Europe Weekly Roundup #237

Elevated Excellence: French Alps Sustain Skiing Adventures Despite Wintery Farewells

• European ski areas are closing, but some big-name resorts remain open with snowsure conditions, continuing into May.
• Austria still has around 15 ski resorts open, including seven glacier areas, with temperatures dropping and recent snowfall.
• France boasts the most open ski areas among alpine nations, with around 50 still operational, despite cooling temperatures and occasional snow showers.

WORLD OVERVIEW

Springtime continues its relentless progress and we’ve lost more snow resorts as seasons continue to end in North America, Europe and Asia. But several hundred ski areas remain open with high ski areas in the Alps, Rockies, North American West coast, Japan and Scandinavia the locations of the lion’s share of these. There are others open in a few other regions – the Tatra mountains of Slovakia, the Pyrenees, southern Spain, Iceland, Eastern North America and a few other spots, but it's just the odd one or two in those places. All centres are closed in a growing number of countries including Andorra, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Scotland. Springtime of course means rising temperatures overall and longer daylight hours in the northern hemisphere but it can also bring changeable conditions and we’ve certainly seen that this week with most still-open ski areas seeing at least some fresh Mid-April snow showers in their weather mix. In Japan, conditions have been mostly mild with springlike weather as you'd expect although there was a brief return to winter at one point. The country's only summer ski area, Gassan, opened for its expected three-month 2024 run at the weekend, immediately posting the world's deepest base at about 8 metres (approximately 27 feet), close to its opening average depth. The build-up to the southern hemisphere's 2024 season, the start of which is now just six weeks away with Lesotho's Afriski announcing a target of June 1st for theirs, continues. There have been fresh snowfall reports on higher slopes in South America again and down to base level for some centres in New Zealand.

Europe

EUROPE INTRO

About 90% of Europe’s ski areas are now closed, but many of the continent’s big-name resorts remain open for a week or two more, with some of the most snowsure planning to continue on into May, some beyond. Temperatures have fluctuated a good deal through the week with some southerly valleys seeing +20C and higher, whilst in the north and at high elevations -10C and lower overnight is still being recorded. There’s also been a big mix of weather coming through with plenty of sunshine but also precipitation-bearing fronts that have deposited rain, sleet, hail and snow at various times on European slopes this week. AUSTRIA REPORT The season end continues in Austria with around 15 ski resorts and regions still open. Big names closing for 23-24 last weekend included Kitzbuhel and Mayrhofen. The dozen-plus that are still operating include the country’s seven remaining glacier areas, most of which will continue into May and some later still and other high-altitude centres. They’ve seen some very warm and sunny conditions over the past week, although recent days have seen temperatures drop again and some snowfalls. Ischgl (20/140cm / 8/56”) and the Arlberg region around Lech and St Anton (25/375cm / 10/150") still have around 180km (113 miles) of slopes open apiece. The Stubai Glacier (5/505cm / 2/202") has the deepest snow in the country and indeed all of Europe on its higher runs (it would have been the world had Gassan not opened).

AUSTRIA REPORT

The season end continues in Austria with around 15 ski resorts and regions still open. Big names closing for 23-24 last weekend included Kitzbuhel and Mayrhofen. The dozen-plus that are still operating include the country’s seven remaining glacier areas, most of which will continue into May and some later still and other high-altitude centres. They’ve seen some very warm and sunny conditions over the past week, although recent days have seen temperatures drop again and some snowfalls. Ischgl (20/140cm / 8/56”) and the Arlberg region around Lech and St Anton (25/375cm / 10/150") still have around 180km (113 miles) of slopes open apiece. The Stubai Glacier (5/505cm / 2/202") has the deepest snow in the country and indeed all of Europe on its higher runs (it would have been the world had Gassan not opened). 

AUSTRIA FORECAST

Although temperatures below 1500m altitudes are still reaching +10C in the afternoons it's much cooler and overnight lows are dropping back below freezing and remaining so around the clock up above 2500m, where overnight lows are -10C or lower again. Still plenty of sunshine but light snow showers are possible most days too.

SWITZERLAND REPORT

There are about a dozen Swiss ski areas open into the latter half of April with the amount of terrain open at each. It’s the big cross-border resorts of the Silvretta Arena at Samnaun (20/140cm / 8/56”) and Zermatt’s (0/200cm / 0/80”) connection to Cervinia that still; have the majority of their runs open. The 260km (163 miles) of slopes at the latter are the most in the country. Neighbouring Saas Fee (55/480cm / 22/192”) has the deepest snow in Switzerland and one of the top five deepest in the world. Laax, which had been posting the deepest snow in the country on its glacier slopes was among the big Swiss names ending their seasons last weekend. As to the weather, it was warm and sunny into the weekend with valley temperatures up in the 20s, but it has turned much cooler with showers (snow up high, rain below) and nearer to +10C at low altitudes in the afternoon, -10C at 3,000m overnight.

SWITZERLAND FORECAST

The cooler temperatures than late are expected to continue through the remainder of this week with the light to moderate rain/sleet/snow showers ongoing too. Verbier, which closes for the season next weekend, say they expect a snowy end to their 23-24 season and due to the forecast bad weather conditions, the organizers of La Patrouille des Glaciers have taken the decision to cancel Tuesday and Wednesday's races leaving racers from Zermatt and Arolla at the weekend still on.

FRANCE REPORT

There are more ski areas still open in France than any other alpine Nation, with about 50 ski villages operational accessing around 20 of the big ski regions. They've had a largely sunny week with occasional light snow showers, but it's been getting a bit cooler and 'wintery' in the last day or so. Half a dozen French resorts continue to post 4 metre (13.3 feet) base depths on their upper slopes topped by Les Arcs/​Peisey-Vallandry (40/455cm / 16/222”) in the Paradiski region which reports about 80% of its slopes still open. However, the 3 Valleys (170/240cm / 68/96”) still have the most open slopes in the world despite a third of theirs now being closed. There are about 370km/230+ miles of runs skiable!

FRANCE FORECAST

Temperatures have been dropping over the last few days and that will continue through the middle of the week with overnight lows of -20C possible up at 3,000m and a degree or two below freezing even in valleys at night again too. Snow showers and sunny spells through the next few days on high slopes, getting drier and warmer into the weekend.

ITALY REPORT

Temperatures have been dropping in the Italian mountains over the last few days, after a warm and sunny week for most of last week. We're now getting -10C up at 3000m overnight and daytime highs below freezing with snow showers too. Valleys are seeing rain but daytime highs have halved to single figures again. Italy is the only country of the big four alpine nations where the number of areas open has dropped to single figures. But those still open have plenty to offer, including the Presna Glacier (100/400cm / 40/160”) which reports great conditions and plans to stay open for the first week of May. The Cervinia-Zermatt ski area (0/200cm / 0/80”) has the most open terrain from Italy, with 250km (156 miles of runs) still open at altitude.

ITALY FORECAST

Staying cooler than it has been, but stabilising and looking drier for the remainder of the week.

GERMANY REPORT

We’re down to just two of Germany’s 500+ ski areas still open for their 23-24 season, both aiming to keep going through to May 1st. The country’s highest slopes on the Zugspitze Glacier (110/274cm / 44/110”) remain 80% open – that’s 16km (10 miles) of runs, the largest area you can ski in the final fortnight of the German season. However there are also 8km (5 miles) of runs available on the Nebelhorn (0/200cm / 0/80") above Oberstdorf, that’s despite temperatures hitting +25C at its base at the weekend and even +13C at the top of the slopes. A little cooler but still well above freezing on the higher Zugasptize.

GERMANY FORECAST

Temperatures are dipping and snowfalls are likely on higher slopes over the remainder of this week. Temperatures should get double-digits below freezing at 2,000m with snow showers expected daily.

SCANDINAVIA REPORT

Unlike in the resort of the ski world right now, about two-thirds of the leading Scandinavian ski areas are still open for the 23-24 season. They’re also posting some of the best snow conditions anywhere thanks to temperatures staying much closer to freezing than further south and there have been some light fresh snowfalls too, to freshen up the slopes. Norway’s Trysill (72/128cm / 29/51”) is currently posting the most open terrain, about 67km (44 miles) of runs having overtaken the region’s largest centre and fellow SkiStar resort Sweden’s Are (50/86cm / 20/34”) which has dropped to about 65% of its 90km (56 miles) of slopes open. However it reported 6cm (2.5”) of fresh snow cover in the 24 hours to Wednesday morning. Ski areas in western Norway are posting the deepest snow, topped by Myrkdalen (20/220cm / 8/88”) near Voss.

SCANDINAVIA FORECAST

A few more days of changeable weather with temperatures in the +5 down to -10C range, colder the further north you go, with some more light snow showers expected. Then clear skies are forecast for the weekend in many areas, with daytime highs of +9C in more southerly areas, closer to freezing further north.

SCOTLAND REPORT

The Scottish ski season is more or less over with no inbounds snowsports available at the five Highland centres. Only Glencoe continues to run its Access chairlift for tourers to use to get up to the snowline above the ski area quickly and easily. There has actually been more fresh snowfall up high this week alongside the normal Scottish weekly mix of sunny spells, hill fog, gales and rain at lower levels. Glencoe reported blizzard conditions on Monday.

SCOTLAND FORECAST

There's the usual mix of rain, sleet and snow forecast with plenty more strong winds and some hail thrown in for a good mix on Scottish mountainsides. Temperatures in the freezing to +12C range.

SPAIN / ANDORRA REPORT

The season is about over in the Pyrenees with the last few areas that had still been open in Andorra and Spain ending their seasons at the weekend. The only centre still reporting open slopes in the region is Cauterets (10/70cm / 4/28") with about two-thirds of its slopes still open. However, Spain and Europe's most southerly resort, Sierra Nevada (20/130cm / 8/52") still reports more than 50km (45%) of its slopes still open with spring skiing conditions. It plans to remain open until the final weekend of the month. The weather has been mostly sunny with temperatures mostly in the +2 to +15C range.

SPAIN / ANDORRA FORECAST 

Sunshine continues through to the end of the week in most areas with temperatures remaining in the freezing up to +15 Celcius range.

BULGARIA / ROMANIA REPORT

The season is admittedly believed to be over for all Bulgarian and Romanian ski areas. Bansko managed to keep about half of its 70km of slopes open to the end, at the start of this week, despite near-constant sunny temperatures and valley highs of +25C. In the wider region, some centres that would usually be operating a few slopes at weekends later in April and into May are reported not to be this year. They include Kanin on the Slovenia/Italy border which is unfortunately closed due to financial issues, not snow depth, which is lying very deep up high as usual for springtime on Slovenia’s highest slopes.

BULGARIA / ROMANIA FORECAST

Rather ironically, given that some centres in the region closed earlier than planned with the hot sunny fortnight forecast after Easter Sunday, now that all have closed the remainder of this week is looking like one of the coldest since March, with overnight lows down to -5C on the slopes and increasingly heavy snowfall forecast.

CZECH REPUBLIC / SLOVAKIA REPORT

The 23-24 season is really over at almost all centres in the region, except the largest, Slovakia’s Jasna (20/45cm / 10/18”) which has ended its daily operations but plans to re-open some high terrain at weekends so long as the snow lasts. It’s currently being helped by a temperature drop and even light snow showers on its highest slopes.

CZECH REPUBLIC / SLOVAKIA FORECAST

The cooler temperatures bringing snowfall to the tops of the Tatras are expected to continue through the remainder of this week and into the weekend. Overnight lows on higher runs getting down to double digits below freezing. Subzero overnight even down in the valleys too with more light snow showers forecast.