Scandinavia.
- Warm and dry in the Pyrenees.
- Some Western Canadian and US resorts close early after warm dry winter.
A snowy week in the Alps has seen up to a metre of fresh snow reported at half a dozen resorts since last weekend, a few in Switzerland reporting even more, and there have been significant snowfalls almost everywhere - good news for everyone away on Easter holidays. The snowfall has continued Eastwards to bring healthy falls in Eastern European ski areas too.
The snow was accompanied by very strong winds, however, which closed lifts earlier in the week and has led to very high avalanche danger in places.
But it wasn't universal; the Pyrenees have had a very warm, snowless week and whilst western Scotland got more fresh snow, accumulations in the east have not yet been enough to reopen areas there.
Across the Atlantic there have been small snowfalls in the west of the continent, where a number of areas are shutting up shop for the season, and once again better snowfall in the East.
In The Forecast!
The snowfall in the alps is expected to continue over the coming week, with another metre or more forecast for some resorts, and snowfall in most ski regions too.
Check the J2Ski Forecasts regularly for the latest updates!
The Alps
Austria
There has been 20-30cm of fresh snow reported for several days in a row now by many of Austria's leading resorts. St Anton has reported a foot a day for the past few days and that after 90cm of snow this week, Valluga now has a 4m base, the deepest reported in the country this season to date. At the other end of the spectrum, some of Austria's lower altitude ski areas will be closing after this Easter weekend – traditionally some of the first in the Alps to do so. Other areas doing well include Ischgl, Obergurgl and Solden which have reported around two feet of fresh snow each – Solden has some of the deepest snow in the country up on its glaciers at 3.9m (13 feet) but only 5cm (2 inches) down in resort – the biggest top-to-bottom cover difference reported anywhere and highlighting the fact that most of the new snow is falling up high.
France
French resorts have reported the biggest snowfalls in the world this week, with Tignes and Val Thorens both posting just over a metre of new snow, whilst there's been three feet/90cm at Chamonix, Les Arcs and Val d'Isere. Most other areas have reported 20 -80cm of fresh snow. Most of the snow fell between Saturday and Tuesday, with smaller falls in recent days, although these are expected to continue over the coming week. Snow depths are little changed across the country and still relatively good with most areas having between 1.5 and 3m on upper runs, 30-90cm at resort level.
Italy
There's been snow across Italy and unusually the two biggest falls – of 70 and 60cm respectively – are on each side of the country's northern ski regions – the biggest at Arabba in the Dolomites of the East, next biggest at Alagna in the Western Alps. Beyond Arabba however most of the bigger falls of 30-50cm have been in the Alps, with falls in the Dolomites more commonly in the 10-20cm bracket. Snow depths remain fairly good in the west, slightly more 'challenging' in parts of the Dolomites where resorts like Cortina and Val Gardena report only 10cm of snow at resort level, 90cm/3 feet at the tops of their slopes. Similar snow falls, although perhaps slightly less, are expected over the coming week.
Switzerland
Andermatt, already the only resort in the world claiming a 5m base, has reported 154cm of new snow this week, second biggest in the world behind Saas Fee, with 170cm, taking its base to a new high of 5.5m. Engelberg, Verbier, Davos and Grimentz have also reported a metre of snow this week. Snow depths across the country remain good for April, particularly in upper runs where bases are typically 1-2m. At resort level the snow is getting thin or is all gone at quite a few centres apparently. Adelboden, Crans Montana, Laax, Gstaad, Leysin, Wengen and Grindelwald are among areas where there's little or no snow left at resort level.
Scandinavia
Bases are holding steady in Scandinavia and most ski areas across the region have had some snow, ranging from a few centimetres in Lapland, to a foot (30cm) in Salen (Sweden) and nearly two feet (55cm) at Trysil in Norway. So with a month of the season still to run at most Scandinavian areas conditions continue to look good.
Pyrenees
Not such a great week in the Pyrenees as it has been very warm with double digit plus temperatures recorded at some area, making the snow difficult to enjoy from late morning at some areas. Unsurprisingly there's been no fresh snow in the last seven days but as the bases were so deep due to earlier snowfalls this is still not really a problem with base depths still 2-3m at mot resorts.
Eastern Europe
Although 20-40cm of fresh snow was reported in North eastern European areas like the Czech and Slovak republics, little fresh cover has been reported in Slovenia, Romania or Bulgaria. In the former two the cover is very thin now at areas like Kranjska Gora and Poiana Brasov (Both say 5cm at the base, 30cm at the top) although in Bulgaria the heavy snowfall in mid-March means bases remain good with 2m+ on upper runs.
Scotland
A fairly wild week in Scotland with blizzards bringing up to 70cm of fresh snow on the West, but interspersed with pleasant, dry, sunny weather – however fronts have been passing over so frequently that areas have had to close due to operational difficulties in the strong winds. However conditions are currently expected to be good on Eastern Sunday and Monday. In the east Glenshee and The Lecht remain closed due to incomplete runs following an earlier thaw but the Lecht says it has had enough fresh snow to be close to re-opening. Glenshee seems less optimistic posting pictures on Facebook of season closure mountain clear ups underway.
North America
Canada
The end of a not particularly memorable winter is nigh in many Western Canadian resorts, although Banff and Whistler will of course be open to May. It's been a snowier week than most this year in Alberta and BC with Marmot Basin reporting 19cm in 24 hours and there's been a foot of snow in recent days at Big White, Sun Peaks and Whistler. Over in the East there was 10cm at Mont Sainte Anne where the base depth has dropped to 50-70cm, Tremblant has had 20cm and reports 110-190cm.
USA
Small to moderate snowfalls across the US this week, where many resorts will be closing over the next few weekends, and many in California and other West coast resorts have already closed early after getting through their fourth warm dry ski season in a row. One of those, Jackson Hole, still has one of the deepest snow bases in the country but it has slipped below the 2m mark to 196cm and there's been no fresh snow there this week. Alyeska in Alaska has moved clearly ahead with a 2.5m base and the most fresh snow in the US this week – just over a foot. Otherwise resorts in New Engand have been doing the best for fresh snow aas has been the case through most of this season with 20-30cm of fresh snow reported at centres including Stowe and Sugarbush.