Huge September Snowfalls in the Alps (and Snow in Many Other Ski Areas Worldwide too)
Ski resorts in the Alps have reported up to 50cm (20 inches) of snowfall in the past 48 hours. The Pitztal glacier, which opened for its 2020-21 season a week ago, is pictured top.
On the other side of the world ski areas in Australia have reported up to 45cm (18 inches). Most are already closed for the season, Perisher is still open.
There’s also been snow reported in the Dolomites, Himalayas, Japan, Pyrenees, Scandinavia, New Zealand and up in Alberta and BC in Canada. There’ even been a dusting of snow for Cairngorm and Glencoe ski areas in Scotland (below).
Two more glacier ski areas have opened in the Alps this weekend, taking the total to eight, four of which are in Austria. Some had bases as thin as 20cm (8 inches) of old snow on the ice prior to the new snowfall so this big dump will transform conditions.
Kvitfjell has also opened in Norway so there are now three areas open there. It has used snowfarming and has spread last season’s snow back out on the slopes for ski team training (below). The country’s Galdhoppigen glacier meanwhile has reported 25cm of fresh snow over the past few days.
In the Pyrenees resorts have reported up to 25cm of pre-season snow and there has been a few inches in the Dolomites so far too.
Spain’s Baqueira Beret is pictured below, and Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Italian Dolomites below that.
High slopes in Alberta and BC in Canada have seen snow in the past few days as well. Kicking Horse in BC is pictured at the bottom of this report.
Some of the first snowfall of the 2020-21 season has also been reported in the Himalayas and Japan. Gulmarg in India reported its first snow as did Niseko in Japan (pictured).
Half-a-dozen more ski areas are due to open in Europe next weekend including the Kitzsteinhorn, Molltal and Stubai glaciers in Austria, Engelberg in Switzerland and in Lapland Ruka and Levi in Finland thanks to snowmaking.
Snow is expected in New Zealand and the Colorado Rockies over the next few days.
