Archive for 'Snow Reports'

Mar201018

0

Snow Report 18th March, 2010

INTRODUCTION
Spring has sprung once again in Europe. Mild and sunny weather, combined with plenty of existing snow, makes for some classic spring skiing at the moment right across the Alps.
Austria has some superb conditions due to heavy snow that fell at most resorts on Tuesday 16th March. Lech received lots of snow right down to the town and the skiing has been superb all week. It should stay this way for the coming weekend.
The Ski Club reps based in resorts in France all report the same thing, sun! The skiing is great too with the sunshine guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Les Arcs and La Plagne have some of the best conditions.
It’s been a little colder in Switzerland and Italy so the snow isn’t quite as spring-like. The sun is shining over most of the country though so it’s the perfect weather to enjoy the snow. Zermatt’s best snow is on the higher slopes.
The thaw on the east coast of America continues, with temperatures of around 10°C at most resorts. Spring skiing is the name of the game but this is to be expected at this time of year. Try some new tricks in the park as the soft snow is more forgiving.
A metre of snow fell in Whistler between 10th and 17th March, giving plenty of deep powder on the upper half of the mountain. Kicking Horse and Revelstoke also had some decent powder snow, especially on the upper half of the mountains.


Read more

Mar201004

0

Snow Report, 4th March, 2010

INTRODUCTION

The mild weather in Europe has given spring skiing all this week which is great for skiers but not for the snow. Fortunately, a return to wintry weather is just round the corner. The higher French resorts offer some of the best skiing at the moment. Tignes received dustings of fresh snow this week and most of their upper pistes are in great condition.

Some of the lower Austrian resorts have very slushy snow because of the mild weather. They all have a good enough base depth to ensure top to bottom skiing in most places though and the upper pistes are all in good condition.

Great weather in Scotland this week has allowed skiers and boarders to make the most of last week’s fresh snow. Cairngorm has the deepest base depth with nearly two metres of snow at the top. Conditions are excellent for the time of year so if you have always wanted to ski Scotland but have been put off by poor snow, now is definitely the time to go.

50cm of fresh snow at Squaw Valley in California provided them with yet more amazing powder skiing. They are enjoying a good season for snow so far and with more than four metres of it on the upper slopes, it should be an excellent spring.

Whistler is beginning to return to normal now the Olympics have ended. However there are some preparations for the Paralympic Games which begin on 12th March. Elsewhere in western Canada it is still pretty warm but this should come to an end as colder and snowy weather is expected, finally.


Read more

Feb201025

0

Snow Report, 25th February, 2010

INTRODUCTION
More snow in France earlier this week means the skiing is excellent once again. Lots of areas received up to 40cm of fresh snow on their upper slopes but lower down the snow is wetter.

The same is the case in Switzerland and Austria. Not as much snow has fallen in these countries as did in France and milder weather means the lower pistes are soft or even slushy in some parts. Good skiing can, however, be found up high at all the areas.

The end of this week sees one of the biggest dumps of snow in Scotland for a long time. All five main resorts are closed due to extremely heavy snow and high winds. The snowfall is also affecting access roads but when the weather clears the skiing will be comparable to top powder resorts in the world, especially considering how the snow drifts at the Scottish resorts.

It’s also snowed loads in America, particularly the east coast. Resorts like Sunday River and Sugarbush have been hit with around 75cm of fresh snow, which fell on Wednesday 24th February. It also snowed 70cm down at Mammoth in California, continuing their excellent season.

Eyes are still on Whistler in Canada and the weather there. Fortunately it has been dry and sunny recently, allowing them to run most of the alpine skiing events without problems. However another storm is heading for the area, bringing with it up to 50cm of fresh snow. This is great news for recreational skiers but not such great news for event organisers. Fortunately, most of the skiing events have now taken place.


Read more

Feb201018

0

Snow Report, 18th February, 2010

INTRODUCTION

Despite it being one of the busiest weeks of the year in the Alps, many resorts have minimal lift queues and excellent snow conditions to go with it.

Fresh snow fell in the western half of the Alps on Wednesday and in many resorts the snow continued on Thursday too. The southern areas of the French Alps received the greatest amount of this fresh snow. Serre Chevalier received around 30cm of snow over Tuesday 16th and Wednesday 17th February.

The snow hasn’t yet arrived in Austria but it is heading their way. Ski Club reps in Austrian resorts report excellent conditions, particularly at Obergurgl where the pistes are being well maintained.

Nevis Range in Scotland reported up to 40cm of fresh snow on Wednesday 17th February. This is excellent news for Scottish skiing, which is experiencing its best season in many years.

Snow continues to fall in Colorado. The good news is that it is due to get even heavier. Earlier in the week Breckenridge received 30cm of fresh powder which made for one of their best powder days of the season so far.

Skiing in Canada is also good at the moment. Despite reports of a lack of snow at the Winter Olympic areas, Whistler has over three metres of snow and with around 90cm falling since Thursday 11th February there is plenty of powder to be found.

Read more

Jan201025

0

Snow Report, 25th January, 2010

INTRODUCTION
This weekend saw fresh snow fall on western resorts in Europe especially in France and Switzerland. The heaviest snowfall this week is forecast in the eastern resorts of Austria, Switzerland and Italy. Up to a metre of new snow is forecast in Austria and Switzerland, so this gives you an idea of how much the snow conditions could improve.
There is some fantastic skiing in America at the moment, with resorts in Utah and California recently receiving over two metres of fresh snow. Unfortunately it is warm and wet on the east coast, which has turned much of the snow to slush.
Loads more snow fell at Whistler, taking their snowfall total for the year so far to nearly ten metres. There is lots of powder on the upper slopes. Elsewhere in Canada it is colder, with fantastic snow conditions from top to bottom.

AUSTRIA
The fresh snow that fell in Austria last week gave some great powder skiing in many places over the weekend. The snow has now packed down giving excellent on-piste skiing.
The Ski Club rep in Mayrhofen (5/70cm) reports very good on piste conditions, especially on the higher slopes. The base depth isn’t deep but is enough to ensure the grassy runs are completely covered in snow. All the lifts in the Mayrhofen area are running.
There is over a metre and a half of snow on the upper slopes at St Anton (40/170cm). Skiing is very good both on and off the pistes following fresh snowfall at the end of last week. As with Mayrhofen, last week’s fresh snow has now packed down giving generally excellent on-piste conditions.

FRANCE
Many French resorts received snow on Monday 25th January. Generally between 5cm and 10cm was reported on Monday morning and the snow was expected to keep falling through the day.
5cm of new snow was reported at Les Gets (55/130cm), giving a nice layer of powder on the groomed runs. The snowy weather meant the visibility was poor at altitude so it was prudent to take care, especially when skiing off piste. The weather should clear up on Tuesday.
A few centimetres of snow also fell at Courchevel (80/118cm) on Monday morning. This freshened up the pistes, which were beginning to get a bit hard at low levels. All the links over into the other valleys were open providing a huge amount of skiing.

SWITZERLAND
A few of our featured Swiss resorts received fresh snow over the weekend. It was only a light dusting but nevertheless it improved the snow conditions.
Around 5cm fell on Monday at Gstaad (15/160cm). The resort has a glacier and the snow cover up there is excellent. Head high for the greatest amount of fresh snow but the cold weather means the snow is very good even down to the bottom of the ski area at 1000m.
It was also snowing on Monday at Champery (30/80cm) in the Portes du Soleil area. With links to Avoriaz, Morzine and Les Gets in France there is loads of great skiing available. Fresh snow fell over the whole of the area. 180 of the 197 lifts in the massive Portes du Soleil area were running on Monday.

USA
There were some colossal snowfalls across America last week. Many resorts in Utah, Colorado and California received massive amounts of fresh snow.
Mammoth (225/360cm) received two and a half metres of snow in five days. While it fell this affected resort operations but they have since dug out their lifts and bottomless powder can be found across the mountain. On Sunday 24th January 21 of their 22 lifts were running.
Snowbird (246cm), Alta (259cm) and Park City (188cm) also received a lot of snow. Around two metres of snow fell between Thursday 21st and Sunday 24th January at Snowbird and Alta. Only half the lifts are running at Snowbird due the heightened avalanche risk but where the lifts are running the skiing is incredible. Expect chest deep powder on the whole mountain at the start of this week.
Unfortunately it has turned very warm on the east coast, with mid mountain temperatures of 8°C in places. It was also raining at Mount Snow (51/71cm) over the weekend, turning the existing snow into heavy slush. They are doing their best to preserve the snow base however and the mild weather isn’t expected to last too long. Only half the lifts at Mount Snow are currently running.

CANADA
Snow conditions in Canada are generally very good at the moment. The best of the snow conditions can be found inland, away from the coast where it is warmer.
Fernie (210cm) still has an excellent base depth and fresh snowfall last week ensures the snow is in great condition this week. All of the lifts were running on Sunday 24th January giving access to the runs, although some of the lower runs are quite hard packed.
Loads of snow fell at Whistler (280cm), especially on the upper slopes. They have excellent conditions higher up but low down the runs are quite hard due to mild daytime temperatures and cold nights. They are looking to be in excellent shape for the Olympics.

EUROPEAN WEATHER OUTLOOK
Lots of snow is expected in Europe this week, particularly in Austria and Switzerland where a metre of snow could fall over the next eight days in places.
Lech in Austria is expecting lots of heavy snow at the end of this week and over the weekend. Around 120cm of snow could fall by the end of next weekend. It will also be a very cold week, with the temperature remaining around -14°C at mid mountain so the powder will be light and dry.
Resorts in Italy could also receive significant snowfall this week and next weekend. The heaviest snows are expected at Livigno where up to 67cm could land by the end of Tuesday 2nd February. Other resorts in the east such as Val Senales, Bormio and Selva Gardena are also expecting around 60cm of new snow.
France should be cold and sunny as well, but they aren’t expecting as much as Austria, Switzerland and Italy.
Up in Scandinavia it should be snowy too, with Hemsedal in Norway expecting 53cm of snow in the next nine days. It should also be very cold, especially at the weekend. Expect a high of -19°C on Saturday.

NORTH AMERICAN WEATHER OUTLOOK
There is good news for east coast resorts, with the return of cold weather expected later this week. Attitash Bear Peak is suffering due to rain at the moment but it should be -14°C by the end of the week, although this could potentially turn all the slushy snow to ice.
In the west, the recent snowstorms for California, Utah and Colorado have cleared. Drier and sunnier weather is expected across most states but some snow is expected on and off throughout the week. The intermittent snow showers should amount to between 10cm and 30cm for most resorts.
It should be snowy in Canada too, but only a light amount of snow is forecast. The most snow is expected at Whistler, with around 40cm expected on the upper slopes by the weekend. The recent mild weather looks like staying, with snow above around 1000m at Whistler. Further inland it should be colder, with temperatures down to -16°C overnight at Big White.
SkiClub_Logo-lowBrought to you by The Ski Club of Great Britain
Ski Club Website
Snow Reports
Ski resort guide

Jan201021

0

Snow Report, 21 January, 2010


INTRODUCTION
Following a dry week in Austria it started to snow in most areas on Wednesday night. Obergurgl awoke to 15cm on Thursday and more snow is expected over the weekend ahead.
Many of our featured French Alpine resorts received fresh snow this week, adding to that which fell last weekend. Fresh snow also fell at almost all of our reported Swiss resorts in the middle of this week and, like in France, as much as 10-15cm of new snow fell at some resorts.
Unfortunately no fresh snow has been reported in Italy this since Sunday 17th January.
Fresh snow has also fallen in Scotland this week. Blizzard conditions have again closed the road at Cairngorm and Nevis Range was closed on Thursday due to strong winds. It was possible to ski at Glenshee, The Lecht and Glencoe on Thursday 21st January.
Fresh snow has fallen across America this week and the heaviest snowfall has been reported at the Californian resorts of Squaw Valley and Mammoth.  These are the resorts to head to it you want deep powder snow.
Snow fell across Canada this week. Great conditions can be found at all resorts including Mont Sainte-Anne on the east coast which will have sunny weekend over the coming weekend.

Dec200924

0

Snow News, 24th December, 2009

SNOW NEWS UPDATED 24 December 2009
INTRODUCTION
The weather in Europe has been very warm and wet this week. The good news is that the change in weather has brought lots of snow to the higher slopes but this has unfortunately fallen as rain on the lower ones.
The warm weather in Austria bought rain to the lower slopes of most resorts, even Obergurgl. Fortunately though, snow has fallen on the upper slopes especially in the Arlberg region.
The same is the case in France. The upper slopes have received lots of fresh snow, particularly in the southern French Alps. Isola 2000 had 30cm of powder on its upper slopes on Wednesday, putting them resort in good shape for Christmas.
Loads of fresh snow fell in Switzerland, especially on the upper slopes. The Ski Club Rep at Verbier reported awesome powder above mid mountain but low down the snow is quite heavy. Lots of other resorts received good snow too, so it should be a great Christmas.
Christmas should be a good one in the American ski resorts we feature. It was snowing in Utah and Colorado on Thursday and the Christmas weekend should be nice and sunny. For the best powder, head to either Snowbird in Utah or Steamboat in Colorado.
There is plenty of great skiing in Canada for the Christmas period. Whistler received lots of fresh snow earlier in the week but the weather has since cleared and it is quite cold. Monte Sainte Anne on the east coast received 30cm of fresh snow on Wednesday so there is great skiing there.
AUSTRIA
Lots of resorts in Austria received a mixture of rain and snow at the beginning of the week. Most slopes below around 1500m saw rain fall, which turned the runs quite wet and slushy. Higher up snow fell, dropping around 10cm on the majority of resorts in Austria on Monday and Tuesday.
The Ski Club rep at Obergurgl (61/127cm) said there was light rain at resort level earlier in the week. This turned some of the pistes slushy at first and then icy when it went colder. Snow has fallen since then however which has improved the conditions. It was very windy on Christmas Eve at Obergurgl and only seven lifts were running as a result. Unfortunately the wind also created bad visibility.
The Stubai Glacier at Neustift (40/150cm) was fully closed on Christmas Eve because of the high winds. They are expecting to open on Christmas Day however which is good news for people there at the moment.
All but five lifts in the Arlberg area are now running. Lech (40/140cm) has great snow conditions, particularly on the upper slopes where it is coldest. Down at resort level there was a bit of rain but not as much as fell elsewhere, so the snow is still OK. All the links over to Zurs (40/140cm) are open and St Anton (30/130cm) is running all of its lifts too.
FRANCE
Lift operations in France have been affected by strong winds several times this week. Flaine (20/110cm) was forced to shut all but its beginner lifts on Tuesday because of 50mph winds on the upper slopes. Snow has fallen with all the wind however but mainly on the upper slopes. At Flaine village some rain fell so it got quite slushy at times. The Ski Club rep in Flaine said it should be excellent on the upper slopes when the weather clears.
30cm of fresh snow fell at Isola 2000 (74/126cm) on Wednesday 23rd. It is mild in the resort, around 0°C, so the snow is quite heavy down low but higher up it is a lot better. This should make for some excellent skiing on Christmas Day and the forecast looks good for next week too.
The Ski Club rep at Avoriaz (100/130cm) reports mixed skiing, ranging from powder to heavy snow due to the mild weather. As always, it is better the further up you go and Avoriaz is no exception. 30 out of a possible 34 lifts are running on Christmas Eve and it should remain this way on Christmas Day. Even warmer weather is expected for next week with the possibility of rain at all levels.
SWITZERLAND
Most Swiss resorts have received fresh snow this week. Between 10cm and 50cm fell, giving some excellent skiing in the fresh powder.
20cm of snow fell at Arosa (70/120cm) on Wednesday 23rd December. More snow is expected to fall on Christmas Eve and Christmas day but not as much as on Wednesday. Around half of the lifts are open on Christmas Eve, partly due to the increased avalanche risk. When the upper areas reopen there should be some great powder skiing.
Zermatt (40/146cm) also received lots of snow recently. Around 30cm is reported to have fallen on 23rd December, which was on top of another dump earlier in the week. Milder temperatures mean that the snow on the lower slopes is quite heavy in places so for the best powder head high but watch the avalanche risk.
USA
It’s been snowing in Utah. Snowbird (125cm) and Snowbird (119cm) received the most, with around 15cm falling on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both resorts hadn’t received snow for a long while until now so it will have come as a welcome relief for them. Snowbird should open its final three lifts by Boxing Day. Alta has all but one lift running but the fresh snow could mean they open it soon.
Snow is also falling in Colorado, but not as much as in Utah. Around 8-10cm fell at Vail (51cm) on Tuesday and Wednesday which will have freshened up their pistes nicely. Off piste the cover is still fairly thin but there are some good areas where the snow is the deepest.
It has warmed up on the east coast but not to the point where the snow is affected. Sunday River (38/51cm) received a dusting of snow last weekend and currently it is -1°C at resort level. Ten lifts are open at Sunday River, 8 short of their total lift number. It should be a good Christmas for Sunday River.
CANADA
The biggest dump of snow this week in Canada was on the east coast, at Mont Sainte Anne (45cm). 29cm of fresh snow fell on Wednesday 23rd December giving an excellent powder day. The fresh snow covered all the pistes and hugely improved the off piste too. Six lifts were running on 23rd December but most of the terrain was open. It should be a fantastic Christmas period for the resort following this big snowfall.
Over on the west coast it has gone cold again. Sun Peaks (103/121cm) was -24°C on Wednesday morning and a bit of fresh snow fell too. The lower pistes are quite hard but more snow fell up top so it is best up there. Generally the piste conditions are excellent however and all of the lifts and runs are open.
There is great snow at Kicking Horse (143cm) too. Fresh snowfall on Tuesday 22nd boosted the already excellent piste conditions and a good base depth means off-piste skiing is also great. The freshest snow is at the summit of the resort but right down to base level it is very good.
EUROPEAN WEATHER OUTLOOK
The weather in Europe this weekend and next week will vary quite dramatically. The weekend should be very warm in most resorts, with the freeing level rising to nearly 3000m in Avoriaz. Then the cold weather should briefly return, with -12°C expected at 2450m at Avoriaz. Then even warmer weather is due for the middle of next week, unfortunately bringing rain even to the upper slopes of most resorts.
Mayrhofen in Austria is expecting similar weather, with a cold snap around Saturday and then going much warmer around Monday. 10cm of snow is expected at Mayrhofen on Saturday night but only above mid-mountain. It will fall as rain at resort level.
Switzerland and Italy should receive more snow than France and Austria. Grimentz in Switzerland is expecting around 25cm of snow on the upper slopes by Tuesday next week. Thursday night and Monday is when this snow is likely to be the heaviest. It will be 2°C by Tuesday 29th December.
Up in Scandinavia there are no worries of warm weather. It should be a snowy Christmas Day at Geilo in Norway with 12cm of snow expected and a total of 25cm is expected by Tuesday next week. 16cm of snow is expected on Christmas Day at Hemsedal too.
NORTH AMERICAN WEATHER OUTLOOK
Another cold snap is expected for Colorado. -17°C is the expected high on Christmas Day and around 1cm of snow should fall then. The cold weather usually brings dry conditions with it and this cold snap is no exception. -28°C is the expected low on Saturday night at resort level so make sure you wrap up very warm.
Park City in Utah should be cold, dry and sunny for at least the next five days. No new snow is expected at all but the cold weather will mean the snow cannons can be used lots. The windchill will make it feel very cold, around -33°C on Christmas Day.
Over on the east coast there should be more snow. Sugarbush is expecting light snow for at least every day until Tuesday. It should amount to around 10cm, keeping the pistes nicely topped up. It looks as if there will be a sudden cold snap on Tuesday next week, with an expected high of around -21°C at Sugarbush on Tuesday.
It should be cold and dry in the west of Canada. No snow is expected at Whistler until at least Tuesday but the cold and sunny weather will please skiers heading there for Christmas. The same is the case for resorts like Big White, Fernie and Red Mountain. None of them are expecting much snow but the cold weather will keep the snow they do have in good condition.

INTRODUCTION

The weather in Europe has been very warm and wet this week. The good news is that the change in weather has brought lots of snow to the higher slopes but this has unfortunately fallen as rain on the lower ones. The warm weather in Austria bought rain to the lower slopes of most resorts, even Obergurgl. Fortunately though, snow has fallen on the upper slopes especially in the Arlberg region. The same is the case in France. The upper slopes have received lots of fresh snow, particularly in the southern French Alps. Isola 2000 had 30cm of powder on its upper slopes on Wednesday, putting them resort in good shape for Christmas. Loads of fresh snow fell in Switzerland, especially on the upper slopes. The Ski Club Rep at Verbier reported awesome powder above mid mountain but low down the snow is quite heavy. Lots of other resorts received good snow too, so it should be a great Christmas. Christmas should be a good one in the American ski resorts we feature. It was snowing in Utah and Colorado on Thursday and the Christmas weekend should be nice and sunny. For the best powder, head to either Snowbird in Utah or Steamboat in Colorado. There is plenty of great skiing in Canada for the Christmas period. Whistler received lots of fresh snow earlier in the week but the weather has since cleared and it is quite cold. Monte Sainte Anne on the east coast received 30cm of fresh snow on Wednesday so there is great skiing there.
Read more

Dec200921

0

Snow News, 21th December, 2009

SNOW NEWS UPDATED 21 December 2009
INTRODUCTION
The bitterly cold weather is coming to an end in the Alps this week and this is good news is made even better by the fact that that heavy snow showers are forecast for most places.
The Ski Welt area in Austria now offers much more skiing. The weekend just gone was when many lifts were opened and as the pistes are in good condition there is fun skiing to be had there.
20cm of snow fell on a handful of French resorts over the weekend. Flaine and Samoens both received a good dump of fresh snow over the weekend and lots of the Grand Massif ski area is open now. It should be a great Christmas week for the area as well as the rest of the French resorts.
Switzerland is where the greatest amount of fresh snow fell in Europe over the weekend. Lots of resorts received between 20cm and 30cm of powder across Saturday and Sunday. The best of the fresh snow is at resorts like Adelboden, Anzere and Gstaad.
There is lots of great skiing to be enjoyed at all of our featured American resorts. Snow has been falling at Jackson Hole in Wyoming and it’s expected to be a snowy Christmas week, so the possibility of riding powder on Christmas Day is high.
Banff in Canada is now fully open, with all of its lifts running. Conditions are excellent due to prolonged cold weather and good snowfalls. Another cold snap is heading for British Columbia and Alberta around Christmas Day. It could dip down to -37°C in Alberta so take plenty of layers if you are heading there for Christmas.
AUSTRIA
The weekend just gone was a great one for Austria. Many resorts opened a lot more of their terrain, including the Ski Welt area which now has over two thirds of its lifts running.
The resort of Soll (5/45cm) has eight of its ten lifts turning and it should stay this way all week. Although the low snow depths might suggest the skiing isn’t great, the runs are mostly on grassy meadows so 45cm of snow is more than enough for complete coverage. Some more light snow is forecast on the upper slopes this week.
Three lifts were opened on Saturday at St Wolfgang (50/70cm). The resort has a very impressive snow depth considering its low altitude of around 700m. Although the ski area is fairly small, there is still some fun skiing to be had and the slopes are likely to be quite quiet for at least the first few days of this week.
FRANCE
Most of the French resorts we report on are now open. Many that were already open have now opened up more terrain and lifts.
This is the case at Meribel (20/80cm) where 40 of their 43 lifts are now running. The links over to Val Thorens (85/105cm) and Courchevel (46/110cm) are also open so there is loads of skiing on offer. Fresh snow fell in the Three Valleys on Sunday 20th December and more should fall this week. The cold weather has also disappeared, so skiers are blessed with more comfortable temperatures this week. The best snow is on the upper slopes, so head high for the best skiing.
The Ski Club rep in Les Arcs (30/70cm) reports good snow on the upper slopes but the lower slopes are hard and icy. The recent cold weather and lack of fresh snow has created some rock hard areas, but the snow cannons are doing their best to make the conditions better. The good news is that fresh snow is forecast for most French resorts this week so conditions should improve in time for Christmas.
SWITZERLAND
It’s been snowing at virtually all of our featured Swiss resorts recently. Many have received up to 30cm of fresh snow, so Monday was a powder day for many resorts.
20cm of powder fell at Adelboden (35/65cm) on Monday, giving a great boost to the snow conditions in their ski area. You can now find powder over virtually all of the resort, the best of it being in the highest areas. 43 lifts are running so there is plenty of access to the fresh snow. It puts the resort in a good position ahead of Christmas.
There wasn’t as much fresh snow at Saas Fee (65/110cm) but around 7cm fell on Monday, topping up their pistes nicely. Virtually the whole area is now open as it is the Christmas holiday period. As you might expect, it is fairly busy but as nearly all of the lifts are running the queue times should be minimal. More features have been opened in the terrain park, so head over there for a bit of fun on the kickers and rails.
USA
Many of the resorts on the east coast managed to open lots more lifts over the weekend just gone. The big snowstorm that hit much of the eastern areas of America gave some of the resorts a good dump of snow too providing some excellent skiing. Stowe (30/101cm) is now almost fully open, with only two lifts closed. It is nice and cold as well meaning the snow cannons are working all the time. Off piste, the snow is a little thin for decent skiing yet but it should improve with some more snow.
Down in California and Nevada, the snowstorm last week which dumped over a metre of fresh snow is still providing great skiing. Squaw Valley (127/178cm) has a great base depth, meaning excellent skiing both on and off piste. Most of the area is open, including a lot of the steeper terrain which is great for this time of year.
Snow was falling at in Jackson Hole on Monday. Nine lifts are running this week and the fresh snow should make for an excellent Christmas week. Most of the steep terrain that Jackson is famous for is still closed as they need more snow for it to open, but the available runs are all good.
CANADA
There is now a Ski Club rep in Whistler (229cm). On Sunday the rep reported excellent skiing, particularly on the upper slopes where it is coldest. Low down the resort runs are a bit hard packed due to the warmer weather. Off piste there is also some lovely snow at higher elevations, with a mixture of powder and tracked snow. Lower down it is heavier but still fun to ski. 21cm of fresh snow fell on Sunday and more is forecast for the week ahead.
15 out of 16 lifts are running at Big White (120cm) now. The only chair closed is the Falcon Chair, which needs a deeper snow base to be able to open due to the rocky terrain that it serves. 5cm of fresh snow on Sunday helped top up the pistes and there is great skiing to be enjoyed all over the mountain. The powder bowls at the Cliff area opened for the season on Monday 21st December and all the double black diamond runs will be open to ski and board.
Further east, Tremblant (40/50cm) is almost fully open. Only four lifts were closed on Monday and more could possible open this week. A temperature of -13°C at the base is quite cold so wrap up warm if you are skiing in Tremblant this Christmas. The cold weather is expected to continue all week, which is excellent news.
EUROPEAN WEATHER OUTLOOK
It should be a snowy Christmas week for most of the Alps, with many resorts expecting up to 75cm of fresh snow by Boxing Day.
Saas Fee in Switzerland should receive of snow each day this week, with 28cm expected to fall on Christmas Eve. It could be a Christmas Day powder day at Saas Fee. The colder weather of late should also disappear too, giving way to warmer but snowier weather. Due to Saas Fee’s altitude however, snow should fall at all levels.
Up to 81cm should fall at Passo Tonale, especially on the Presena Glacier. The busy holiday period needs great snow conditions so this heavy snowfall will be warmly welcomed. The heaviest of the snow in Passo Tonale and also across most of the Italian Alps should be on Christmas Eve, when anywhere between 20cm and 35cm could fall.
It should be snowy in Austria too, but not as much as in Switzerland, Italy or France. The Ski Welt area could see mild temperatures too, which may bring rain to anywhere below mid-mountain. Snow should fall at the top however, improving conditions in the area.
Up in Scandinavia, the cold and dry weather is set to continue. Hemsedal in Norway will remain below -15°C at all times, dropping to around -25°C at night. No snow is forecast in either Norway or Sweden but the snow cannons will be running all the time.
NORTH AMERICAN WEATHER OUTLOOK
Most resorts in America should see light snow over the coming week, which is excellent news for the Christmas period.
Winter Park in Colorado should receive around 18cm of fresh snow by Boxing Day with temperatures getting progressively lower as the week goes on. By Friday, it is expected to be -20°C during the day at mid mountain, bringing a frost nip risk with it.
Mammoth, Heavenly and Squaw Valley in California and Nevada should be dry this week. Only a light dusting of snow is expected at all three resorts which will give great weather for the Christmas period. Tuesday is when the light dusting of snow is expected at Mammoth and the temperature will drop sharply for Tuesday. After Wednesday it should recover to around -1°C however.
Warmer weather is heading for the east coast of America by Christmas Day or Boxing Day. Before then it should be cold but dry, at least allowing the resorts to have the snow cannons running full time. Winds of 56mph on Boxing Day with a mixture of rain and snow could make for a miserable days skiing, but the snow base should stay intact due to the recent cold weather.
Up in Canada there is another cold snap heading for the western areas. Jasper in Alberta should see temperatures down to -37°C but it will feel even colder with a strong wind blowing. This is expected to be the coldest of the resorts there but all other resorts will dip below -20°C during the day on Thursday and Friday.

INTRODUCTION

The bitterly cold weather is coming to an end in the Alps this week and this is good news is made even better by the fact that that heavy snow showers are forecast for most places.

The Ski Welt area in Austria now offers much more skiing. The weekend just gone was when many lifts were opened and as the pistes are in good condition there is fun skiing to be had there.

20cm of snow fell on a handful of French resorts over the weekend. Flaine and Samoens both received a good dump of fresh snow over the weekend and lots of the Grand Massif ski area is open now. It should be a great Christmas week for the area as well as the rest of the French resorts.

Switzerland is where the greatest amount of fresh snow fell in Europe over the weekend. Lots of resorts received between 20cm and 30cm of powder across Saturday and Sunday. The best of the fresh snow is at resorts like Adelboden, Anzere and Gstaad.

There is lots of great skiing to be enjoyed at all of our featured American resorts. Snow has been falling at Jackson Hole in Wyoming and it’s expected to be a snowy Christmas week, so the possibility of riding powder on Christmas Day is high.

Banff in Canada is now fully open, with all of its lifts running. Conditions are excellent due to prolonged cold weather and good snowfalls. Another cold snap is heading for British Columbia and Alberta around Christmas Day. It could dip down to -37°C in Alberta so take plenty of layers if you are heading there for Christmas.
Read more

Dec200917

0

Snow News, 17th December, 2009

SNOW NEWS UPDATED 17 December 2009
INTRODUCTION
It is bitterly cold in the Alps at the moment but the sun is shining and the snow is generally in really good condition.
Many resorts report great skiing in Austria due to the cold weather. Places like Obergurgl and Ischgl have temperatures below -20°C and the snow cannons are working full time. The sun is shining everywhere however, the perfect weather to enjoy some early season skiing.
Tignes and Val d’Isere in France, where two Ski Club reps are based, also have great skiing. The reps say the lower pistes are hard but in good condition. Further up there are pockets of soft snow to be found. The skiing is generally good over the whole of the country in France, but it is advisable to stick to the pistes due to a lack of powder off piste.
Light snow fell at some Swiss resorts on Wednesday. Grachen reported a dusting of snow on Thursday which freshened up the pistes. Lots of resorts are running all their lifts this weekend and there is even a sprinkling of fresh snow forecast.
Lots of snow fell at Timberline in America earlier this week, giving some excellent powder skiing. Elsewhere in the USA the ski resorts are in good shape, especially in the east where lots more terrain is being opened.
50cm of fresh powder fell at Whistler on Wednesday, giving the resort yet another powder day. They have received over six metres of snow this season so far, which is more snow than many resorts receive all season.
AUSTRIA
In contrast to the recent mild weather in Austria, it has turned very cold this week. Many of the slopes above 2500m and the glacier resorts had temperatures below -20°C on Thursday. Light dustings of fresh snow fell at most of our featured resorts on Wednesday, freshening up the pistes nicely.
Obertauern (60/95cm), where most of the slopes are in very good condition received, some of this fresh snow. On Thursday it was -18°C on the slopes above 2000m so it was important to wrap up very warm. The cold weather and light dusting of fresh snow means there is lots of great skiing to enjoy, especially as the resort has 24 out of a possible 26 lifts running now.
Most of the lifts are reported to be open at Mayrhofen (5/60cm) and the runs are in great condition, especially with the fresh snow recently. The relatively shallow piste depth means skiing off piste could damage your skis, but stick to the pistes and you will be able to enjoy the great conditions on offer.
FRANCE
Cold weather is providing some great skiing in France this week.
The Ski Club rep in Tignes (43/83cm) says there is great skiing available over the whole of the Espace Killy region. Most of the lifts in the area are open and so is the ski link between the two resorts. The rep says the upper slopes are the best at the moment, as the lower ones are becoming quite hard. Pockets of powder and soft snow can still be found off piste if you know where to look.
The Three Valleys resorts of Courchevel (25/74cm), Meribel (10/73cm) and Val Thorens (70/90cm) offer great skiing too. As you might expect it is best in Val Thorens where the slopes are the highest, but there is still good skiing at the other two. 22 lifts are open in the immediate Courchevel area, as is the link over to Meribel.
Light snow fell in the Pyrenees on Wednesday. The resort of Cauterets (5/100cm) received around 5cm of fresh snow, which freshened up the pistes a lot. The upper slopes have excellent coverage too so skiing off piste is possible in places. Warm weather last week and cold weather this week means it can be hard or crusty however.
SWITZERLAND
It has been and still is bitterly cold across Switzerland this week. The temperature hasn’t raised much above -15°C in many resorts, even during the day. This ensures that no snow has melted although some pistes are quite hard as a result.
This is the case at Saas Fee (57/1074cm), where the resort reports the lower runs to be the hardest. It hasn’t snowed significantly at Saas Fee since 8th December but the pistes are being well maintained by an excellent snow making system. The lack of fresh snow does mean that skiing off piste is very limited and where the snow cover is adequate, it is likely to be hard and crusty. Stick to the open runs for the best skiing.
3cm of fresh snow was reported at Grachen (30/65cm) on Thursday morning. Most of this fell on Wednesday night and the weather for skiing on Thursday was sunny but cold. 9 of Grachen’s 10 lifts are running and most of the pistes are in very good condition. The lower slopes could be quite hard but the fresh snow and snow cannons help to make the most of the cold weather.
ITALY
The skiing in Italy is generally good this week, but as with most places the cold and dry weather has made some of the pistes quite hard.
Passo Tonale (20/310cm) has the deepest reported snow depth on the upper slopes of any resort we report on worldwide. The depth is measured up on the Presena Glacier where not all the snow from last year melted over the summer. Despite no significant snow for a week or so, the pistes are all very good due to an impressive snow making system.
Livigno (64/123cm) also has a good upper base depth. Exceptional early season snowfalls quickly built up a good base for the season and this base is being maintained by snow cannons at the moment, during this cold and dry spell. 30 out of 32 lifts are running at Livigno this week. As with Passo Tonale, it hasn’t snowed significantly for a while so the off-piste conditions are quite hard and crusty, but their snow making system means the pistes are generally excellent.
ANDORRA
Two of our Andorran resorts received snow on Wednesday. Arcalis (20/50cm) and Pas de la Casa (10/30cm) saw a dusting of snow land on their slopes which wasn’t really enough to affect their slopes. As it hasn’t really snowed significantly in a while, most of the pistes are very hard and icy in places. However snow cannons are running at all of the resorts so it should improve where these are.
Soldeu (5/30cm) hasn’t received any snow since 4th December so the pistes are very hard here too. Away from the runs, the cover is very thin so off-piste skiing isn’t really possible apart from on the very highest slopes. 25 lifts are running at Soldeu, out of the areas 63.
NORWAY/SWEDEN
It’s been snowing again in Norway, with Geilo (35/45cm) receiving a dusting of a few centimetres. The cold weather affecting the UK at the moment is also affecting our featured Scandinavian resorts. It was -23°C at Geilo on Thursday. The resort has opened a whole host of lifts too, with 18 out of 20 lifts now running. The cold weather brings a risk of frostbite however so cover exposed skin when you are out skiing.
Sälen (20/25cm) in Sweden received 10cm of fresh powder on Wednesday night and Thursday morning. The snow fell at temperatures of around -20°C so it is in excellent condition. 23 lifts were running on Thursday and the fresh snow meant it was an excellent day for skiing. Up above the treeline is where the best off-piste skiing is and it is also where the snow pack is deepest. Stick to the higher slopes if you want to ski off piste.
Åre (15/30cm) also received some fresh snow but not as much as Sälen. The generally shallower snow depth here means off-piste skiing is limited but the pistes are all in excellent condition due to the very cold weather.
GERMANY
Fresh snow fell in Germany on Wednesday. The little resort of Feldberg (10/30cm) received around 10cm of fresh snow on Wednesday and the snowfall continued into Thursday. Only two lifts have been open this week so there isn’t much skiing but it is good for the resort and with more snow, more lifts could open.
You can also ski at Garmisch (15/170cm) this week, where eight lifts are running on the Zugspitze ski area. The Wankbahn isn’t yet open but should open for skiing soon. Most of the skiing at Garmisch is up high but there are a handful of slopes open lower down, where it is warmer. On Thursday it was -21°C up on the Zugspitze.
The rest of our German resorts are yet to open for snowsports.
BULGARIA
On Thursday it was only possible to ski at Bansko (40/70cm) out of our featured Bulgarian resorts. The resort received lots of snow at the end of last week, allowing them to open most of their lifts. A total of ten lifts are running at Bansko. Lots of snow is forecast for Bansko, especially on Sunday when around 30cm is expected to fall.
The rest of our featured Bulgarian resorts are yet to open for the winter season.
SCOTLAND
Light snow fell at Cairngorm (5/20cm) on Wednesday which has improved the piste conditions at the resort. Three lifts were open on Wednesday; the Ciste, M1 and the train. The Ptarmigan Tow is closed due to maintenance work. There is lots of snow in the forecast for Cairngorm and up to 42cm could fall on the ski area by Tuesday next week, which is excellent news.
Our other Scottish resorts are yet to open for the season, but the predicted heavy snowfall this weekend and next week could allow them to open.
USA
Lots of fresh snow has been falling up at Timberline (196cm) in Oregon. Over 60cm of fresh snow fell between Monday and Wednesday and a lot more is in the forecast. All of their lifts are running each day but the highest lift closes early, to get people back down the mountain. A base just shy of two metres means there is plenty of cover both on and off piste, so while there is lots of fresh snow head away from the marked trails and ski the powder.
Snow also fell at Jackson Hole (66/102cm) which was great news for the resort which has experienced a very slow start to their season. Before this snowfall the lower areas of the mountain were solely maintained by snow cannons. Around 30cm of snow fell earlier in the week, providing some fun powder skiing higher up. More snow is needed to make the off piste better however.
It’s been snowing on the east coast too and this has been followed by some very cold weather. At Attitash Bear Peak (25/61cm) 10cm of snow fell earlier in the week and the cold weather is keeping the snow in great condition. Stick to the upper slopes for the deepest snow but even low down there is lots of great skiing on offer.
CANADA
It’s been snowing again in Canada, especially at Whistler (220cm). Nearly 50cm of fresh snow fell on Wednesday and it should continue snowing for a while yet. There is now plenty of terrain open at Whistler. The resort reports that 81% of their area as available. 20 lifts are running, covering both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, including the Peak-2-Peak gondola which runs between the two.
22cm of snow fell at Fernie (137cm) on Wednesday. This helped boost the conditions there following the recent dry and extremely cold spell. Only one lift is closed at Fernie and as the resort is quiet in the run up to Christmas, the powder should linger around for a while yet.
It also snowed on the east coast, especially at Tremblant (20/30cm). This means Tremblant have opened another lift, bringing their current total to five running. Their most recent snow was on Tuesday, when a dusting of about 5cm fell. Around 30cm fell last weekend however so there is plenty of great skiing on offer. -16°C means it is very cold though so wrap up warm.
EUROPEAN WEATHER OUTLOOK
Bitterly cold weather has been the dominant feature in Europe this week and it should continue this weekend.
Ischgl in Austria is expecting extremely cold weather for the weekend, but no snow is forecast. At the summit, an elevation of 2870m, it could be -39°C on Friday afternoon and this could feel more like -50°C with the wind chill. However a sudden increase in temperatures could be heading for the Alps by Tuesday, with the temperature rapidly climbing to 3°C in Ischgl. Unfortunately this is expected to bring some rain with it but it remains to be seen yet how long the warm spell will last for.
It should be very cold in France too. Meribel should receive 10cm of fresh snow on Friday, which will help improve the pistes for the coming weekend. A daytime temperature of -17°C on Saturday can be expected but at least the fresh snow will be in excellent condition. Then on Tuesday warmer weather is forecast, bringing rain to the slopes that are below 1900m in most of the French Alps.
18cm of snow is forecast for Adelboden in Switzerland, primarily on Tuesday when the warmer weather moves in. Before then it is expected to be extremely cold with high windchill factors. 3cm of snow is possible on Friday too which will help improve the hard pistes.
Lots of snow is forecast to hit Scotland this weekend, which is excellent news for all resorts looking to open for Christmas. As much as 42cm of fresh snow is forecast for Cairngorm by next Tuesday and with generally light winds it should fall fairly evenly. Sunday and Monday is when it should be the heaviest, with 30cm expected to fall over the course of those two days.
NORTH AMERICAN WEATHER OUTLOOK
Timberline should see the most snow fall in the USA over the weekend. Up to 31cm of snow is expected to fall by next Tuesday. Warmer weather means it could fall as rain at the bottom but from the middle upwards it should be snow. Lots of snow fell earlier this week too, so expect some great powder skiing over the weekend.
In Wyoming Jackson Hole should see light snow over the weekend, amounting to around 15cm by next Tuesday. It will also be a lot warmer than the extremely low temperatures of late, sometimes hovering around freezing at base level. Up at the top, it shouldn’t get much warmer than -9°C.
Colorado should also be warmer than it has been over the past few weeks. Daytime temperatures could climb to around freezing at base level, but generally remaining around -3°C at most times. No new snow is in the forecast at Vail, but the snow cannons will be running and keeping the snow in good condition where it’s needed.
Over on the east coast of America it’s very cold at the moment and should remain this way until at least Tuesday. Following the mild start to their winter they will be welcoming the cold weather, which will allow them to keep the snow cannons running all the time. Temperatures of around -10°C can be expected at the base of Sugarbush but the wind further up the mountain will make it feel very cold.
44cm of fresh snow should fall on the upper slopes at Whistler in Canada by Tuesday. The resort has received nearly six metres of snow so far this season and this should increase considerably with the snow in the forecast. It’s fairly mild in Canada at the moment, with the temperature around -7°C at Big White most days. Another cold snap looks to be on the way for Christmas however with another drop in temperatures expected for everywhere in western Canada by Tuesday. Expect -20°C at the base of Big White on Tuesday afternoon.

INTRODUCTION
It is bitterly cold in the Alps at the moment but the sun is shining and the snow is generally in really good condition.
Many resorts report great skiing in Austria due to the cold weather. Places like Obergurgl and Ischgl have temperatures below -20°C and the snow cannons are working full time. The sun is shining everywhere however, the perfect weather to enjoy some early season skiing.
Tignes and Val d’Isere in France, where two Ski Club reps are based, also have great skiing. The reps say the lower pistes are hard but in good condition. Further up there are pockets of soft snow to be found. The skiing is generally good over the whole of the country in France, but it is advisable to stick to the pistes due to a lack of powder off piste.
Light snow fell at some Swiss resorts on Wednesday. Grachen reported a dusting of snow on Thursday which freshened up the pistes. Lots of resorts are running all their lifts this weekend and there is even a sprinkling of fresh snow forecast.

Read more

Dec200908

0

18 Feet of snow in one month- 30 year record SMASHED!

08.12.09-kylie-Whistler

WHISTLER BLACKCOMB SMASHES 30-YEAR RECORD FOR SNOWIEST MONTH EVER WITH OVER 5.5 METRES (18 FEET) OF SNOWFALL

As the calendar flips over to December, it’s now official that November 2009 will go down in history as the snowiest month on record at Whistler Blackcomb, dating back to when the collection of weather data began 30 years ago.

November 2009 has seen a total accumulation of 560cm (18 feet) of snowfall, nearly four times that of November’s average snowfall of 148cm (58 inches). This is an increase of more than 19 per cent over the previous record of 469cm (185 inches) set in January 2006, and a 22 per cent increase over January 1992′s record of 459cm (181 inches).

And now, with the record broken, there is still an entire season of skiing and riding to look forward to. With a season that offers 192 days of skiing and riding, Whistler Blackcomb is already over half way towards the resort’s average annual snowfall of just over 10 metres (33 feet).

Check it out for yourself

« Older Entries   Recent Entries »