The long wait is nearly over for the ski domains of Europe as snowfall and lower temperatures finally feature in the forecasts. Across the premier resorts of North America the conveyor of heavy snowfall has halted but excellent conditions remain in place.
The Alps are in dire need of snow and fortunately it seems the weather is in synch with the calendar as just as soon as 2016 arrives so too does the snowfall. Latest weather models suggest the static period of high pressure over the Alps is moving on and more typical alpine weather will prevail for early January. In the Pyrenees the weather will also break and snow is expected. In Eastern Europe there has already been a big drop in air temperatures and snow making is back in a big way at all elevations. In the north the top resorts of Scandinavia already hold reasonable snow depths and snowfall is in the forecast.
Across the USA the premier resorts hold impressive snow depths and temperatures are low enough to ensure dry powdery snow conditions at all elevations. Snow has even started falling in the NE of the USA. Canada is offering excellent skiing and snow conditions in all leading domains.
The ski domains of France need snow as December has been almost dry and also far too mild. Thanks to superb snow making and snow moving tech most of the premier resorts have managed to keep key pistes open and skiers moving through Christmas but pistes now really are hard, worn and thin in too many locations. So the latest alpine forecast finally brings hope for skiers as just as soon as 2016 arrives so too does fresh snowfall and lower temperatures. In the Three Valleys Courchevel 1850m currently holds a snow base of just 55cm on upper slopes rising to 2740m. The five day forecast for the domain indicates average daytime highs will be just freezing but the really great news is that up to 50cm of snowfall are expected. If the snow arrives as forecast expect piste conditions in all leading French resorts to be on a massive upward curve for the first ski days of 2016.
Austria
Given the lack of natural snowfall in Austria thus far this winter it is pretty impressive how the resorts managed to offer so many pistes with so little snow for the Christmas period, however for for most the skiing on offer was pretty poor and limited. Looking forward to the new year and the forecast finally looks much improved with lower temperatures and snowfall expected just as the year turns. St Anton 1300m in the Tyrol is desperate for snow and the five day forecast indicates 30cm of snowfall and sub-zero daytime temperatures to come. Snow cannon here, and in all the leading resorts right across Austria, will soon be running at maximum output as the resort looks to take advantage of alpine weather conditions more typical of the season
Switzerland
Upper pistes across the Swiss Alps hold snow, much of it man-made, but off piste and at the lower elevations there is almost no snow cover whatsoever. The situation should however soon start to improve as all resorts across Switzerland now have significant snowfall forecast for the turn of the year. Zermatt has recently been offering its best skiing on hard packed snow on its glacier pistes but in the next five days as much as 60cm of fresh snow are forecast and so skiing at all elevations will become good. Temperatures will also fall with the average high for the first few days of 2016 no more than -6C so this will ensure the fresh snow is dry and powdery.
Italy
Italian skiing so far this winter has been almost entirely reliant on snow making equipment as Mother Nature has provided almost zero assistance. This has allowed the resorts of the Dolomites to clearly demonstrate to skiers that they almost certainly have capacity to open more piste kilometers without snowfall than anywhere else in the world – no bad things given the unusual weather events going on in the Alps and beyond. Anyway the forecast now promises that as soon as 2016 arrives snow will finally arrive. Cervinia 1520m will see fast improvement as already the freezing level is falling and with pistes rising to 3480m fresh dry snow will quickly transform tired pistes. The resort has 30cm of snowfall forecast for the first few days of the new year.
Canada
There have been superb ski conditions in the premier resorts of Canada since opening day and December saw regular and plentiful supplies of powder being dumped on Alberta and British Columbia. Skiing is typically on packed powder snow right now with Whistler 650m in BC reporting a very impressive base of 180cm at mid station. The forecast for the next 5 days indicates the resort will be dry but cold, average daytime highs at resort elevation -3C, and so skiing will continue to be excellent. Even eastern Canada which has been dry and mild this season is now much improved and it is this side of the country that will see fresh snowfall and the lowest temperatures for the start of 2016.
USA
The premier resorts of the USA are in great shape thanks to exceptional and regular supplies of top grade powder snowfall since the season started in late November. The situation now is very healthy though it seems that the snowfall for now has eased and 2016 will start mostly dry and sunny, though still cold, in the top destinations of California, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. In Colorado the resort of Vail 2475m holds a mid mountain snow base of 105cm and piste skiing is on packed powder snow. The 5 day forecast indicates average maximum temperatures will be -6C with only 5cm of snowfall. In the NE of the USA the unusually mild weather has now given way to colder air and Stowe in Vermont has sub zero temperatures forecast plus 15cm of fresh snowfall for the first ski days of 2016.
Andorra
The Pyrenees now desperately needs snow as the mostly thin snow cover the resorts were offering through Christmas has now become worn and hard packed at all elevations. The forecast indicates the first day of 2016 will deliver fresh snow and much colder air than was the norm for almost the whole of December. The Grandvalira and Vallnord domains have 15 to 20cm of snowfall in the five day forecast and lower temperatures mean snow depths will be further boosted by snow cannon operations. Snow depths on lower slopes currently are typically only 10cm and upper slopes hold 40 to 50cm of hard pack, but expect conditions to improve fast and soon.
Eastern Europe
There has been a big drop in air temperatures across Eastern Europe this week and snow cannon are one again operating at all elevations in all the leading resorts of the region. The forecast indicates snowfall will arrive with the new year and finally the season looks like it will get the kick start it so badly needs. In Bulgaria the skiing has been almost entirely dependent on man-made snow thus far this season and reported snow depths on upper slopes are just over 30cm. The forecast for the next five days indicates 30cm of fresh dry snow to come with average temperature highs down at -4C. Expect fast improving conditions for the entire region through the first week of 2016.
Scandinavia
The ski domains of Finland, Norway and Sweden typically offer dry snow conditions and decent snow depths at this time of year and this season most of the leading resorts are pretty much able to offer those benchmark conditions. The smaller resorts of Norway and Sweden need more snow but resorts like Hemsedal 550m in Norway already hold 60cm of consolidated snow base at mid mountain and all lifts and pistes are now open. The resort’s forecast indicates very cold air for the start of 2016 - the 5 day forecast average temperature high is down at -8C and 25cm of snowfall are expected. In Sweden the resort of Are 400m holds 45cm of snow base on upper slopes and 5 to 10cm of snow are forecast.
Scotland
There was the first Scottish skiing of the winter in the past week with the nursery slopes and lifts at The Lecht and Nevis Range open. Unfortunately mild air and torrential rain then removed all snow cover at all elevations so the five ski centres in the east and west Highlands once again need the white stuff. The forecast looks promising with heavy snowfall expected but the freezing level will continue to yo-yo so it is not yet clear when the season will resume.
For a specific resort, check our full snow reports and weather alerts.
0 nhận xét:
Đăng nhận xét