Norwegian Ski Area Hits 15.9 Metre (53 Feet) Base After Metre of May Snowfall
A Norwegian glacier ski area reports that its base has grown to 15.9 metres (53 feet) after a mid-May weekend of blizzards.
Glacier ski areas in the region reported up to a metre of snow in 48 hours, leading two to delay planned season start dates.
The Fonna glacier (pictured top this afternoon) opened for its 2020 season a few weeks ago after Norway eased its lockdown rules having posted remarkable pictures of diggers tunneling through deep snow for several months to reach the area, then dig out the buried lifts.
The weekend blizzards, which closed the centre, brought a further metre (40 inches) of snow and whilst conditions cleared on Monday, the area remained closed whilst lifts were dug out again.
Other Norwegian ski areas were also impacted by the extreme weather. The Galdhopiggen ski area which was due to start it’s 2020 season at the weekend, which also included Norway’s national day, was forced to delay its opening, finally doing so today (pictured above).
The Stryn Glacier (pictured below a week ago) which was due to open on 29th May for its 2020 season has delayed doing so until at least 5th June as it has also had a metre of snow at the weekend and says it has too much work now to do to clear it and make the area safe by the 29th.
The number of ski areas open at present is believed to be one of the lowest in skiing history, with just a handful of centres open in Scandinavia, along with one in Slovenia and two in the US. The numbers should jump in to double, then triple figures again over coming weeks however as more glacier ski areas open in the Alps and southern hemisphere centres begin to open.
