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Week Ending March 9th, 2013
* Free to re-publish in whole or part so long as clearly credited to www.J2ski.com with the words "J2Ski Snow Report" linked to http://www.j2ski.com/snow_forecast/ Don't look now, but... ...talk of Spring in Europe, with clear mild weather for much of the past week, does appear to be rather premature. The Week Ahead The weather changes we hinted at last week are now creeping into the reliable timeframe of the forecast models and we're expecting winter to return next week. Temperatures will fall gradually as we move into the weekend, with snow expected in some areas at altitude (and light rain below mid-levels). Much colder weather follows and most of the Alpine area will be 10C to 15C degrees cooler by Tuesday! Most locations will see snow, down to low levels, during the next week; quantities are unclear at present but there is a chance of significant localized accumulations depending on the exact track of the weather systems expected. If you are heading out this weekend, then pack for all weathers; although it's mild now, you'll be needing thermals on Monday... This Week's Headlines - The driest week in the Alps so far this winter. - Heavy snow in North America - more big falls in Colorado. - Serious snow in Scandinavia. - A metre of new snow at Whistler. Europe Austria It has been a dry and sunny week in most of Europe with little snow reported across the continent, including in Austria. Conditions on the pistes are generally excellent, if anything perhaps slightly too springlike as temperatures peaked but generally just glorious sunny days on the deep bases built up over the past few months. The next few days are seeing a change in the weather in Austria with some significant new snowfall expected across the country, but otherwise there's no new snow to report. Snow depths are still good and remain above 2.4m (6 feet) on upper slopes at many major areas including Lech, Obergurgl, Hintertux, St Anton... France France has also seen almost no new snow in the past week, but instead skiers have been enjoying sunny open pistes, if not great off-piste powder. On that latter point, warm temperatures and a deep snowpack means the avalanche risk is generally high to very-high off the piste, should you be desperate to battle the crud. As with Austria, an end to the snow drought is imminent and plenty of fresh expected in the next seven days. Deep snow bases built up over the last three months mean there's no real problem with cover on the runs either. Most areas have at least 2m lying on upper slopes, Flaine and Alpe d'Huez are up at 3.7m upper slope depths. Italy Virtually no new snow reported in the past week for Italy either! Only Madesimo says it got 5cm yesterday, otherwise it's zero accumulations across the board and the same great-on-piste, cruddy-and-high-avalanche-risk off piste scenario as per the rest of Western Europe. Base depths are largely healthy if not quite so good as further north, but perfectly adequate at the larger resorts. The deepest is in the western Alps where resorts like Cervinia and la Thuile have 2.5m base depths, but in the Dolomites too conditions are good with Arabba on 235cm. Switzerland Once again it's a no-new-snow story for another of the big four alpine ski nations, Switzerland. There's been almost no fresh snow across the country but sunny early-spring like conditions last week made for an excellent on-piste experience. Swiss resorts have the deepest snow bases in the alps led by Andermatt, Engelberg and Saas Fee, each with over 4.5m lying on upper slopes, but depths are good throughout the country so warmer conditions are not an issue as yet. Scotland Scotland's run of good conditions after the unsettled December/January continues, and it's turning out to be the best season for a few years with ticket sales already well past the total for all of 2011-12. Indeed this time last March all Scottish ski areas were closed due to warm temperatures. Currently however there's top to bottom skiing at all five ski areas. Pyrenees Not much fresh snow in the Pyrenees either but Cauterets (which says it's had another 5cm) has retained its world number one snow depth position with 590cm as Mt Baker, Niseko and Engelberg are all stall around the 5m mark. Baqueira Beret, which is calling this winter's snowfall "historic" has just announced an extended ski season to May 5th. It's one of three Spanish resorts with a 4m base. In Andorra it's generally 2.5-3m – all very healthy. Eastern Europe Once again there's been little or no fresh snow reported in Eastern Europe, but most areas have good base depths built up and pistes are fully open and all lifts running. Bansko, with a 2m base, has the deepest snow in the region, but most other areas have at least a 1m base on upper slopes and generally much more. Scandinavia There have been significant snowfalls in Norway and Swede, most notable perhaps at Are, the region's largest ski resort, which had a 20cm fall over Monday/Tuesday this week, the largest it has reported all winter. It now has a 1.3m base and for the first time that's the deepest of most major ski areas in Scandinavia – lagging behind only Voss. But some smaller Norwegian areas reported up to 60cm of new snow in the last seven days, the best known of which was Oppdal, with 50cm. Generally bases across the region are around the metre mark. North America Canada Western Canada has had the best of the week's snow with Whistler accumulating around a metre of fresh stuff and over in Alberta, Marmot Basin claiming the biggest snow storm for nearly 325 years deposited 70cm, of snow in 72 hours from 2nd to =4th March. Those were the two headline figures of a snowy week across the region which saw most areas add 20-40cm of fresh powder and bases reach their deepest this season to date – with Fernie the first to pass to 2.5m mark (now also reached by Big White and Whistler), with 2.75m. There have been smaller 5-10cm falls on the east too with Mont Ste Anne and Tremblant both with more than a metre of base. USA The good snowfall of the past few weeks in Colorado has continued with some resorts in the famous ski state adding as much as 60cm (two feet) of new snow in the past week and almost all reporting "powder" conditions. Vail, Steamboat and copper mountain all reported at least a foot of fresh snow, Arapahoe basin 50cm. It's not just Colorado getting the snow though, Jackson Hole has had another foot in the past week and there have been similar accumulations in Utah at resorts like Canyons and Snowbird. In California the base depth is creeping up at Mammoth again – now nearly at 5m. Less snow on the east in the past week but depths are still OK at around 1 to 1.5m and there have been a few inches of new snow at least at most centres. |
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Take lots of layers. Wear one layer on Saturday... you'll be needing all of them by Monday/Tuesday! Looking like -10C ish at resort level from Tuesday on, for much of The Alps. |
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Only if you don't like snow... :lol: Still a bit far out but the forecasts are starting to converge... temperatures look like falling off a cliff starting Sunday and if you do see rain then it shouldn't last long. Talk of Spring is looking rather premature... 8) |
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He/she has left the building... as you were.
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:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: p.s. you're banned! :wink: |
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J2Ski Snow Report - February 28th 2013
Started by User in Snow Forecasts and Snow Reports, 3 Replies |
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Absolutely tropical by mid-March... When did you say you're off? :lol: Seriously? Looks like a week of mildness (but little to no rain) then going colder again, with the models currently going for snow about a week out. Could all change, but it's not looking too shabby at all... 8) |
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...are not now appearing, and have been replaced by the one-and-only-how-is-he-still-alive... Mr Alice Cooper!
And here's a nice publicity vid to be going on with... sadly without a "bangin' soundtrack by Alice" but maybe next time |
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J2Ski Snow Report - February 28th 2013
Started by User in Snow Forecasts and Snow Reports, 3 Replies |
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Week Ending March 2nd, 2013
* Free to re-publish in whole or part so long as clearly credited to www.J2ski.com with the words "J2Ski Snow Report" linked to http://www.j2ski.com/snow_forecast/ The last week of February has seen more fresh snow, with major falls in Austria, Italy and Switzerland. The French Pyrenees also saw yet more snow, whilst elsewhere in France clearer weather has been more common. As we move into March it does look as if the first week is going to be mild and settled in much of the Alpine region, with temperatures a little above average (for the beginning of March!). With accumulated snow depths exceeding 4 metres in many places, and little if any rain forecast, the excellent skiing conditions will continue. The forecast models are indicating a breakdown of the settled conditions, with colder temperatures and snow, in about a weeks time. Watch with interest... This Week's Headlines - Mt Baker heads towards top of world snowdepth table with 70cm new snow in past week. - Engelberg's 5m snow depth deepest in the Alps. - Cauterets nears 6m based depth after new snow. - Scottish ski areas have already received more skiers this season than by the end of last. - Up to two feet of new snow reported in the Dolomites. Europe Austria Austria has definitely been the snowiest part of the Alps over the past week, and indeed many resorts have seen between 15 and 30cm (6-12 inches) of fresh snow in the past 72 hours. Some of the biggest accumulations have been reported by Kitzbuhel (35cm), Neustift (30cm), Zell am See (24cm), Bad Kleinkirchheim (23cm) and Pitztal (20cm). The snowfall is now easing down however and not much is expected over the coming week. The country's deepest snow is still on its highest slopes at the Pitztal Glacier (3.5m), but most big name resorts have healthy bases too, such as the 2.4m (six feet) lying at St Anton or the 165cm (5.5 feet) at Kitzbuhel. France There's not a whole lot of fresh snow in France but unless you've wanting deep fresh powder not many people are complaining as the pistes are in great shape and the snow cover deep. Those that have posted fresh snow recently include Meribel with 20cm (8 inches) and Avopriaz and Courchevel each with 12cm (5 inches) at the weekend but mostly it's been clear or just an inch of snow has fallen. French resorts continue to boast some of the best snow depths anywhere. With Flaine on a 4m base and many others in the 3-4m base bracket including Alpe d'Huez (3.8m), Chamonix (3.5m), Val Thorens (3.35m) La Rosiere (3.3m) and La Clusaz (3.25m). Italy The Dolomites have seen some of the biggest snowfalls anywhere in the past week with Arabba reporting a 60cm (two foot) accumulation. Madonna di Campiglio also did well, adding 35cm and many other resorts in the region have reported 15-25cm of new snow, much of it since the weekend. There have been smaller snowfalls in the Alps but 10cm or so for Aosta Valley resorts has certainly helped keep cover fresh there. Passo Tonale's 3.5m (nearly 12 foot) base remains the deepest in Italy with most areas reporting 1-2.5m bases and great conditions on piste. Switzerland Like most Swiss resorts Engelberg hasn't had any snow in the past week, but it retains the title of deepest base in the Alps with 5m, down just 10cm from last week. However some big name areas have each received around 20cm (8 inches) of fresh, including Grindelwald and Murren in the Jungfrau and Saas Fee and St Moritz. Swiss resort base depths remain the best in the Alps, and indeed the world, with typically 2.5-3.5m on upper slopes. Besides Engelberg, Andermatt has one of the best bases at 4.2m (14 feet, 10cm/4 inches of fresh) and Gstaad has 4.4m. Pyrenees The snow has returned to the Spanish side of the Pyrenees with up to a foot (30cm) of fresh stuff reported at Formigal and Baqueira beret which continue to boast some of the deepest snow in the world having around 4.5m (15 foot) bases. Not quite so deep in Andorra at 2.2-3.2m (7.3 – 10.6 feet) but Soldeu has posted the biggest fresh snow accumulation of the past week with a reported 60cm (2 feet) of new cover. On the French side there's little fresh cover but Cauterets still claims the world's deepest snow base at 5.9m (19.65 feet). Eastern Europe Bansko has hit 2.5m on its upper slopes after another four inches (12cm) of snow fell in the last few days, other Bulgarian areas have healthy 1.5-1.8m (5-6 feet) bases and elsewhere in eastern Europe there have been heavy snowfalls in the Czech and Slovak republics and bases e up to 1.,54m in resorts like Kranjska Gora in Slovenia. Scandinavia There's been little change in base depths in Scandinavia over the past week with not much new snow. However base depths are healthy, snow in good shape, most runs open and lift operating across the region. It's cold, unsurprisingly, with temperatures dipping to -20C at night in Lapland although rising to freezing during the day and bases around a metre, with Yllas's 110cm the deepest. There's been almost no snow reported in Norway in the past week either where Hemsedal has a 1.2m base and Voss 2.2m. The only significant snowfall has been at are which had 8cm of new snow at the weekend and now has a 75cm base. Scotland Scotland is enjoying some of the best skiing conditions for years at present and some of the best weather in Britain as the five ski areas approach two weeks of enjoying more or less all runs open and top to bottom snow cover with hard packed pistes and none of the usual wind chill or cloud – just blue skies. This week, with most of the half term holidaymakers gone, the centres have been quieter too so queues for lifts and services are also largely gone for midweek visitors. The only downside of the settled weather has been little fresh snowfall (although there was a dusting on Sunday morning) and icy conditions first thing after steep temperature drops overnight. Ski-Scotland, the partnership which promotes snowsports in Scotland, reports that this winter is shaping up to be one of the best in recent years. Already last winter's total figure has been surpassed, and the number of skiers and snowboarders who have enjoyed this year's snow already stands at over 140,000, well ahead of most seasons in the last decade. North America Canada There have been some larger snowfalls in Canada this week compared to last with powder times in BC in particular where Revelstoke has added 50cm of new snow since this time a week ago and Fernie, with more than a foot of fresh stuff, has moved to the top of the country's snow depth table at 252cm. Whistler has also had one of the world's biggest snow falls of the past seven days, adding 55cm. Most other BC resorts and Banff in Alberta have had 15-25cm of fresh snow. And there's good news on the East of the country in Quebec too with 10-20cm at Mont ste Anne and Mont Tremblant. USA Things are looking decidedly snowy once again in western North America and Mt Baker in Washington state, officially the resort with on average the greatest snowfall in the world every season (around 19m) is moving back towards its usually number one spot with 75cm of snow in the past week – 45cm of that in the past 24 hours – giving it a 550cm base, the deepest in the US and now second in the world to Cauterets in the Pyrenees. But it's not just Mt Baker, most US resorts have seen healthy snowfalls over the past week and Colorado resorts finally have healthy powder depths and totals getting up close to Utah resorts. Aspen reported more than 50cm in the past week, Breckenridge and Vail about a foot each, the latter moving past its 1m base depth for the first time this season. Jackson Hole and Mammoth are among others to add at least 30cm too, the latter with the deepest snow of a major US resort now at 475cm. There's been big snowfalls on the East coast too with Sunday River in Maine adding 40cm and Sugarbush and Killington 30cm each in the past week. |
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