J2Ski Snow Report - August 29th 2024
J2Ski Snow Report - August 29th 2024
Published : 29-Aug-2024 08:28
August snow at Lake Louise, Canada, this week - although it didn't last long!
Warm weather closes slopes in Austria and Australia, Spring and mixed conditions in South America and New Zealand. Oh, and some summer snow in Canada!
The Snow Headlines - August 29th
- Two Australian ski areas shut down as snow thaws away.
- 4 glaciers officially "open" in the Alps, but several closed by warm weather.
- 5 weeks to start of 24-25 season in Finland, thanks to snow farming.
- Norway's Fonna summer ski area closes for 2024 (and won't reopen as hoped).
- South Africa's 2024 season ending this week.
- Nowhere currently open in North America but brief snowfall on high slopes in Western US.
- Countdown to snowmaking appears on Colorado's Loveland's website.
Summer snow on the peaks in Europe, more forecast for New Zealand, and South America
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World Overview
We're just a few days away from the start of meteorological springtime in the southern hemisphere and warm weather has been an issue for some centres, particularly in Australia where one area closed this week as cover was no longer adequate, although it has started snowing again since.
New Zealand has had a mix of gales, snowfalls and rain this week to keep resort operators there on their toes. In South America though resorts continue to post the world's deepest snows and largest areas of terrain open.
In southern Africa they're on to the final weekend of winter in Lesotho.
In the northern hemisphere, the start of autumn/fall is nearly here and there have been a few signs of the winter to come in North America with a dusting of snow on peaks along the West Coast following similar light coverings in the Canadian Rockies.
In the European Alps, the few glaciers still open are struggling to remain so with warm temperatures at high altitudes continuing to be the issue.
Southern Hemisphere
Australia
We're approaching the final 3-5 weeks of the season in Australia, with conditions to match. Temperatures have been getting into double figures on the slopes in the afternoons, rarely below freezing overnight, and as a result base depths are dropping - as is the amount of terrain open.
Mount Buller has struggled to open all of its terrain all season and is now back below 20%.
Selwyn announced on Monday it was forced to close as its snow cover had melted away, but says it hopes to reopen if adequate snowfall arrives. Mount Baw Baw announced on Thursday that its season would end on Sunday, September 1st due to the conditions.
Most other Aussie centres still have 50-75% of their slopes open, with Perisher still posting an upper slope base of over a metre. Thredbo is the only other ski area in the country with similar depths - and has about 50km of slopes open. It also posted a 2cm dusting of fresh snowfall on Thursday morning.
The weather has been improving in recent days with colder temperatures and snow showers slowing the thaw.
New Zealand
New Zealand has had a mixed run of conditions this past week with resorts initially celebrating and enjoying big snowfalls in the first half of last week, before warming temperatures, rain and wind forced a number of smaller centres to close.
A major snowstorm is currently underway, just as the 24-25 World Cup Park & Pipe tour is due to get underway at Cardrona.
The big picture is pretty good at most South Island resorts. Mount Hutt remains above 2m for its upper slope base depth, the best outside of South America and it is one of several posting its slopes 100% open with all lifts turning.
Unfortunately not such good news still from the North Island with Whakapapa and Turoa both still needing fresh cover on Mount Ruapehu - unfortunately little is open there still as a result.
Argentina
It's starting to feel a little more springlike in Argentina too, particularly in the north of the country where it has been a mostly sunny week and base level temperatures have topped +10C in the afternoons.
There have still been snow showers though and sub-zero overnight lows with colder and snowier conditions at more southerly centres.
Catedral near Bariloche continues to post the most terrain open in the world at present with nearly 100km of slopes available whilst Chapelco has the deepest reported snow anywhere right now with 3.3m (11 feet) up top.
Chile
A similar situation in Chile to Argentina with a mostly dry week with some snow showers and more forecast.
Slightly warmer daytime highs here, but overnight lows are still getting down to double digits (Centigrade) below zero at altitude.
Base depths have actually been growing with resorts including Valle Nevado and Nevados de Chillan reporting close to 3m/10 feet up top. Most centres, including Portillo, have all or almost all of their slopes open still.
Southern Africa
It's the final weekend of the 2024 ski season coming up at Lesotho's Afriski.
Temperatures have been getting up to double figures above freezing and not getting below freezing anymore at night so the main run has begun breaking up.
The season ends with a 'Winterfest' final weekend celebration to see in the start of spring.
Europe
Four glacier ski areas remain open in Europe, officially, but continuing warm weather at altitude means that most have had closure days.
In the case of 'year-round' Hintertux, the only Austrian centre open, that closure has continued for several weeks now.
Saas-Fee in Switzerland, which has been posting the deepest snow at over 2.5 metres on its slopes, was closed due to wet snow but has now reopened.
Zermatt, with Europe's highest glacier slopes also accessible from Cervinia in Italy, has remained open throughout.
Passo Stelvio, the only area currently open on Italian soil, is the latest to temporarily close due to the conditions - with webcam images showing the snow gone from its glacial ice.
In the north, Norway's Fonna glacier, only open to ski race teams for the last month, has announced it has closed for 2024 and won't re-open in autumn as hoped.
Fellow Scandinavian centre Galdhopiggen, is also currently closed but will re-open, it hopes, in October.
Temperatures remain warm for the start of September in the Alps although dropping a degree or two to give more freeze-thaw conditions up high.
North America
Less than a week after the final ski area still operating its 23-24 season (Oregon's Timberline) ended its run, snowfall was reported on high slopes in Canada and the US.
The most recent falls were reported right along North America's Pacific Coast from Mammoth Mountain in the south via Lake Tahoe resorts including Mount Rose and Northstar to Oregon's Mt Bachelor in the north.
Nowhere is currently open in North America but it will hopefully be cold enough for snowmaking to begin on high slopes by the end of next month and for resorts to start opening in the latter half of October.
Colorado's Loveland ski area has started its "days-to-start-of-snowmaking" website countdown clock.
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