Second Wave of Summer Snowfall in the Alps
High slopes in the Austrian Alps have received heavy snowfall for the second Saturday in a row.
Last weekend ski areas in the Austrian Alps reported up to 50cm of snowfall (on the Molltal glacier) even though it was still August and summertime. There was also snowfall down to about 1400 metres in the Italian Dolomites.
This weekend the snow has so far been reported falling on Austrian glaciers, with the Stubai Glacier (pictured) reporting 20cm of snowfall on Saturday morning, 1st September, which is also the first day of meteorological Autumn – although still summer be the astronomical measure.
Snowfall at the time of year is not really unusual on high slopes, although this year is a few weeks earlier than usual.
There are currently six ski areas open in the Alps for snowsports but seven more, mostly in Austria along with Val Senales in Italy and at the end of the month, Tignes in France, are expected to open through September.
The new snow means it’s likely they’ll open sooner rather than later.
