J2Ski Snow Report - March 14th 2024
J2Ski Snow Report - March 14th 2024
Published : 14-Mar-2024 08:13
Someone having the perfect run, at Keystone, Colorado...
Late season snow is looking great on both sides of the Atlantic, with a lot of fresh snow this last week. It's Spring, so go high!
The Snow Headlines - March 14th
- Record open terrain in Pyrenees for 23-24, several centres extend season.
- In Canada Whistler gets 1m+ in 48 hours, Big White extends season.
- Laax overtakes Alpe d'Huez to post world's deepest snow at nearly 4.9 metres.
- Heavy snowfall across the Iberian peninsula buries Portugal's only ski centre.
Nothing huge, but there's snow forecast across the northern hemisphere...
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World Overview
The snow has kept falling in the Alps, Dolomites and Pyrenees this week with up to a metre more reported in total. It means the snow is the deepest it has been all winter and that some of the continent's biggest areas now have the most terrain open they've had all season. 2023 had a similar pattern, but with less snowfall earlier on.
The Pyrenees are the region that's really benefitted from the recent accumulation, with Andorra's slopes 95% open after struggling at 50-70% all winter until now.
Across the Atlantic, conditions are also among the best they've been all season. No huge snowfalls this week, unlike last, but several feet of snow is currently falling in the Rockies and there's been very welcome heavy snowfall along the east coast, which has had a very mixed and often lacklustre snowfall season to date.
Resorts on Canada's Pacific Coast are also fully open after more big snowfalls there, Whistler Blackcomb getting nearly 5 feet in the last 7 days.
But against these falls on upper mountains, spring warmth in the valleys is eating away at lower base depths so some centres like Austria's Skiwelt have closed big chunks of their low-lying terrain for the final weeks of their season.
Europe
Austria
There's an upper slopes / lower slopes divide in Austria with more snow dumping on higher slopes and glaciers, but low-lying terrain down below about 1500m increasingly closing as the end of the season nears.
That said there has been snowfall down to lower levels with fresh snow for the streets of Kitzbuhel, Lech and St Anton earlier this week.
Skies have cleared in the past 24 hours though and it is likely to stay largely dry with some snow/sleet/rain showers (depending on altitude) over the week ahead.
Most of the big areas remain 80-90% open and glacier base depths are the best they've been all season, but low valley runs are probably now shut until 24-25.
France
There's been a third week of snowfall in the French Alps too with those at the more southerly end of the mountains including Les 2 Alpes, Puy St Vincent and Val d'Isere posting some of the larger accumulations.
Southerly Isola 2000 down near Nice topped them all with a full metre in just three days. All the snowfall has meant more southerly areas are tending to post the highest avalanche danger – 3 on the scale to 5, more like 2 elsewhere. It also means the world's largest ski area, the 3 Valleys, has enough snow to open some of its more deep-snow-dependent terrain and that it has the most runs its had open all season, up from about 550 to 580km of its 600km – so almost everything.
Italy
Italy has also had another good week for snowfall with reports of up to 60cm (2 feet) on higher slopes over the past week in the Western Alps, and up to 80cm in the Dolomites.
Conditions are generally good across the country and there's more terrain open now than there was in February, with Cortina d'Ampezzo among the areas moving back up to 100% of its slopes open after fresh snowfall there.
As elsewhere though, afternoon valley highs are hitting +10C this week again so any precipitation is rain in valleys and we've got real spring conditions, continuing through the coming week with more sun, and less snow forecast now.
Switzerland
It's been a pretty good week for Swiss ski areas, particularly on high slopes which will stay open later into April and in some cases longer into spring or even summer.
Laax saw its base jump to nearly 4.9 metres up on the glacier, the deepest snow reported anywhere in the world. But it only has six-inches of snow at its base, reflecting the reality of warming spring weather impacting low slopes just as bases continue to build up high.
Zermatt posted the biggest base depth increase in the Alps adding 50cm to the total lying (now 2 metres deep) on its year-round glacier runs, now at two metres.
The coming week will bring light snow showers up high, and rain below with sunny spells at all levels in between.
Scandinavia
Scandinavian centres saw temperatures drop and fresh snowfall arrive this week after the warm spell last week.
Hemsedal in Norway was one of those posting a 20cm jump in its base this week after seeing rainfall last week. It, like most areas in the region, reports all of its slopes open and good conditions for spring skiing through to the start of May.
Pyrenees
The full season reset in the Pyrenees appears about complete with the region's big centres almost fully open for the first time this season – with just a month of it left to run!
The biggest of them all, Andorra's Grandvalira (encompassing Soldeu el Tarter, pas de la Casa and others), posted 201km of slopes open this week, more than 50km more than it or any other area had managed this season to date, and representing more than 90% of its 215km of slopes. Its Arcalis freeride sector has also announced a one-week season extension thanks to all the snow that's landed there. It will now be open until April 14th.
Scotland
Sadly there's been no real change for Scottish slopes. The weather has been largely dry although with occasional snow/sleet/rain showers and the inevitable periods of very strong winds.
Open terrain remains limited with the most at Cairngorm and Glencoe. Glenshee has a few short runs and The Lecht has its nursery slope, much of this thanks to the all-weather snowmaking machines creating white areas on a green/brown background. Nevis Range remains closed and has only operated a few runs for a few days this season.
Eastern Europe
Spring is making itself felt in Bulgaria and other eastern European nations but there's also been some fresh snowfalls to report on higher terrain where temperatures have kept it fresh this week. But there is a slight dip in what's open as warm temperatures impact lower runs.
Most of the smaller, lower centres have closed for the season but the big-name destination resorts remain typically 60-80% open. More spring-like weather is forecast for the coming week.
North America
Canada
It's been another good week in Canada as the country's ski areas seem to be ending the season on a high after the poor start and lacklustre mid-season.
Although the big snow news comes from the West, with Whistler Blackcomb almost fully open again after posting a 102cm base depth increase in 48 hours and other areas reporting great powder conditions, it's worth mentioning that east cost centres have seen fresh snowfall too after a poor warm, wet few weeks there, with a welcome return to more wintery weather in Quebec.
USA
Snow is falling again in the Rockies as we complete this week's report, with up to two-foot forecast for Colorado peaks by the weekend. That comes after a mostly dry week in much of the west, although there have been some snow showers and heavier falls up north in Oregon and Washington State.
Timberline, the centre with North America's longest season, is posting the continent's deepest base at 4.4 metres.
There have also been some good snowfalls in the Eastern US this week, which has struggled with warm and wet weather spells all winter. This time though up to 30" (75cm) has been reported since the weekend, with Mad River taking the top spot while other areas have had 1-2 feet of fresh.
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