J2Ski Snow Report - January 31st 2013
J2Ski Snow Report - January 31st 2013
Published : 31-Jan-2013 12:54
The J2Ski Snow Report - Week Ending February 1st 2013(* 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 )
This Week and Next - in Brief
The big news this week, in Europe at least, was from The Pyrenees and, even further South, Sierra Nevada in Spain. Both locations have seen substantial snowfall with resorts in The Pyrenees now beating The Alps for snow depth.
There is more snow in the forecast, for both The Alps and The Pyrenees, with the Northern Alps particularly in line for more major snows this coming weekend. Temperatures will cool considerably over the next few days, as the snow arrives.
The snow expected tomorrow and Saturday, for the Northern French and Swiss Alps, will be heavy and likely to fall to quite low levels - 1000 metres and below - and is likely to cause travel disruption on Saturday, so be prepared!
The outlook is for more cold weather and further snows around the midle of the week.
This Week's Headlines
- Third week of heavy snow in the Pyrenees.
- Gales of up to 114mph temporarily close some Scottish ski areas.
- Niseko snow base reaches 4m.
- Snow in southern Colorado.
- Little new snow in the Alps.
- Mammoth's snow base world's deepest, less than 3 inches off 5 metres.
Europe
Austria
There's been little new snow in Austria over the past week. That's not been much of a problem on the pistes although not great for freeriding as it was cold and sunny for most of last week.
Temperatures have risen in recent days however and there's a bit of a thaw going on, which is less good news for January, but a temperature drop and significant snowfall is projected in the next 48hours and most areas have sufficient snowbases to withstand a slight meltdown.
For what it's worth, most Austrian ski areas have reported snowfall in the low single figures over the past week, the few just making it in to double figures including Kitzbuhel (10cm) and Obergurgl (11cm). Most leading resorts have snow depths of 30-60cm at resort level, 1.2-1.8m on the tops. Several have more than 2m upper slope bases though including Lech, Obergurgl, Solden and Hiuntertux.
France
There's a change at the top of the 'snowiest resort in France' chart as the huge snowfall in the Pyrenees means some resorts there have passed the 4m base mark, overtaking the Chamonix Valley's static 3.5 total of the past month or so.
Along with the huge snowfalls in the Pyrenees, there has been more snow in the Alps with resorts reporting up to 25cm (10 inches) of new cover and French resorts have some of the deepest base depths in Europe at present, with Flaine and la Clusaz also at 3m 10 feet) or above on higher slopes, and most other major resorts boasting 2-3m upper slope depths. Avoriaz, Argentiere, Val d'Isere, La Clusaz, Val Thorens and Flaine all reported around 25cm of new snow in the past week – in most cases most of it feel on Monday after a ciold dry week last week.
Italy
There's been almost zero new snow in Italy but cold weather and sunny slopes have led to near perfect days on the piste for everyone lucky enough to be out there. It's a bit warmer and more unsettled now though and we're expecting up to a foot of snow to fall over the next week at most resorts.
The deepest snow in the country is on the Presena Glacier above Passo Tonale in the Dolomites with 2.7m, otherwise upper slope base depths are generally between 1 and 2m across the country from the Alps to the dolomites with Cervinia (205cm) and a Thuile (2m) in the West marginally deepest.
Switzerland
Swiss resorts have seen some of the biggest snowfalls in Europe, north of the Pyrenees, over the past week with much of the snow coming in the past few days after a cold and sunny week last week. Zermatt was one of the big winners with 45cm (18 inches) of new snow in the 24 hours up to Monday. There was a foot or more of snow too for Davos and Murren while Verbier claims 50cm has fallen as its excellent winter for fresh powder continues. Most other resorts in the country have had 10-20cm of new snow.
Andermatt's 4m snow base which has for the past two month's been Europe's deepest remains Switzerland's deepest but only by 10cm from Engelberg band resorts in Spain and the French Pyrenees have now passed the 4m mark (see Pyrenees section). Most Swiss resorts now have 1.5-2.5 upper slope snow depths – among the best in Europe.
Pyrenees
Big snowfalls have continued for a third week in the Pyrenees and Sierra Nevada in southern Spain has also moved from a rather dire base at the start of the year to 3m (10 feet) now after successive big dumps there.
The biggest accumulation of the past week has been reported on the French side in Cauterets which now has a 4.3m base, Europe's deepest after adding another 10cm (four feet) this week. It's also looking fairly epic on the Andorra and Spanish sides where depths are at or approaching 3m (10 feet) on upper slopes too. Snowfall should continue to be quite heavy for the coming week although perhaps down a little at 30-60cm more, although that's still likely to be the greatest in Europe for the fourth successive week.
Scandinavia
It's been snowing quite heavily in Norway – perhaps the most this winter so far with Lillehammer, Hemsedal, Voss and Geilo all reporting at least 25cm (10 inches) of new snow, most of it in the past 48 hours, leading to excellent conditions and upper base depths of up to 1.1m (lower base depths aren't much less). There's been a few inches at Are in Sweden too where bases are a little under 70vcm (over two foot) and in Finland they're fairly static with no new snow but plenty of cover (60-80cm) and generally all slopes/runs open. Levi has reported 10cm of new snow though.
Eastern Europe
Base depths in Bulgaria have hit 1.8m on upper runs at Bansko and Pamporovo about the deepest they've been for several years. Even at the base of the slopes the snow is reported to by lying about a metre deep. In Romania all eight lifts are running at Poiana Brasov which has a 50-60cm base but reports no fresh snow. Kranjsa Gora in Slovenia has a 40-80cm base, is also fully open and also reports no fresh snow in the past week.
Scotland
One thing you can say about Scottish ski conditions is that they keep you on your toes. So far January has seen good conditions at the start, followed by a thaw, then a return of good conditions but in the past few days gales, gusting to 114ph on top of Cairngorm have closed the slopes at several of the centres and led Cairngorm to crease operating its funicular railway until they subside. The strong winds tend to blow the snow off the slopes which is why they're covered in snow fences but so far cover remains relatively intact at most areas and all are open when conditions allow. Glenshee and The Lecht on the east have been the least affected by the gales having surface lifts from their car parks.
North America
Canada
There have been some big snowfalls in BC over the past week, the biggest so far this year in fact, with Fernie reporting 89cm (nearly 3 feet) in the past 7 days. Revelstoke Mountain Resort in British Columbia reported a massive winter storm this week hit in has resulted in what the resort described as, "unbelievable powder conditions," after 27cm of snow fell in 24hrs. Revelstoke Mountain Resort is a Freeride World Tour venue, posts one of the top ten greatest average snowfall totals in the world and has North America's biggest lift-served vertical drop. Most other Alberta and BC resorts have had healthy falls too. There's been little new snow in Eastern Canada but bases remain good at most areas – typically 1-1.5m.
USA
Mammoth in California's latest 45cm (18 inch) accumulation has pout its base depth tantalisingly close to the 5m mark on upper slopes at 493cm. However, in a return to snowier conditions, the biggest falls of the past week have been in Utah, with Alta adding a remarkable three feet (90cm) of powder, half of it on Monday/Tuesday.
There's been healthy snowfall in Colorado too, after an initial front dropped afoot on resorts like Crested Butte and Telluridde in the south of the state, a powerful winter blast has dropped 23cm (9 inches) of snow in the last 48 hours at Vail, and 30cm (12 inches) of fresh snow at Beaver Creek. The US National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for more snow through Thursday, February 1 with additional snowfall in the forecast.
The latest winter storm also blanketed Vail Resorts' other Colorado mountains with 18cm at Breckenridge and 10cm at Keystone in the last 48 hours. Currently there is more than 4,600 acres of terrain open on Vail Mountain and 1560 acres open at Beaver Creek. New snow has been falling again on the East Coast too with 6 inches at Killington in Vermont on Monday.
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