J2Ski Snow Report - January 23rd 2025
J2Ski Snow Report - January 23rd 2025
Published : 23-Jan-2025 06:15
Smugglers' Notch, Vermont, just had a great weekend...
Snow returning to the Alps, cold and snow across much of Canada and the USA, and it's getting ever deeper in Japan.
The Snow Headlines - January 23rd
- Sunny conditions across the Alps for a second week, but snow now falling again.
- Bitterly cold temperatures across North America see temperatures drop below 0F (-18C).
- Southerly Italian ski areas post snowfalls up to 45cm.
- Cold temperatures and snowfall return to Scotland and Scandinavia.
- US has now had snowfall this winter in all 50 states.
- World's deepest snowpacks, in Japan, now over 4.5m depths.
- Largest ski area in the US finally fully open, after snow falls and strike ends.
Snow forecasts worldwide.
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World Overview
It's been another fairly dry week in the Alps with just the start of the high pressure breaking down and snowfall moving into the south of the region earlier this week, now becoming more widespread, initially in the west.
There's a similar story in the Pyrenees and Eastern Europe.
Further north, the milder conditions in Scandinavia and Scotland have ended with a return to low temperatures and snowfall.
In North America the dominant weather factor has been the cold with lows getting down as far as -30C across much of the continent's ski areas; with some forced to close for safety reasons due to the temperatures. Snowfall in Florida on Tuesday means that all 50 states have now had snowfall this winter, a rare occurrence. Cold notwithstanding, conditions are really the best they've been all season in terms of snow depth, quality and open terrain.
Europe
Austria
After a few final snow showers in Austria at the end of last week, it's been predominantly sunny and mostly cold across the country, giving very nice on-piste conditions. Austria's largest areas, including the Arlberg (St Anton, Lech, Zurs etc), Ischgl, Saalbach-Hinterglemm and the Skiwelt (Ellmau, Soll, Westendorf et al) are all 90% to 100% open.
It's currently looking good for the upcoming weekend of Hahnmenkamm racing at Kitzbuhel.
There sunshine for a day or two more but the high-pressure system is starting to break down with snow showers forecast from Sunday in many areas. Temperatures remain in the -8C to +5C range.
France
It's been a predominantly sunny week in the French Alps, the second in a row with little or no fresh snowfall - until the past 24 hours or so. In the meantime, temperatures have allowed for overnight snowmaking and on-piste conditions are mostly good, despite the lack of fresh cover.
The high avalanche danger has reduced a little off-piste (although it remains generally around Level 3 - Considerable). French ski areas have now opened almost all of their terrain.
Espace Killy (Tignes and Val d'Isère) and The 3 Valleys are both more than 90% open.
French ski areas also continue to post the deepest bases in Europe, with nearly 3 metres lying in parts of the Chamonix Valley and above La Rosiere and Les Arcs.
Snowfall started in the far southern Alps earlier in the week and by Thursday morning resorts like Chamonix and Serre Chevalier were posting 20-30cm accumulations. The snowfall is expected to continue on and off through the weekend and then be heavier next week so 20-50cm (8-120") accumulations are forecast for high ground.
Italy
There's not been much snowfall in the Alps this week but for what there has been, Italy has seen the most of it with unsettled conditions across much of the country.
Ski areas in Trentino, led by Andalo, have seen the biggest accumulations of up to 45cm (18") in 72 hours but bigger centres including Cervinia have posted 20cm and Madonna di Campiglio and Sestriere 10cm each.
The snowfall became more widespread in the west on Thursday (today), with 20-30cm accumulations reported in the Aosta Valley.
Otherwise, it has been a mostly dry picture across the country but is now becoming more unsettled with further snowfalls forecast across the country through the coming week. Although bases remain thin, especially in the Dolomites, most Italian resorts have 90-100% of their slopes open.
Switzerland
A second successive mostly dry week in the Swiss Alps although here too the high pressure has been breaking down since the end of the weekend with much more cloud apparent and now the first snowfalls in what's expected to be quite a snowy week ahead.
Crans-Montana was amongst the first to report measurable fresh snowfall, posting a 15cm accumulation on Thursday morning. As with elsewhere in the Alps, most Swiss resorts report that their slopes are 90-100% open with the 4 Valleys, Portes du Soliel and Zermatt-Cervinia posting the largest available areas.
Scandinavia
A much better week for Scandi ski areas with a return of sub-zero temperatures and snowfall after last week's warmth/rain 'blip'.
Norway's Voss and Kvitfjell both posted 10cm accumulations midweek and the rapid drop in base depths has ended.
It's still a fairly average season in Finland, Norway and Sweden but more terrain is gradually opening as snowfall continues and daylight hours begin to rapidly increase.
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees experienced a mix of cloudy and sunny, and sometimes very cold, weather this week. Daytime highs were only a few degrees into positive numbers (C) but overnight lows dropped below -10°C at the top of the slopes.
There's almost no fresh snowfall to report, again, in much of the region, but the cold temperatures have been beneficial for snowmakers which have been operating to the max.
Some off-piste terrain can still be found with the avalanche danger currently fairly low. Baqueira Beret managed to host the first round of the 2025 Freeride World Tour last Friday.
Andorra's Grandvalira (Pas de la casa, Pal-Arinsal, Soldeu etc), the largest area in the region, has about two-thirds of its terrain open equating to around 140km of slopes. Beyond that, there's a real mix with some centres still struggling to open even a third of their slopes, others like Piau Engaly reporting they've managed to open 90% of their runs.
Scotland
A challenging week for Scottish ski areas after last week's big thaw. There's not been much change but temperatures have been dropping with a frost on Sunday morning and there's now some snow in the forecast.
There are small snow areas created with snow-making, mostly used for nursery slopes at Cairngorm and The Lecht, but Glenshee also manages a few slightly longer runs and Glencoe are open for sledging.
Eastern Europe
A quiet week for Eastern Europe with plenty of sunshine in the Carpathians and adjacent mountain ranges.
The deepest snowpack remains down in Bulgaria where Bansko and Borovets both report they are nearing 2 metres lying up top.
Most of the region's largest resorts, including the likes of Czechi's Spindleruv Mlyn and Jasna in Slovakia report almost all their slopes open.
North America
Canada
It's been another very cold week right across Canada with temperatures down as low as -30C overnight on some inland mountains.
Light to moderate snowfall has also been reported right across the country with daytime highs remaining below freezing. The forecast is for more of the same.
Western Canadian ski areas continue to post both the deepest snow in North America (at Mount Washington on Vancouver Island where it is currently lying 3.3 metres/11 feet deep) and the ski area with the most terrain open at Whistler Blackcomb – with over 8,000 acres currently open.
Most resorts in Alberta and British Columbia are fully open and on the East Coast conditions continue to improve with some centres posting more than a metre of January snowfall after the poor November/December.
Some ski areas including Mont Sutton are finally 100% open and the region's largest, Quebec's Mont Tremblant, is at nearly 90% open now.
USA
Some very cold temperatures on US ski slopes this week. Overnight lows on high slopes in the Rockies hung around zero Fahrenheit – around the -18 Celsius mark.
There haven't been any huge snowfalls, again, but the snow has kept falling in light-moderate accumulations across most of the country's ski regions and of course, it's been great weather for snowmaking. So most of the country's leading centres are close to full operations.
After losing its battle with ski patrol unions Utah's Park City Mountain, home to America's largest ski area, is finally reported to be 100% open for the first time this season.
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