Tag Archives: snow report

Mar201011

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Snow News Updated, 11th March, 2010

INTRODUCTION
Winter has been very much in charge this week in Europe with temperatures below -20°C in many places.
Fresh snow fell on Thursday in Austria but wasn’t much more than a dusting in most places. Obergurgl has some fantastic skiing available and the snow is generally very powdery.

Over in France the temperature is very low, down to -23°C at some of the higher resorts like Tignes. There was some fresh snow earlier this week, particularly at Les Deux Alpes where 15cm of snow fell on Monday.
The Italian Milky Way resorts of Sauze d’Oulx and Sestriere have excellent conditions too, thanks to heavy snowfall earlier this week. Plenty of powder can be found off piste if you know where to look.
Zermatt in Switzerland received 15cm of fresh snow on Wednesday, greatly improving their skiing. All the steep terrain is now a lot better thanks to the new snow.
Both Andorra and Bulgaria received lots of snow earlier this week. Bansko now has much better skiing and some of the grass patches on the lower slopes are now completely covered. Cold weather is forecast to stay in both Andorra and Bulgaria so it should stay good.
Spring has sprung on the east coast of America. Mild and sunny weather is bad for the snow but with plenty of existing snow it should remain for a while. It is definitely the time for some t-shirt skiing.
Winter has returned to Canada, where it was unseasonably dry and mild since New Year. 25cm of fresh snow fell at Banff on Monday which vastly improved all three ski areas. Whistler is also forecast nearly a metre and a half of fresh snow next week.

Mar201004

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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.


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Feb201025

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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.


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Feb201018

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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.

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Jan201021

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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

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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.
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Dec200917

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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.

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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).

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Dec200907

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Snow News, 3rd December, 2009

Introduction

Lots more resorts in Europe are poised to open this weekend, helped by the recent snowstorm.

Switzerland received huge amounts of snow earlier this week. This allowed Arosa to make a surprise opening after having previously postponed their opening to this coming weekend. Around a metre of fresh snow fell there, providing excellent skiing.

Meribel and Courchevel in France open this coming weekend. The neighbouring resort of Val Thorens is already open so the opening of Meribel and Courchevel will create a great place to ski this weekend. All three resorts have excellent snow conditions, particularly on the upper slopes, so there should be some fun skiing on offer.


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Nov200930

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Snow Report, 30th November, 2009

SNOW NEWS UPDATED 30 November 2009
INTRODUCTION
The Espace Killy area in France, which includes Val d’Isere and Tignes, opened for the winter season this weekend. They enjoyed great snow conditions and with more snow falling this week the area is off to a great start to the season.
A big snowstorm over the Alps at the moment has dropped up to 50cm of snow in some places. Cervinia in Italy, Arosa in Switzerland and Les Deux Alpes in France all received around half a metre of fresh snow over the weekend. Of these three resorts it is only possible to ski at Cervinia and Les Deux Alpes this week and it should be fantastic with the fresh powder.
10cm of fresh snow fell on Trysil in Norway over the weekend. Conditions in Scandinavia are generally good, although the best riding can be found in Norway at the moment. It also snowed in Finland, with both Levi and Ruka receiving fresh snow over the weekend, helping keep the slopes in good condition.
Canada has some excellent skiing available. Silver Star opened on Saturday and it was a great opening weekend. Fresh snow and cold weather mean the pistes across the whole of British Columbia and Alberta are excellent.
Snow fell on the east coast of America over the weekend. 20cm of new snow was reported at Sunday River, and they were able to open two lifts over the weekend. These should be able to stay open during the week, with snow cannons keeping the snow in good condition.
AUSTRIA
It was snowing in Austria over the weekend and this continued into Monday.
Resorts in the west of the country have received the most snow, particularly Solden (0/100cm) where 20cm of fresh snow fell on the Rettenbach glacier on Sunday and into Monday morning. This greatly helped to improve the pistes at Solden as they were quite hard and icy prior to this snowfall. Unfortunately high winds forced the closure of all lifts on Monday. If the lifts are able to open on Tuesday morning the riding should be superb as more snow is expected to land before then.
The Stubai Glacier at Neustift (10/110cm) was also closed on Monday due to high winds. Light snow was reportedly falling on Monday morning on the glacier but not as much as at Solden.
Hintertux (0/170cm) was also affected by strong winds on Monday morning. Only six lifts were able to run but things were made better by light snow falling, although this did reduce the visibility.
FRANCE
Heavy snowfall was reported at most of our featured alpine French resorts on Monday morning. Many resorts received up to 20cm at resort level and more on the upper slopes.
It was a great opening weekend for the Espace Killy resorts of Tignes (20/70cm) and Val d’Isere (20/60cm). 36 lifts opened up in the whole area, although Tignes had the more lifts open that Val d’Isere. 15cm of fresh snow on Sunday made for some good skiing and more snowfall this week should ensure it remains that way. Visibility is poor due to the snowfall, so take care when out skiing.
Two more lifts opened at Val Thorens (40/70cm) over the weekend. Eight lifts were open on Monday morning in the immediate Val Thorens area but none of the links over to Meribel are open yet. Meribel and Courchevel are expected to open on Saturday 5th December, and it looks like the conditions will be great for the start of their season.
Another resort to open over the weekend was Les Deux Alpes (25/60cm). They received 20cm of fresh snow this weekend and more snow was falling on Monday morning. Only one lift as open in the area however, due to heavy snowfall and high winds affecting the region. When the weather clears it should be great.
SWITZERLAND
As with the rest of the Alps, lots of snow was falling at many of our featured Swiss resorts on Monday morning. High winds accompanied the snow, forcing lift closures too.
Saas Fee (25/69cm) closed all its lifts on Monday due to the poor weather. The good news is that it was snowing heavily on Monday morning and 21cm of fresh snow was measured on the pistes. More snow is expected during the week so when the lifts reopen it should be excellent.
Crans Montana (20/80cm) opened on Saturday. One lift was opened on the glacier but this is closed during the week. They should start daily skiing with more lifts running on Saturday 5th December and then have the full area open by Saturday 19th December.
The most snow so far has fallen at Andermatt (40/130cm). Their base depth nearly doubled over the weekend due to more than 50cm of new snow landing. Unfortunately they were closed for snowsports on Monday due to further snowfall but when they reopen there should be some excellent skiing on offer.
ITALY
Loads of fresh snow has fallen across most of Italy. Many resorts received over half a metre of snow on Sunday and most are expecting a lot more to fall during the first few days of this week.
40cm fell on the upper slopes at Cervinia (30/100cm). The accompanying high winds meant that only two lifts were able to run on Monday morning and it was only possible to ski using the Baby la Vieille drag lift, the other lift being the Breuil Plan Maison cable car to get you up to the glacier. A further 36cm of snow is expected to fall at the start of this week before a few days of sunshine. There should be excellent skiing once this storm has passed.
Passo Tonale (10/130cm) also received 40cm of fresh snow on Sunday. The Presena Glacier is where the most snow fell but there has been snow down to resort level as well. Only two lifts could operate on Monday due to the adverse weather but those who braved the snow were rewarded with some fantastic powder to ski.
ANDORRA
All our featured Andorran resorts are closed for snowsports this week. An opening for Arcalis (10/40cm) and Arinsal (10/25cm) was planned for Saturday 28th November but warm weather melted most of their snow so they had to postpone it to Saturday 5th December.
The good news is that 10cm of snow fell on Monday at all four resorts and it should snow more on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
NORWAY/SWEDEN
More snow has fallen over the weekend and into Monday at many of our featured Scandinavian resorts.
Trysil (30cm) reported the most snow falling in Norway on Monday morning, with 10cm covering the area. Lillehammer (5/37cm) is now open on weekdays, which is great news for skiers in Norway.
Sälen in Sweden (7/15cm) reported the greatest amount of fresh snow falling in Scandinavia on Monday. 15cm of new snow was measured at the Lindvallen area in the morning, which provided good riding from the seven open lifts and pistes across the Lindvallen and Tandådalen areas.
More wintry weather is expected at our featured Norwegian and Swedish resorts this week, with the greatest amount of snow expected in Norway.
GERMANY
The weather on Monday was not great at the German resort of Garmisch (0/110cm). Thick clouds brought rain to the area. The good news is that the precipitation fell as snow on the higher slopes up on the Zugspitze glacier ski area. The snow is forecast to continue falling into Tuesday then the skies should clear for Wednesday. The skiing should be great then with good visibility allowing visitors to take advantage of the fresh snow.
Our other featured German resorts are yet to open for snowsports.
BULGARIA
All of the Bulgarian resorts we report on are yet to open for the season.
SCOTLAND
Cairngorm (10/15cm) opened for the first time this season on Saturday 28th November. Snow and cold weather last week allowed them to open two drag lifts over the weekend. These were the Ptarmigan Tow and the Ciste Tow. The fences to hold the snow in place did a great job and gave decent cover on the opened runs. It was a great first weekend for skiing in Scotland.
All other Scottish resorts are yet to open for the season.
USA
In contrast to the last four weeks, the most snow recently has fallen on the east coast of America. Sunday River (15/30cm) managed to open some lifts on Sunday due to the fresh snow. Two were running and the fresh snow provided some fun skiing. More snow and cold weather is expected this week so they might be able to get their season properly underway.
Timberline (163cm) also received fresh snow. 20cm of powder snow fell on Saturday, giving some great skiing. Their deep base depth for this time of year ensures that they should not have to close even if it does get milder, which it is forecast to this week.
It is currently quite cold in Colorado. This allows the resorts to run their snow cannons a lot to keep the snow in good condition. Vail (46cm) had six lifts running this weekend and it should stay that way over the week. It could be fairly cold at the end of the week, with -18°C expected at the top of the mountain on Saturday.
CANADA
Silver Star (83/104cm) opened for the season on Friday 27th November. With an upper base depth of over a metre, there is plenty of great skiing to enjoy. Four lifts are running this week which are the Comet Express, Silver Woods Express, Alpine Meadows and Silver Queen Chair. Light snow is forecast for most of the week so the conditions should remain excellent.
More terrain opened up at Whistler (189cm) at the end of last week. Blackcomb Mountain opened for snowsports on 26th November and more lifts opened on Whistler Mountain over the weekend. 17 lifts are now running in the area and the upper slopes are all in fantastic condition. On Monday they had 5000 acres of skiable terrain, which is 61% of their total area.
Mont Sainte Anne and Tremblant on the east coast are yet to open. They have set an initial date of Friday 4th December to open based on current weather forecasts, which predict snow and cold weather later this week. This should allow them to start the snow cannons again and hopefully this combined with natural snow will be enough for them to open a few slopes.
EUROPEAN WEATHER OUTLOOK
The snowstorm over Europe last weekend is expected to continue. Switzerland and Italy should receive the most snow, with over 80cm forecast at some resorts.
In the French Alps, Chamonix and Argentiere are expecting 68cm of new snow to fall by the coming weekend. Most of this expected to fall over Monday but Thursday and Friday are looking very snowy as well, with 38cm falling over these two days. It should also turn a lot colder by the end of the week, after a brief warm spell on Wednesday.
83cm of snow is forecast at St Moritz in Switzerland. As with the French Alps it is expected to be heaviest on Monday but more snow should fall on Thursday and Friday. It should be a great week of skiing across the whole of the country, with all the fresh snow.
Livigno in Italy should receive over 80cm of snow through this week. Colder weather should move into the area by the end of the week, hopefully making the powder even better. Heavy snow is expected across the whole of the Italian Alps this week.
Lots of snow is expected in Western Austria but over in the east it will be fairly dry unfortunately. The east will benefit from the colder weather later in the week but only 6cm of snow is expected at Obertauern this week. 60cm of snow is expected in the Arlberg regions, giving them a great boost for their planned opening this coming weekend.
NORTH AMERICAN WEATHER OUTLOOK
In contrast to Europe, it should be a fairly dry week across the whole of America. The most snow expected in the country is at Big Sky in Montana, where 13cm should fall by Saturday.
Colorado should be dry, sunny and cold this week. The end of the week and weekend will be especially cold, with expected highs at resort level of -10°C at Vail. The cold weather means they can all run their snow cannons during the day and night, helping to keep the snow coverage in good condition.
The recent cold snap on the east coast should come to an end this week. A midweek rainstorm is expected at Smugglers’ Notch, potentially undoing all their hard work with the snow cannons. 11°C and heavy rain can be expected on Wednesday and Thursday. Fortunately some more cold weather is expected for next weekend.
Up in Canada it should be a generally snowy week. The temperature is also expected to drop considerably by the end of the week, bringing -22°C to most resorts at summit level the windchill making it feel nearer to -40°C. Jasper in Alberta is expecting the most snow in Canada, with 23cm expected by the end of this week. Whistler should receive a rather modest 6cm of snow this week, far less than the recent storms brought.

INTRODUCTION

The Espace Killy area in France, which includes Val d’Isere and Tignes, opened for the winter season this weekend. They enjoyed great snow conditions and with more snow falling this week the area is off to a great start to the season.

A big snowstorm over the Alps at the moment has dropped up to 50cm of snow in some places. Cervinia in Italy, Arosa in Switzerland and Les Deux Alpes in France all received around half a metre of fresh snow over the weekend. Of these three resorts it is only possible to ski at Cervinia and Les Deux Alpes this week and it should be fantastic with the fresh powder.

Canada has some excellent skiing available. Silver Star opened on Saturday and it was a great opening weekend. Fresh snow and cold weather mean the pistes across the whole of British Columbia and Alberta are excellent.

Snow fell on the east coast of America over the weekend. 20cm of new snow was reported at Sunday River, and they were able to open two lifts over the weekend. These should be able to stay open during the week, with snow cannons keeping the snow in good condition.
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