Europe Weekly Snow Roundup #250

THE ALPS REPORT

• Changeable Weather Causes Temporary Glacier Closures in the Alps
• Tignes, Last Open Ski Centre in France, Closing Soon
• Hintertux in Austria Has Largest Open Ski Area in Northern Hemisphere
• Passo Stelvio Only Open Ski Centre in Italy, Zermatt Accessible from Cervinia
• Switzerland's Saas Fee and Zermatt Remain Open
• Scandinavia's Fonna and Galdhøpiggen See Mixed Weather, Slow Thaw

It’s been a changeable week in the High Alps with rain, sleet, and snow storms up on glaciers, which, coupled with strong winds and low visibility at times, led to some temporary closures. Some high glacier slopes did see 10-20cm (4-8”) snowfalls at the end of last week. The wildest weather was into the weekend, and things have calmed down since, with sunnier weather to start the week. Snowpacks continue to thaw, though, with the freezing point moving between 3000 and 4500m. Five ski areas are currently open daily, weather permitting, in the Alps. Tignes (0/300cm / 0/120”) is now the only ski centre open in France following Les 2 Alpes and Val d’Isere’s ending of their summer season, and it too will close at the end of the week.  About 8km (5 miles) of slopes are open, and the joint deepest snow is still in the Alps (with Saas Fee). Austria’s Hintertux (0/235cm / 0/94”) is the only centre open in the country and is posting the largest ski area open in the northern hemisphere at present, with 20km (13 miles) of slopes available.  Passo Stelvio (0/200cm / 0/80”) is the only centre open in Italy, although you can also access Zermatt’s glacier ski area from Cervinia. It reports about 5km (3 miles) of slopes open. The past week has seen the snow that had survived at the base of the ski area thaw away, but ski runs higher up the slopes remain complete.  Switzerland is the only country with two centres currently open, the recently re-opened Saas Fee (0/300cm / 0/120” and year-round Zermatt (0/150cm / 0/60”).

THE ALPS FORECAST

It’s looking increasingly dry and sunny over the coming week with warm temperatures, which could see +30C in some valleys this week.  Staying closer to freezing up at 2800-3800m on glaciers, temperatures ranging from -5 to +5C, but when it's warm in valleys, the freezing point is expected to move above 4,000m, so above many high peaks too.

SCANDINAVIA REPORT

Norway’s small Fonna (150/300cm / 60/120”) and Galdhøpiggen (10/150cm / 4/60”) ski areas remain open, with skiers and riders experiencing a mixed bag of weather with rain, sleet and snow showers interspersed with sunny spells. Overnight lows are usually a degree or two above freezing, daytime highs of 7 or 8 degrees Celcius, so the slow thaw continues.  Both centres have around 5km (3 miles) of slopes open, and some terrain park features too. It’s only 12 weeks until Levi and Ruka are due to kick off the 2024-25 season in Lapland.

SCANDINAVIA FORECAST

The mixed conditions, with sunny spells interspersed by rain showers, are expected to continue through the coming week, with temperatures in the +3 to +13C range.