SNOW NEWS UPDATED 1 DECEMBER 2005
snow-forecast.com
INTRODUCTION Scotland has had a brilliant start to the season with the best conditions in years and three resorts open for skiing this week. Temperatures have risen in Scotland so the snow has become soft although snow is forecast at the Cairngorms and Glenshee over the weekend so hopefully this will improve the conditions even more. France is looking really good for many resorts opening this weekend as there is a good amount of snow predicted to fall. This is great news as the French resorts have already had a good amount of snow over the last week. Austria is still skiing really well thanks to the recent snowfalls and they have fairly clear skies at the moment allowing people to really take advantage of the great conditions. In Italy it is a similar situation with fine skies supporting the skiing in the open resorts. The snow just keeps on falling across Norway and the conditions are improving daily. At last the snow is on its way in Switzerland and the sunny weather of today will change to snow which should fall for the next five days. The good news is in Zermatt with the opening of the Rothorn area on Saturday. The season in Slovenia will start on Saturday with the opening of Kranjska Gora (10/110cm), it is snowing today and will do so again on Friday night and it looks like a great start to the winter for them. There has been a lot of snow across the North American resorts and more is forecast for the next couple of days. Lots of powder in many areas, and fortunately temperatures are dropping again in eastern resorts. The Rockies can expect a fair bit of snow over the next couple of days, followed by some nice sunshine to enjoy all the fresh stuff. Resorts in the north east, such as Sunday River and Attitash Bear Park, will get some light snow over the weekend and into early next week.
AUSTRIA Recent flurries and clear skies over Austria today mean some great skiing is to be had. The Austrian glaciers are still the best places to ride with good base depths. Obertauern has seventeen lifts spinning and with a deep base of 110cm at the top for some good on and off piste action. Several areas are hoping to open this weekend including Gargellen, Kühtai and Saalbach. The Wilder Kaiser-Brixental area encompassing Ellmau, Soll, Schaffau, Hopfgarten and Westendorf is also planning to kick off the winter season on Saturday. Conditions are forecast to be snowy, but check the snow reports tomorrow for further info on the above resorts.
FRANCE Argentiere opened its first three lifts today with clear skies and soft pistes, and a base depth of 30cm at the top. This area can also be access from Chamonix on the skibus. A dusting of fresh snow has also refreshed the pistes in Avoriaz (30/30cm), Les Deux Alpes (20/50cm), Tignes (18/50cm), and Val Thorens (30/40cm), but stay high in all four areas as the lower slopes are still patchy. Make use of the clear weather as well because more snow is on its way. A large list of resorts are due to open this weekend in both the Alps and the Pyrenees, including Val d??Isere, Alpe D??Huez, Barages/La Mongie, Courcheval, La Clusaz, Les Gets, Font Romeu, Les Orres, Les Saisses, Montgenevre, Vars and Le Grand Bornand. Check back tomorrow for an update on conditions.
SWITZERLAND It will be a sunny today across Switzerland but for the weekend ahead it is snow, snow, snow. This is great news especially for the resorts of Arosa (20/40cm) and Grindelwald (5/15cm) which open this weekend. Lenk (5/25cm) will also be open this weekend and then will reopen on the 10th for daily skiing. At Zermatt (0/65cm) the Rothorn area is going to be open as of the 3rd December, this will be another addition to the already large open ski area. Throughout the other open resorts of Switzerland the conditions are hard and fast, a great base for the forecast snow to fall on.
ITALY The skiing in the open resorts is still going really well supported by fine skies with mild cloud cover today. Cavalese (10/40cm) is open for skiing with good snow cover on the upper slopes and thin cover on the lower slopes. Cervinia has skiing on the glacier linked with Zermatt, although there is currently insufficient snow on the lower slopes for them to open. Cortina (30/60cm) has enough snow over most of the mountain for top to bottom skiing on soft fresh snow. Passo Tonale (50/140cm) has the best snow depth for the Italian resorts, and is has some great skiing and boarding thanks to the snow levels on the upper slopes. Val Senales (20/90cm) also has fine skiing available thanks to the recent snowfalls. Other resorts are also scheduled to open over the next few days including Arabba, Canazei, Cavalese and Selva Gardena.
ANDORRA Great news this week in Andorra with Pas de la Casa (20/50cm) and Soldeu El Tarter (20/40cm) open for the first time this season. There is good skiing on soft, fresh snow in the open resorts thanks to new snow received this week. There is also good news as Pal, Arinsal and Arcalis are all scheduled to open on Friday 2nd December with snow depths between 20cm and 50cm.
NORWAY/SWEDEN The situation in Norway is improving daily with snow falling across the area. Geilo (10/10cm) is reporting 5cm of fresh snow this morning and more is going to fall throughout today, tomorrow and Sunday. It is also snowing today in Hemsedal (6/45cm) and the snow is set to stay there until Sunday. Trysil (35/35cm) woke up to 2cm of fresh snow this morning and it also looks set to stay until the end of Friday. Oppdal (30/60cm) will be open this weekend with one lift providing access to the mountain. They had 10cm of snow on the 30th November and they are expecting more snow today. In Sweden Salen (2/35cm) is still skiing well thanks to the recent snow falls, although Stöten is still yet to open for skiing. Äre is yet to open.
GERMANY Garmisch (0/70cm) has skiing on Zugspitze, but is not yet open for skiing in the Classic Gebiet area. Lenggries (40/60cm) is also open but this is only at the weekends. Feldberg (30/60cm) has been skiing well this week, and they??re planning to have all of the ski lifts in operation from this weekend. The other resorts in Germany are not open as yet but there is some snow predicted for the weekend.
BULGARIA The 3 reported Bulgarian resorts of Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo are yet to open for the 2005/6 season. Unfortunately they do not have snow forecast for the weekend so the opening dates do not look as if they will be bought forward.
SCOTLAND Milder temperatures are now being experienced across Scotland, the average temperature is now 1??C and as a result the snow is becoming softer and patchy on the lower slopes. At the Cairngorms (10/50cm) the runs are well groomed but are softening throughout the day due to the increased temperatures, over the weekend they are expecting snow again so hopefully the conditions will be topped up. The situation at Glenshee (9/95cm) and The Lecht (28/95cm) is similar to that of the Cairngorms, snow is forecast for Glenshee but unfortunately not for The Lecht.
USA The Rockies are completely covered in snow at the moment thanks to the huge amount that has fallen over the last couple of days. There has been anything from 10-25cm in the last 48hrs which means that there is loads of powder to be had. Check out Winter Park and Steamboat for some awesome riding. This is also great news for Deer Valley and Jackson Hole which are both opening on Saturday. Squaw is also due to start the winter so check back tomorrow for updates. Things are looking better for more easterly resorts in the States with temperatures dropping and snow on the way.
CANADA Skiing in Canada has been a mixed bag of late. British Colombian resorts have been having a great time with Whistler enjoying around 20cm over the white stuff over the past few days. It??s been a different story in the more easterly resorts Mont-Sainte Anne and Tremblant where the pistes have been wet and slushy due to the mild weather. Temperatures are dropping though and snow is predicted over the weekend. Some great skiing is to be had in Silverstar (79/109cm) and Sun Peaks (67/78cm) with a fair bit of fresh powder. Red Mountain is due to open tomorrow and should also have lots of new snow to play around in with 10cm having fallen in the last three days and more on its way.
EUROPEAN WEATHER OUTLOOK Austria is has clear skies and great views today with some slight cloud cover to allow skiers and boarders to take advantage of the recent snowfalls. There is more snow predicted for the Austrian resorts through the weekend. France is quite clear today although over the next few days good snow fall is expected. There is in excess of 50cm of snow predicted in many of the French resorts, which is great for those about to open. In Switzerland the sunny weather of today will disappear tomorrow and the snow will set in for 5 days of constant snow. It is snowing in Norway today and this will continue over the weekend to refresh the ever improving conditions. Germany is expecting unsettled weather with some sunny spells, some cloud cover and the chance of snow on some days. The situation in Andorra is very much the same as that in Germany. Sweden is looking a little more promising with snow predicted right through the weekend. Temperatures have risen in Scotland today but the good news is that yet more snow is on the way for the weekend.
NORTH AMERICAN WEATHER OUTLOOK After a sunny day today it will cloud over in Canada this weekend. This should bring snow in most areas. Mont-Sainte Anne and Tremblant are forecast to get some snow showers hopefully improving conditions, and Whistler is predicted to get a huge amount on Sunday. |
