WORLD SNOW ROUNDUP #300
Issued: 19th July 2023
By Patrick “Snowhunter” Thorne
World Overview
It has been a quieter week at southern hemisphere ski areas with some of the coldest temperatures of the winter so far reported in the Andes and New Zealand, but not much fresh snowfall after the big falls reported in Argentina, Australia and Chile a week ago. Most ski areas are progressively managing to open more terrain, however. New Zealand continues to have a difficult start to the season with limited natural snowfall. Centres without snow-making generally remain closed still waiting for a big snowfall and consistently cold temperatures to get this moving.
The number of centres open in the northern hemisphere is currently eight, the same as a week ago. However, one centre closed at the end of last weekend, Norway’s Fonna, while another opened for summer skiing, Switzerland’s Saas-Fee. The totals are two centres open in the western US, five in the Alps and one in Scandinavia. The last centre open in Asia, Japan’s Gassan, ended its 2023 run over a week ago. The over-riding weather conditions on both sides of the Atlantic have been hot sunshine, causing thawing even at high elevations. The only area that has been immune up to a point is Scandinavia where it has been unseasonably cool.
Southern Hemisphere
AUSTRALIA REPORT
After the last big snowstorm just over a week ago now it has been largely sunny in Australia’s mountains. A little too warm, perhaps, on lower slopes in the afternoons, but generally excellent conditions with a decent early season base and most centres either fully open or nearly so. The largest resort Perisher (55/109 cm / 22/44”), in New South Wales, has both the most terrain open in the country (40km/25 miles of runs) and the deepest reported snow. One of two resorts in the southern hemisphere to have passed the 1m snow depth mark already. It’s looking good at all areas in the country though with Falls Creek (70/90cm / 28/36”) and Mount Hotham (55 / 77cm / 22/33”) both reporting their slopes 100% open.
AUSTRALIA FORECAST
There’s no real change in the sunny forecast for the week ahead, temperatures are in the -8 to +9 range so some daytime thawing of the snowpack at lower elevations, but overnight snow-making friendly temps at all levels.
NEW ZEALAND REPORT
New Zealand continues to have what is commonly known as a “challenging” start to the season, the main problem being a lack of natural snowfall. There has at least been colder weather recently, allowing more snow-making machines to run, but still not much snow, just light showers. The result is that several club fields are still yet to open. “We would definitely not be open without the combination of snow-making and grooming. We know, it’s been a rough season so far,” a statement from Mt Hutt (15/60cm / 6/24”) on Sunday summed up the situation. The resort says when its snow guns are running full force they can produce up to 8 tons of snow every minute, this combined with SnowSat technology has meant they have been able to operate with only minimal natural snowfall so far this season. Mt Hutt actually has about 70% of its terrain open now and is one of the largest in the world with 28km (18 miles) of runs. Coronet Peak (5/35cm / 2/14”) is managing a little more though despite its very thin base with 80% of its slopes open and 32km (20 miles) of runs skiable, the most in the country at present. The country’s North Island has had more snowfall than the South Island and Tūroa (60/115cm / 24/46”), on Mt. Ruapehu, is posting New Zealand’s deepest snow and is one of the first in the southern hemisphere through the metre mark for 2023 season snow depth.
NEW ZEALAND FORECAST
It has been increasingly cold with light snowfalls over the past few days and the rest of this week could see some serious snow at last for many areas with 20-40cm (8-16”) snowfall totals forecast and temperatures close to freezing. Generally a few degrees below, particularly overnight.
ARGENTINA REPORT
Bases and open terrain continue to build in Argentina where South America’s largest ski area at Catedral (20/75cm / 8/30”), near Bariloche, has opened more runs to close in on 100km of slopes open, about twice its nearest competitor (Australia’s Perisher). The past week has been mainly dry in most parts of the country but it has been cold with overnight lows down to -12C reported and not getting much above freezing during the day either, just a degree or two. No other ski area in Argentina comes close to Catedral in terms of open terrain, most posting between 8 and 24km (5-15 miles) of slopes, but Caviahue (60/80cm / 24/32”) is posting slightly better snow stats (and the country’s best at present). Conditions remain challenging at Las Leñas (5/30cm / 2/12”), which has suffered warm and wet conditions down low and reports only about 15% of its slopes open and two lifts running following its late start to the season a fortnight ago. As the snow is reported to be lying 4 metres (13+ feet) deep up high that’s particularly frustrating for those without helicopter access nor fancying the hike up.
ARGENTINA FORECAST
A mixed forecast with temperatures remaining low but dry at more southerly ski areas but heavy snowfall forecast for the remainder of the week further north in the Andes. If the most optimistic forecasting models prove true, we could see as much as a metre (40”) of fresh snowfall on higher slopes by the end of the weekend.
CHILE REPORT
There are mixed reports from Chile with some centres reporting great conditions, and others not quite so good, yet. The main issue for the past week has been mostly dry weather, with a mixture of sunshine and cloud, although it has been cold enough for snow-making where it exists with overnight lows down to -10C. Lagunillas (30/50cm / 12/20”) was one of the last in the country to open, last week, but then announced it was closing again from Sunday “until there’s more snow.” However, all other Chilean centres are open and in contrast Valle Nevado (20/60cm / 8/24”) continues to expand the amount of terrain it has open, now more than 60% of its total terrain, with 25km (21 miles) of slopes there skiable.
CHILE FORECAST
Continuing cold but with little precipitation in the forecast with predominantly dry weather. Temperatures as low as -9C overnight on mountain slopes, with highs of +5C in the daytime.
SOUTHERN AFRICA REPORT
There have been more unusually cold temperatures in southern Africa over the past week. Lesotho’s Afriski warned visitors about the need to ensure they have plenty of warm clothing with them. The centre has short snow slopes open for sledging and tobogganing but isn’t offering skiing or snowboarding as it says its electricity supply cannot be guaranteed for lift operations and snow-making. South Africa’s sole ski area of Tiffindell appears to be permanently closed.
SOUTHERN AFRICA FORECAST
Very cold temperatures are expected to continue through the next week with double-digits below freezing overnight lows under clear skies.
Europe
EUROPE INTRO
It’s been very warm across much of Europe for the past week with temperatures reaching double digits Celsius in plus numbers even up at 3,000m on glaciers. Many ski areas, whether they have their ski slopes open or not, are promoting themselves as sanctuaries for ”cooling off” after temperatures hit +45C in some southern European cities, and not much cooler further north in the southern mainland. Up at 3,000m temperatures are very warm in the afternoons and the thaw is accelerating but conditions so far remain much better than a year ago. The main evidence of this was Saas-Fee opening for its 2023 summer ski season on schedule last weekend and allowing the general public on its slopes from day one. This time last year there was less than half the terrain open and only professional race teams were allowed on it, due to the limited snow space. It should also be noted that temperatures are still getting back down close to freezing overnight on glaciers. Further north, there’s just one centre still open in Scandinavia, the Galdhopiggen glacier in Norway after Fonna had its last day of 2023 on Sunday. Here temperatures have been much cooler in the daytime, just getting a few degrees above freezing.
AUSTRIA REPORT
In Austria the year-round slopes of the Hintertux glacier (0/95cm / 0/38″) remain open, highlighting activities like tubing as well as skiing and boarding. It has been a mostly sunny week here with overnight lows around freezing but getting well into plus temperatures in the daytime. The centre’s base depth has been dropping fairly fast in recent weeks but it reports 20km of slopes still open.
AUSTRIA FORECAST
Another week of sunshine and warm temperatures ahead, staying above freezing (+2 to +8C) through the 24-hour cycle most days so the thawing continues around the clock.
SWITZERLAND REPORT
After a couple of months of being the only centre open in Switzerland, Zermatt has been joined by its neighbour Saas Fee (0/250cm / 0/100”), which operates up to 20km (12.5 miles) of slopes in summer and a popular terrain park. Currently, it reports 13.8km (8.5 miles) of slopes open with lifts open from 6.25 am with a day pass costing 79 Swiss Francs for an adult aged over 16, or 48 Swiss Francs for a 7-16-year old. Like much of Europe, temperatures are hot in the Swiss Alps with mostly sunny weather and even 3,000m altitude seeing temperatures up to +10C. But, still, the picture is currently much brighter than a year ago when Saas-Fee, although one of the few summer ski centres that managed to operate through summer 2022, was only open to race teams for training until late September. This summer it is back to being open to all, for now at least. Two ski areas open means Switzerland has the most centres open of the five countries currently offering snow sports in Europe, a big change from just over a week ago when France had three resorts open. After next weekend there’ll be no areas still open in France for summer skiing in 2023.
SWITZERLAND FORECAST
Another week of predominantly sunny week. Temperatures can get as high as +6C at 3,500m but drop down to zero overnight with the outside chance of light self-perpetuating snowfalls.
FRANCE REPORT
It has been a warm and sunny week in the French Alps too with temperatures getting well above freezing on the country’s glaciers. Tignes (0/215cm / 0/86”) is the last ski centre still open but is in its final week for 2023 with no French centres open from next Monday, down to three choices at the start of the month. The best conditions are of course early in the morning and for now, there are 20km (13 miles) of slopes open.
FRANCE FORECAST
Full-on sunshine is expected to continue for the coming week, with temperatures hitting +30C at 1500m and still getting as high as +15C at 3,500m, the top of Tignes glacier. So the timing to close this weekend looks good.
ITALY REPORT
Passo Stelvio (0/90cm / 0/36”) remains the only Italian ski centre currently open, reporting good conditions despite warm temperatures on the glacier in a country where there are a spate of high danger warnings in cities for temperatures well into the +40s this week. About two-thirds of the centre’s slopes remain open between 6 am and noon but the terrain park and pipe are currently closed. You can also ski on the glacier above Zermatt taking lifts up from Italy’s Cervinia resort.
ITALY FORECAST
Very warm temperatures are forecast to continue through the coming week with double-digit plus temperatures on glaciers in the afternoons set to continue, along with nearly permanent sunshine in the daytime.
SCANDINAVIA REPORT
With the Fonna glacier closing its 2023 season at the end of last weekend we’re down to just Scandinavia’s highest ski slopes at Galdhopiggen (45/205cm / 18/82″) in Norway still open. Unlike in the Alps, the weather has been quite cool up north with plenty of precipitation, including rain but also sleet and snowfall at times. Galdhopiggen reports its full area is still open and although its base depth is greatly diminished now from its opening in early spring, it remains one of the deepest of any open area on the planet at present.
SCANDINAVIA FORECAST
Temperatures continue in the range of -5 (upper slopes overnight) to +5C (lower slopes in the afternoons) with frequent showers of rain, sleet or snow. Sunny spells or light clouds between showers and the latter half of this coming week is looking much drier.
USA REPORT
As with much of Europe, most of the US is experiencing extreme heat at present and ski areas here too, whether open for snow sports or not, are promoting their cool mountain air and surviving snow patches for snow fun, as an escape from the low altitude heat. There are two ski areas still open, California’s Mammoth Mountain (16/76” / 40/190cm) and Orgeon’s Timberline (0/48” / 0/120cm). Timberline’s snow cover on the Palmer Snowfield on Mt Hood has been dropping markedly for the past few months but it still has three miles of runs open in the mornings as well as its terrain park. Mammoth Mountain has ended operations of Stump Alley and The Mill with all skiing and riding for the final weeks of the season based out of the resort’s Main Lodge with Broadway (1), Face Lift (3), Unbound (6), Discovery (11), Chair 23 and the Panorama Gondola all continuing to spin. “We will focus our cat work and grooming efforts to keep top-to-bottom riding going as longs as possible into the month of July and offer the best summer riding we have ever seen,” a resort spokesperson said. Copper Mountain, in Colorado, which has one of the world’s highest-altitude ski areas, also has a hike-to terrain park available with its remaining snow.
USA FORECAST
Sunny weather will continue over the coming week with temperatures in the high 40s to low 80s Fahrenheit, meaning the thaw should continue and best conditions before 9 am daily.
