J2Ski Snow Report - November 22nd 2012
J2Ski Snow Report - November 22nd 2012
Published : 22-Nov-2012 12:43
The J2Ski Snow Report - Week Ending November 24th, 2012(* Free to re-publish in whole or part so long as credited to www.J2ski.com with hyperlink to http://www.j2ski.com/snow_forecast )
Although they've pushed it back a few days since we mentioned it last week, the European weather models have converged nicely on a forecast switch to cold as this coming weekend ends.
Temperatures should drop from their current mild levels to below the seasonal average by mid-week, with widespread snow - heavy in places - likely from late on Monday. The exact locations and extent of the snow will become clearer as we move into the weekend, but many parts of the Alpine region should see some decent snowfall next week.
Cortina on opening day - 2012/2013
This Week's Headlines
It's all happening on both sides of the Atlantic as resorts scramble to open.
To be honest the best-in-snow of the past week has been North American, and particularly North Western North America, where Whistler has reported a metre of snow in the past seven days. There's currently a rush on for North American resorts to open for Thanksgiving.
- 120cm of snow in past 7 days at Whistler Blackcomb.
- Little fresh snow in the Alps but Ischgl and Val Thorens ready for opening this Saturday.
- Lake Louise is fully open – probably the first major resort in the world to be able to make that claim for 2012-13.
- Nearly 1500m of vertical open at Zermatt.
- Cortina and Montgenevre open early.
Europe
Austria
In common with most of Europe, there's been little new snow and some warm, weather in the Austrian Alps this week. However the warmer spells were largely at lower elevations so the 10 glacier/altitude resorts already open, most in Tirol, have not suffered much and the big snowfalls in October and earlier this month are still giving most plenty of base depth.
Hintertux continues to offer one of the biggest ski areas open anywhere in the world at present with 58m of piste served by 17 lifts and an 1150m vertical descent possible down to Sommerbergalm (2100m), the snow is lying just over a metre thick. Non-glacier resorts Obergurgl and Obertauern that already opened will be joined by Ischgl on Saturday which is starting a week of opening celebrations culminating with The Scorpions in concert.
France
After Tignes long run as the only ski area open in France since the end-of-September (apart from that brief Half Term week appearance by Les 2 Alpes) all eyes are on Val Thorens which is looking set5 for a successful opening on Saturday, despite little new snow in the past week. That's much better than last year however when there was only very limited machine made snow and the famously highest-resort-in-the-Alps had to postpone opening and cancel a big opening event. This year natural snow lies two foot deep on upper slopes 1100m above the resort and at resort level its at least 30cm deep. However Montrgenevre, with a 60cm base, beat Val Thorens to being the second French resort to open for 2012-13 by opening last weekend and also reporting a 60cm base.
Italy
After the early opening of Bormio and Passo Tonale, which joined glacier ski centres Cervinia (now with a 1.2m base and Val Senales) the ski season kicks off in Cortina d'Ampezzo today (Thursday 22 November) in the Faloria sector thanks to a period of low temperatures and recent snowfalls at altitude. From 1 December the larger Cortina lift-system will be up and running with the opening of the Tofana ski area and the area of Lagazuoi-Cinque Torri and indeed most of Dolomiti Superski will also be opening.
Switzerland
Little new snow in Swityzereland either but the high altitude ski areas remain in good shape thanks to early snowfalls this month. Saas Fee has some of the deepest snow depths in the world with nearly 2m lying on its glacier. However neighbour Zermatt has snow opened up terrain right down to Schwarzee at around 2500 meaning nearly 1500m of vertical is now open, the lower sectors rated intermediate level or above. Engelberg has re-opened after its maintenance closure earlier this month joining Laax (weekends), Glacier 3000 (Gstaad/Les Diablerets) and Diavolezza (near St Moritz)
Pyrenees
We have no reports of any resorts open yet in the Pyrenees and snow cover is fairly scant (eg 5cm at Formigal) after warm weather with little snowfall. However it does look to be getting colder over the next week.
Scandinavia
There has been little new snowfall in Scandinavian ski areas over the past seven days although temperatures have been hovering around zero. Hemsedal in Norway has some of the best November ski conditions with a 60cm base and 20 runs open served by nine lifts. The region's largest resort, Are in Sweden, only has a 14cm base and two lifts and two runs open. Ruka in Finland, which has already been open a month, has nine slopes open served by seven lifts.
Eastern Europe
We have no reports of any ski centres open yet in Eastern Europe and there seems to be little if any natural snow cover at any of the larger resorts. Bansko last reported snowfall just over a week ago on Nov 13th.
Scotland
It is stormy in Scotland at present. There was heavy snow last weekend but the past 72 hours have been very warm and with the exception of surviving patches at Nevis range, all that fell has melted. Cairngorm has announced it has four snowmaking cannons to use this winter so when it is cold enough, snow will be made.
North America
Canada
Resorts are opening on the East Coast too with Tremblant, Quebec, the most popular in Eastern North America, opening today, 22 November. Further east Mont-Sainte-Anne and Stoneham open from Friday night onwards, the former with a snowpark and the La Quanik and La Mélanie Turgeon runs open.
However Western Canada continues to be a world leader for both snowfall and open terrain. It's all happening on both sides of the Atlantic as resorts scramble to open.
Over the last seven days, Whistler Blackcomb has received 120 centimeters of snow, and forecasters are calling for another 25 centimeters in the next five days. Coupled with cool temperatures for snow making, it comes just in time for Blackcomb Mountain to open on November 22.
Further East, Lake Louise in Alberta declared itself 'fully open' yesterday (Wednesday 21 Nov) after opening its two final chairs giving access to all four mountains. The resort has had fresh snow falling all week with 254c, in the past 244 hours and has the go ahead for World Cup racing over the next two weekends, the men this weekend, the ladies next.
USA
The US is definitely leading the world for open ski areas at the moment with an estimated 100+ areas expected to be open for Thanksgiving.
Mt Baker, officially the world's snowiest ski resort, is on form already for 12-13 reporting a metre of snow in 72 hours from Saturday to Monday. There was big snow in California too with the two highest elevations in Lake Tahoe, Heavenly Mountain Resort and Kirkwood Mountain Resort received 15-20cm and 46-51cm, respectively, in 24 hours over the weekend.
Further south still in New Mexico temperatures are less favourable and Ski Apache which has slopes reaching 3500m has had to delay its planned opening. Mid-western resorts, some of which had opened early in late-October, are also complaining it's too warm for their snowmaking systems.
It's looking good inland of the West Coast with Grand Targhee in Wyoming opening tomorrow (Friday 23rd) and reports a base built from 1.8m of snow fallen over the past four weeks.
More areas are opening on the East Coast too, generally limited terrain and thanks to snowmaking. Stowe Mountain in Vermont was one opening last weekend with twice as much terrain as late November 2011. Stowe plans to have top-to-bottom skiing and riding on Mount Mansfield from Friday 23rd.
"Our 4.7 million dollar snow making investment has already paid off," said Michael Colbourn, Stowe's VP of Marketing and Sales. "Opening more terrain earlier in the season is on top of our priority list. 2012, mission accomplished."
Whiteface and Gore in New York State are also due to open this weekend but are sketchy on what will be available and recommend skiers call ahead. It's a bit of a mixed picture again as some resorts have had trouble snow making due to 'fluctuating temperatures' Belleayre, also in New York state has had to delay opening this weekend as it had hoped for that reason.
Opening soon
24 November
Crans Montana
Ischgl
Val Thorens
1st December
Dolomiti Superski
Val d'Isère
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