WORLD SNOW ROUNDUP #166
Issued: 18 November 2020
By Patrick “Snowhunter” Thorne
European Roundup
North American Roundup
Asia Roundup
Southern Hemisphere Roundup
EUROPE INTRODUCTION
With ski areas in Austria, France, Germany and Italy still closed due to November lockdowns there’s been no change in the number of ski areas open in Europe compared to a week ago.
And along with the COVID complications which are impacting the start of the season, we now have one of the old autumn issues from the era before the virus was even imagined coming in to play. It has turned out to be quite a warm and dry autumn so far and some ski areas are beginning to worry about whether they’ll have adequate snow, particularly at lower elevations, when the main winter season kicks off in 2-4 weeks.
Zermatt announced on Monday that it would be delaying the start of its main winter season, and opening much of its ski area, until December 5th as a result of the warm dry weather.
That said, up on glaciers, including Zermatt’s, conditions remain excellent thanks to the October snowfalls and temperatures up high keeping mostly subzero. There was a light snowfall for many on Monday up above 2,500m.
In terms of ski areas opening in Europe, after no new openings last weekend this should be a big weekend coming up in Scandinavia with the region’s biggest ski area. Are in Sweden, as well as Norway’s Beitostolen and Hemsedal, all scheduled to open.
AUSTRIA
AUSTRIA REPORT| Conditions on Austrian glaciers look excellent from the weather reports and the camera images, but they remain closed to recreational skiers. Only elite racers are permitted on the slopes. The Stubai is, in fact, due to host a World cup freestyle ski competition this coming weekend. Mostly, the weather has been dry and sunny but there have been some snowfalls on the glaciers. Still raining in the valleys here and it remains 5-10 degrees above freezing.
It looks like Austria’s ski season will not resume until mid-December at the earliest. The country’s lockdown was tightened and extended at the end of last week and will now run through to at least December 6th, a week later than originally planned. Even before the extension was announced several leading areas including St Anton, Zillertal Arena and the Arlberg area, as well as Ischgl, had announced they did not plan to open for the season before December 17th.
Others, including parts of Wildschonau, are going for the 12th and some glaciers say they hope to reopen on the 7th.
AUSTRIA FORECAST| There’s not a lot of change expected in the forecast although the end of this week should see another front bringing snowfall to higher slopes on Thursday/Friday. Temperatures up above around 2000m should stay close to freezing, but 5-15 degrees above freezing down in the valleys.
SWITZERLAND
SWITZERLAND REPORT| Switzerland remains the country with the most ski areas open, just about (the USA will overtake them in the next few days); however, there were no new openings at the weekend (the 11 centres that were already open were open again). Zermatt (0/220cm / 0/88″) made media headlines for the wrong reasons though with pictures of long non-socially-distanced queues at the base of the gondola lift from the resort up to the Klein Matterhorn. Action will be taken to ensure no repeat of that, the lift company’s director insists. It has stayed cold up on the glaciers, largely dry and mostly sunny, but with a few light snowfalls, most recently on Monday. Resort facilities remain largely closed, especially in Valais, although hotels and their restaurants can open. Most ski areas remain only open at weekends but Zermatt, along with Engelberg (0/100cm / 0/40”) and Saas-Fee (0/210cm / 084″) are open daily. Saas-Fee is posting the most terrain open of anywhere in the world at present.
Weekend openers include Andermatt (0/165cm / 0/70”), Arosa (0/70cm / 028”), Crans Montana (0/65cm / 0/26”), Davos (0/60cm / 0 /24”), Diavolezza (St Moritz) (5/80cm / 2/32”), Glacier 3000 (Les Diablerets/Gstaad) (0/30ccm / 0/12”), Laax (0/50cm / 0/20”) and Verbier (0/30cm / 0/12”). Adelboden and Grimentz are expected to open next weekend.
SWITZERLAND FORECAST| It’s currently sunny and hitting highs of 15 above freezing in the Swiss valleys although staying cold on the glaciers. Snowfall is expected on Thursday and Friday with temperatures dropping dramatically even down at resort level. So the slopes could turn to white down to the valley. Sunshine returning at the weekend but remaining cool.
FRANCE
FRANCE REPORT| There was fresh snowfall on higher French slopes in the Alps on Monday, the first for a week or so. The country remains in a November lockdown; due to end at the end of the month all being well. Currently, only Tignes should be open in the French Alps although more areas would have been opening this coming weekend or the last one in November in a normal year. Most don’t usually open until December anyway and are sticking to their planned opening dates at present.
FRANCE FORECAST| After a warmer Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will see temperatures drop below freezing from the top to the bottom of French mountains and snowfall down to quite low elevations. The sunshine returns, but staying cold, at the weekend.
ITALY
ITALY REPORT| Temperatures have stayed fairly cool on Italian slopes, sub-zero up high, but it has been quite dry too with just a few brief snowy periods in the past seven days. Unfortunately, virus cases have been rising fast in Italy and two of the country’s ski areas that had been open for racers if not the general public, Schnalstal/Val Senales and Sulden, have now closed down completely. Cervinia (0/220cm / 0/88″) has stayed open for race teams however. Italy was the first to go into a second, limited-time, lockdown in late October and it’s due to come to an end in a week on the 24th, but it is unclear if that may be extended now with cases so high.
ITALY FORECAST| Another week of mostly sunny weather lies ahead for most Italian ski areas. It should be staying cool on higher slopes though with no sign of temperatures getting above freezing above 2000m. Lower down in the valleys it is looking like varying between 5 below overnight and 10 above in the afternoon. There is some snowfall forecast from Thursday evening into Friday.
GERMANY
GERMANY REPORT| Germany remains in a November lockdown so ski areas can’t open, although it’s really just the country’s indoor snow centres and its highest slopes on the Zugspitze glacier that would normally be open at this point. Most German ski areas don’t open until December anyway so the hope is they’ll still open as planned. The weather has been warm and sunny again with just a little snow up high at the start of the week.
GERMANY FORECAST| Things are looking colder and snowier over the coming week on German slopes, particularly in the Bavarian Alps to the south of the country. Snowfall is expected around Friday and at the end of the weekend with temperatures dropping below freezing for most of the time.
SCANDINAVIA
SCANDINAVIA REPORT| Scandinavian ski areas have enjoyed rather warm temperatures for much of November but it has now turned colder and snow cannons have been firing up over the past few days. It’s the same handful of ski areas open in Finland and Sweden but this coming weekend should see many of the region’s big hitters, including the biggest, Sweden’s Are, open, as well as Beitostolen and Hemsedal in Norway and Pyha and Yllas in Finland.
Levi (0/30cm / 0/12″) is also due to host World Cup racing too, the first in over a month since the season-opening races in Solden, Austria, in mid-October. Also already open are Ruka (0/30cm / 0/12”) in Lapland and Idre Fjall (15/50cm / 6/20”) and Kabdalis (0/50cm / 0/20”) in Sweden.
SCANDINAVIA FORECAST| Temperatures should stay at or below freezing in most of Scandinavia’s mountainous regions over the coming week with a mixture of sunshine and cloudy weather. Norway and Sweden should see a cold and snowy end to the week after a warmer Wednesday. There’s more snow in the forecast further north in Finland in the latter half of the weekend.
SCOTLAND
SCOTLAND REPORT| It has been warm in Scotland for another week with not much sign of snow even at higher elevations. The big news was the announcement from Nevis Range that they would not open this season unless there’s a change in pandemic restrictions.
They also need good snow cover and weather conditions which together might allow them to turn an operating profit after big losses through 2020 during the virus. The other four commercial areas are stressing that they expect to open as normal in December and if the snow comes sooner some centres like Glencoe and the Lecht could potentially open sooner.
SCOTLAND FORECAST| After the recent warm weather it’s finally looking like cold weather is on the way and there’s a chance of snow at altitude on Scottish hills at the weekend.
SPAIN / ANDORRA
SPAIN / ANDORRA REPORT| With the scheduled start of the season only 2-3 weeks away for most resorts it has turned rather dry and sunny in the Pyrenees after the snowy October and early November. Temperatures have been climbing above freezing in many areas, reaching double digits above in the valleys, so colder weather would be welcome now.
SPAIN / ANDORRA FORECAST| There’s not a lot of change in the forecast with more dry, sunny weather expected in the Pyrenees over the coming week. Temperatures should drop below freezing overnight meaning snow-making should be possible, but against that daytime temperatures will still be quite warm.
BULGARIA / ROMANIA REPORT
BULGARIA / ROMANIA REPORT| Cold weather and some snowfall in Bulgaria at the weekend. Pamporovo was one of the resorts posting snowy images on Saturday. Otherwise, it has been largely dry but temperatures have been falling away towards freezing and below in Romania too.
BULGARIA / ROMANIA FORECAST| Another predominantly dry week ahead, often sunny too. The good news, with the start of the season 2-4 weeks away, is that temperatures should stay close to freezing day and night.
CZECH REPUBLIC / SLOVAKIA
CZECH REPUBLIC / SLOVAKIA REPORT| No real sign of winter approaching in the Tatra mountains and wider region with warm, sunny weather the norm in recent weeks and occasional rain showers falling. Fortunately, it is looking rather more promising for the latter half of the month.
CZECH REPUBLIC / SLOVAKIA FORECAST|There’s no snow or precipitation of any kind in the forecast with mostly sunny weather expected instead, but temperatures are falling away and will be getting subzero overnight in the latter half of this week, only climbing a degree or two above freezing in the daytime.
NORTH AMERICA
NORTH AMERICA INTRO| The 20-21 season in North America is really starting to take off and it looks like the continent will soon have more areas open than Europe (resulting from most areas that would be open in November in the Alps currently closed due to lockdowns).
Big-name resort opening in the past week include Breckenridge, Marmot Basin (Jasper) and Mammoth and this coming weekend should see more including the biggest ski area in the US, Park City, as well as Heavenly and Vail plus hopefully Stowe, on the east coast, all opening.
The further good news is that it has been snowing in the west with skiers and boarders at already open areas in the Rockies, in Alberta and Colorado reporting powder conditions. The east coast has had a warmer November which stalled plans to open but it has now turned colder there too and snow-making systems have been fired up once more.
ROCKIES
ROCKIES REPORT| It’s been a great week in the Rockies after a month of warm weather with lots of fresh snowfall and powder conditions reported at the growing list of already-open ski areas, most of them in Colorado so far. Breckenridge (10/16″ / 25/40cm) was the latest big-name ski centre to open, joining the likes of Arapahoe Basin (8/18″ / 20/45cm), Keystone (10/45cm / 4/18″), Loveland (18/18″ / 45/45cm) and Wolf Creek (44/48″ / 110/120cm) which has had the snowiest start of the season of any north American ski area.
Lookout Pass (48/60” / 120/150cm) was the first ski area to open for the season in Idaho for the new season, with fourteen trails open, five of them groomed. More ski areas are set to open in the Rockies this coming weekend including big hitters liked Vail and the first areas in Utah, with Solitude one of those expecting to start its lifts running.
ROCKIES FORECAST| Staying fairly cold although there will be some positive temperatures in the valleys at times, but dropping to 20 degrees below freezing at times on the slopes. Dry and sunny until Friday when a 48-hour snowstorm should bow in, dumping more powder.
USA WEST
USA WEST REPORT| There’s been plenty of snowfall in the western US and ski areas have started opening for 20-21. Mountain High (8-16” / 20/40cm) ski area in California which had expected to be the first to open for 20-21 in the state postponed after four employees tested positive for COVID-19. Mammoth Mountain (12/24” / 31/61cm) was, therefore, the first, opening a day earlier than planned last Friday 13th November. Mountain High opened on Saturday the 14th. Both have limited terrain open for the start of the season, both report their limited ticket availability selling out. Further north, Oregon has announced a firebreak-style lockdown but has decided ski areas can keep operating and Timberline says it will open imminently.Cool. I
USA WEST FORECAST| The forecast for the western US looks fairly promising for the coming week. Mostly dry but mostly cold too and generally below freezing with temperatures just creeping up a little into positive temperatures down at the base of the mountains by the weekend.
USA MIDWEST REPORT
MIDWEST REPORT| Much colder again in the midwest and plenty of snowfall in recent days too turning ski slopes in the region white. For now though it’s the same areas open as it has been all month with Wild Mountain open daily in Minnesota and Trollhaugen operating Thursdays to Sundays in Wisconsin. It looks like many more areas will be aiming to open ahead of Thanksgiving.
MIDWEST FORECAST| After the recent snowfalls conditions are looking much drier with plenty of sunshine for the next few days but for the fresh snow, the good news is that temperatures should be hovering down around freezing or below. There is more snow in the forecast too for many areas with Friday to Sunday seeing snowfall expected in various parts of the region.
USA EAST
USA EAST REPORT| Snow-making is underway in the eastern US after temperatures dropped following a warm start to November; however, at the time of writing it is unclear when the first area will open. Apart from getting adequate snow cover built up different states have released different rulings on when areas can open during the pandemic.
New York state gave the go-ahead a few weeks ago but Vermont says no areas can open before Friday. Usually, Killington is the first to open or one of them and snow-making is underway here, but so far no opening date. The resort has said it wants to ensure top-to-bottom coverage before opening day.
USA EAST FORECAST| Alas, it is still not looking brilliant for the season getting started this side of Thanksgiving with some warm daytime temperatures expected by the weekend, reaching highs of 10 degrees above freezing down in resort. Higher slopes should stay closer to freezing but precipitation seems likely to be as often rain as snow.
CANADA
CANADA WEST
CANADA WEST REPORT| Things are looking ever more promising in western Canada with more ski centres opening for the 20-21 season and fresh snow falling almost daily. Cypress Mountain (20/40cm / 8/16”) opened last weekend, the first in BC and earlier than planned after a mix of snow-making efforts and natural snowfall. Further east Marmot Basin (50/50” / 20/20”), near Jasper, was the latest resort to open joining Norquay (40/47cm / 16/19”), Lake Louise (60/70cm / 24/28”), Sunshine (25/80cm / 10/32”) and currently weekend-only opening Nakiska (25/25cm / 10/10”). All have reported regular 10-20cm (4-8″) snowfalls daily in recent days although the weather news hasn’t all been good, Cypress was forced to close again at the start of the week by gale-force winds.
CANADA WEST FORECAST| A mixture of sunshine and cloud going into the weekend in Alberta and BC but with more snowfall expected from Sunday. Importantly, temperatures are set to stay low, double-digits below freezing day and night for most ski areas.
CANADA EAST
CANADA EAST REPORT| Eastern Canada has had a challenging few weeks with temperatures rising and rain falling rather than snow. The one centre that had opened, Mont Saint Sauveur, had been forced to close again and the region’s largest, Mont Tremblant, has delayed its target opening date to the end of the month. The good news is that it has been colder again in recent days and snow cannons have fired up. Mont Saint Sauveur says it plans to re-open on Friday.
CANADA EAST FORECAST| After the colder weather of the past few days with temperatures staying sub-zero, it’s looking like warmer temperatures will return in the latter half of this week. Sub-zero will still be the overnight norm, but daytime temperatures will again creep up to 5-10 degrees above freezing. There’s no snow in the forecast, a mixture of sunny and cloudy days instead.
ASIA
JAPAN REPORT| Things are getting snowier in the Japan Alps with temperatures hovering around freezing and precipitation between rain and snow. Several smaller areas have opened with machine-made snow but the bigger picture is of slopes turning white at major centres too. Some of the first big players, including Shiga Kogen, are due to open this weekend, many of the rest a week later, the final weekend of November.
JAPAN FORECAST| It’s looking cold and snowy to end this week in many Japanese ski areas. After a mid-week warm temperature spike, it should remain subzero from Thursday on with heavy snowfall forecast through to Saturday.
