Cauterets, French Pyrenees, where the snow keeps coming...
Widespread snowfall refreshed most European ski areas this week, with the Pyrenees and Japan seeing the biggest dumps and Scotland hit by severe drifts. Most larger resorts now have the majority of their terrain open, although some snowpacks remain below seasonal averages.
The Snow Headlines - January 29th
- Most ski areas in Pyrenees at or near 100% operations after more snowfall.
- Huge snowfalls in Japan, again, world's deepest base passes 4 m/13 feet.
- Sensational snowfall continues in Scotland, roads closed by huge drifts.
- Bulgaria has best snowfall of season, allowing most terrain to open.
- Bases double in Dolomites after best snowfall of season, a week before Olympics.
Snow in the forecast.
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World Overview
It has been a fairly good week for fresh snowfall right across Europe with most ski regions reporting at least some fresh snow and much more unsettled conditions than was the case for much of the past few months. Some areas in the southwestern Alps and Dolomites have had up to 60 cm/24 inches, the Pyrenees up to (another) 90 cm/35 inches.
Temperatures have remained cold, barely getting above freezing at most of the continent's ski areas and widely in the -10 to -20C range above 2,000 m/6,562 feet altitude or at lower levels up in Scandinavia. Although base depths in some areas remain below seasonal averages, the majority of larger resorts at least have 90% or more of their slopes open.
For most areas it has not been the huge snowfalls this week that we saw at times in SW Europe and three weeks ago in the western Alps, but more sustained 5 to 10 cm/2 to 4 inches refreshes over multiple days and a much wider area.
There are exceptions to the 'below average snowpack' – the main one again being the Pyrenees which has been consistently snowy for two months now and here the snowpack is 150% of normal.
In the wider skiing world, it's been more of the same in North America – basically 'springlike' in the west and much more wintry in the East.
Japan, by contrast, continues to see phenomenal snowfalls and posts the deepest bases in the world, the only country where several resorts have now passed the 4 m/13 feet base mark, with reports of up to 1.5 m/5 feet falling in 36 hours, and one ski area has gone through 5 m/16 feet.
Europe
Austria
It has been a varied week across the Austrian Alps, mixing light snowfalls, bright breaks and bouts of low cloud that kept visibility patchy.
Fresh snowfall through the week has added 5 to 10 cm/2 to 4 inches accumulations to many centres on a daily basis, enough to freshen pistes rather than transform them.
Temperatures have stayed on the cold side, dipping to around -10C with valley highs hovering near freezing. The broader pattern is unchanged with the average snowpack remaining a little below average for the time of year and most resorts reporting 70% or more of their slopes open. They can offer that much thanks to their extensive snowmaking systems, while lower hills continue to struggle.
The big regions like the Arlberg and SkiWelt have the most open terrain, offering roughly 230 km/143 miles of skiing each.
France
Winter has taken firm hold in the French Alps this week, with widespread, regular snowfall since the weekend (and before in the Southern French Alps with Alpe d'Huez, Isola 2000 and others reporting 10 to 15 cm/4 to 6 inches on Friday), and temperatures staying well below freezing. Overnight lows at altitude have dipped below -15C, and the snowline has been down to valley floors.
The past few days saw Chamonix report 40 cm/16 inches, Les 2 Alpes 55 cm/22 inches and Risoul 60 cm/24 inches of fresh. Avalanche danger is widely at 3 or 4 due to the snowfall and varied conditions.
With most regions already operating 85 – 95% of their terrain, the fresh cover has arrived at the perfect moment with the busy February holidays period just around the corner.
All the big regions are operating close to maximum with Les 3 Vallées now having around 500 km/311 miles of runs open, while snow depths continue to build.
Italy
Snowfall across Italy has been much more widespread this past week than previously, with most resorts across the country picking up at least 10 cm/4 inches and some closer to 30 to 50 cm/12 to 20 inches since the weekend. Temperatures have plunged, reaching -20C high on the mountains and staying below freezing in many valleys.
Cervinia's connected area to Zermatt and The Via Lattea including Sestriere and Sauze d'Oulx are each offering Italy's largest connected terrain, or at least accessible from Italy in the latter case, over 250 km/155 miles of runs each.
Olympic hosts Cortina d'Ampezzo saw its base double to 1 m/3 feet as snow dumped there ahead of the Games getting underway in a week.
Switzerland
Snow has returned to much of Switzerland, with many regions seeing regular 5 to 10 cm/2 to 4 inches top‑ups since the weekend.
Temperatures have stayed firmly below freezing, only nudging a little above in the lowest valleys and dropping to around -10C at 1,800 m/5,906 feet. The new snow has been a much‑needed boost after a couple of dry weeks in several areas.
The 4 Vallées around Verbier currently offers the country's most lift‑served terrain, with roughly 90% of its slopes open and good cover across its higher sectors. Zermatt's ski area is more than 80% open and not far behind in terms of open terrain.
Scandinavia
After topping Europe's snowfall tables last week, it has been quieter over the past seven days in Scandinavia with large swathes of the region reporting a dry and often sunny week, during the limited daylight hours at least. There has been some snowfall though, heaviest in the north and west of the region.
Be it dry or snowy it has remained very cold, mostly in the -10 to -20C range, but sometimes colder still in the far north. Norway's Trysil advised its skiers to look out for their fellow slope users and notice early signs of frostbite.
Most leading resorts like Norway's Hemsedal and Trysil now have more than 80% of their slopes open. Sweden's Åre is at 75% but given its larger size that equates to the most skiable terrain in the region at present.
Pyrenees
It's been another great week in the Pyrenees with many areas picking up another half‑metre/20 inches or more of snowfall (some on the French side reporting as much as 90 cm/35 inches), continuing the trend of the range being one of Europe's (and the world's) snowiest spots through the first half of winter.
Most of the centres in Andorra and the French and Spanish Pyrenees are reporting increasingly deep terrain, plenty of fresh powder and most slopes open.
After hosting various parts of the Freeride World Tour over the past few weeks Spain's Baqueira Beret, the country's largest resort, was the latest to report every run open at the weekend. It also warned avalanche danger was at a high level 4 there with all the fresh snow.
Scotland
Scotland is back to its familiar weather ups and downs after a fairly stable January up to the past week, which saw one of the most consistently wintry starts to the year for quite a while. But the past week saw gales gusting at more than 90 mph at times, spells of heavy rain and a good dump of snow for some areas.
Indeed there have been periods of road closures and massive snow drifts especially at Cairngorm and Glenshee. There was also wide variation between neighbouring areas, Glencoe getting snow when Nevis Range (which finally appeared to be getting closer to opening) saw heavy rain. So what's managing to open is changing almost by the hour at present.
Eastern Europe
It has been a cold and frequently snowy week across Eastern Europe. Centres from Poland in the north to Bulgaria in the south have reported temperatures down below -10C at times on higher terrain and periods of snowfall, these heaviest and most persistent in the north.
Bulgarian resorts did get some snow, boosting bases by 20 to 40 cm/8 to 16 inches, and Bansko now has more than 80% of its slopes open, the country's other areas more like 50%. More consistent snowfall further north.
Largest resort Slovakia's Jasna now has 90% of its slopes open and is closing in on a 1 m/3 feet base depth up top.
North America
Canada
Canada has remained locked in a steady pattern of bright, dry weather, with intense cold still gripping most ski regions. Alberta and BC continue to sit in the minus‑teens (C), yet the generous storms earlier in the season mean resorts are offering some of the strongest conditions anywhere, with deep cover and the vast majority of terrain open.
Revelstoke currently leads the country for snow depth.
Further east, temperatures have plunged even lower, dropping into the -20s Celsius in parts of Quebec, and some base areas have struggled to rise above -9C. Sunshine and light daily flurries have kept surfaces crisp, and Mont Tremblant reports full operations.
Le Massif however has shocked Canada by ending its season already, mostly down to a labour dispute with resort workers although snow cover was not reported to be great either.
USA
There's not been much change in the US over the past week with a continuing East/West split.
The West remains 'springlike' as it has all winter, with just light snowfalls reported and mild mountain bases. By contrast it's been bitterly cold, again, and more like full winter in the East.
California's groomers are holding strong after earlier storms, with Mammoth still boasting 60 to 100 inches and full operations.
The Rockies remain mixed: mild bases, cold nights and light top‑ups, with summit temperatures swinging between 10 to 30F and occasional dips toward 0 to 10F.
There was a little snowfall in Colorado at the weekend, giving a brief respite, although ironically New Mexico further south fared better. Big Sky and Park City both have close to full terrain open. On the East Coast it's been 14 to 25F summit highs, regular freezes and small daily snowfalls keeping most areas over 90% open.