Europe Weekly Roundup #243

Stryn Glacier Opens Early Amidst Record Spring Temperatures in Norway

• The ski season in Europe is winding down, with Riksgransen in Sweden closing, but Stryn glacier in Norway opening a week early due to warm spring temperatures.
• Austria continues to lead in the number of open ski areas, with three glaciers operating into June, while France prepares for summer skiing in Tignes and Val d’Isere.
• Despite warmer temperatures, Scandinavian ski areas like Fonna in Norway and Galdhopiggen continue to offer skiing, with Riksgransen set to reopen for Midsummer skiing.

WORLD OVERVIEW

The switch of winter from the northern to southern hemispheres has become more marked over the past seven days with fresh huge snowfalls in the South American Andes bringing over a metre (40”) of fresh snowfall to some areas whilst temperatures continue to rise in Asia, Europe and North America. That said there was a late spring snowstorm for the northern Rockies ahead of last weekend and there are still snow showers being reported in the Alps, part of Scandinavia, and even the southerly Pyrenees mountains at times. But that's against a bigger picture of gradual springtime warming. In terms of ski areas opening and closing, we’ve lot more than half of the open ski areas in the US following the Memorial Day holiday there on Monday, after which some big-name resorts that still had some runs open decided they’d end their long 23-24 runs. But one that had been expected to, Arizona’s Snowbowl, has surprised everyone by announcing it’ll be opening in June for the first time ever, this coming Saturday. After that the US looks set to be overtaken by Chile, as a fourth centre open there just as the US drops down to three, the same as Austria and Norway each currently have open.

EUROPE

EUROPE INTRO

It's been another week where we've lost one ski area to its season end (Sweden's Riksgransen) but gained another with Norway's Stryn glacier opening for the season a week earlier than planned. That takes Norway's open areas count to three and with Austria on the same number and just two other glaciers open in the Alps we remain in single figures for the number of centres to choose from in Europe as we approach the start of June and meteorological summertime. In terms of weather, we've continued to see snow showers and temperatures around freezing on glaciers in the Alps. There's also been snowfall reported in the Pyrenees, where there's nowhere open. It's been warmer in Scandinavia except on the highest slopes.

THE ALPS REPORT

Austria continues to dominate the short list of open ski areas, with three, the same as last week, still operating their 23-24 seasons. That will change for a time in the latter half of June though when two French glacier areas (Neighbouring Tignes and Val d’Isere) are due to open for their short summer ski seasons, joining currently open Les 2 Alpes (0/390cm / 0/156”), whilst two of Austria’s currently open centres, Kaprun’s Kitzsteinhorn (0/320cm / 0128”) and the Molltal Glacier (0/240cm / 0/96”) in Carinthia, are due to end their 8 month long 23-24 seasons. The other two centres still open, and indeed open year-round, are the Klein Matterhorn ski area (0/150cm / 0/60”) above Zermatt, also accessible year-round now from over the Italian border at Cervinia and Austria’s Hintertux (0/500cm / 0/200”). These two have both been posting the most terrain open in Europe (and the world) this week at about 35km (22 miles) each. Hintertux also has the deepest lying snow in the Alps – hopefully good news for it keeping slopes open through summer – and the third deepest in Europe. Alpine glaciers have enjoyed another week of low temperatures with the freezing point largely between 2500 and 3500m above sea level. There have been some sunny days, some hill fog and some fresh snow showers. A sixth glacier area, Passo Stelvio, is due to begin its six-month season this Saturday, June 1st. There have been some doubts as to whether it will open on time with at least one of its base hotels announcing a week delay in opening as it says the access road over the pass may not be even open by the 1st, let alone the slopes prepped and made avalanche proof, but at time of writing at least June 1st remains opening day.

THE ALPS FORECAST

Similar conditions to what we have seen over the past few weeks with temperatures on glaciers in the -5 to +3C range at about 3,000m and the freezing point moving between around 2100 and 3200m altitudes. There'll be a mix of light-moderate snow showers, sunny spells and also periods of low cloud to contend with.

SCANDINAVIA REPORT

We’ve had one ski area – Riksgransen – close in the last week, at the end of its 2024 spring season, but another in the region, Norway’s Stryn glacier (*500/600cm / 200/240”), has opened for its 2024 season a week earlier than expected. That's perhaps not as good news as it initially sounds though as it says it's doing so because warm spring sunshine is melting the snow cover there at a record speed, so it's a case of opening earlier before too much damage is done and to get there sooner rather than later as "short season is expected." That said, its opening base depth is the world's second deepest at present with more than six metres/20 feet lying up top. It means that the only skiing in the region currently, lift-accessed at least, is on Norway's three glacier ski area's slopes. Fonna (1150/1350m / 460/540cm) continues to post by far the deepest cover in the world and Galdhopiggen (100/200cm / 40/80") is still in the first month of its planned six-month season through to next November. Sweden's Riksgransen is due to reopen in three weeks though for some Midsummer skiing if its snow lasts. It was reporting less than a metre lying on closing day. As to the weather in northern Scandinavia, temperatures have been in the freezing to +15C range, mostly in the +4 to +8C range. There's been plenty of dry weather, a mix of sun and cloud, but some rain showers too.

SCANDINAVIA FORECAST

Rather warm, dry and sunny conditions for most areas for the latter half of the week with ski slopes seeing +5 to +15C temperatures. A little cooler, closer to freezing overnight on the highest slopes at centres like Galdhopiggen.