It has taken a few months longer than we might have hoped but it seems that the 2014-15 ski season in the Alps is finally becoming ‘normal.’
It has kept snowing in many areas, and it has snowed a lot in Italy, which had missed out on earlier January snowfalls, and that snowfall is, the forecasters tell us, about to move up another gear with the biggest accumulations of the season so far likely in the next seven days – up to five feet (1.5m) in fact.
It’s not quite right everywhere yet – resorts like Chamonix, Crans Montana, Zermatt and La Plagne, while they have healthy bases up top, still only have thin cover at resort level as it has remained too warm at lower elevations in many areas, but that seems to be changing.
Elsewhere where it was already a ‘normal’ winter – Canada, Andorra, Scandinavia and most of the USA, fresh snow this week has further improved conditions.
Austria
Bases are slowly building at Austria resorts where there’s been some snow falling all week, including today at resorts like Ischgl (pictured). Resorts could still do with more (and are due to get some!) but most now have at least 20-40cm of snow on lower slopes and 60-90cm higher up.
France
Big snowfalls in France this past week, with Puy St Vincent reporting nearly 90cm (three feet) of new snow and most areas at least 30-60cm. There have been sunny days too with beautiful conditions. Much more snow is forecast next week. The picture is from Les gets in the Portes du Soliel.
Italy
(Sestriere)
Italy has had far more snow than it has all season and broken its duck for snowfall this season, big time. After more than a metre of snow fell in the last seven days, Arabba in the Dolomites may be worrying a repeat of last year when it was cut off by huge snowfalls could be on the cards. Most Italian resorts have had healthy (if not quite so big) snowfalls this week and are in good shape.
Switzerland
Snowy too in Switzerland and increasingly so. Like the rest of the Alps some of the big snowfalls of 60-90cm reported in the last week do not quite seem to be adding up at resort level – where bases remain rather thin at some areas (5cm Grindelwald, 10cm Zermatt, 18cm Davos) but it’d deep and crisp and even up top across the country.
Scotland
There were remarkable scenes on Scottish slopes at the weekend as around 10,000 people tried to get on the slopes after most areas had been closed for a week by storms (which brought a lot of fresh snow). There was resulting car parking chaos and crowded slopes but conditions were perfect and there have been good days through the week with emptier slopes. The picture is from Glencoe.
Scandinavia
It just won’t stop snowing in Scandinavia where areas in Finland, Norway and Sweden are having a great winter. Base depths have hit 2m at Voss in Norway and most other areas in the country are around the metre mark – very healthy for the region. There’s been much more fresh snow this week.
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees have had one of the best seasons in Europe since early December, building up bases better than further north in the alps. But things had been a little dry since the start of the year until fresh snow started falling. They’re looking much better again now. Vallnord in Andorra is pictured.
Eastern Europe
No new snow in the last week in Eastern Europe but that’s not a huge problem as most resorts have two to three feet of snow lying and fresh snow is forecast next week.
North America
Heavy snow in much of Western North America – particularly Wyoming (Jackson Hole -pictured- has the deepest snow in the US at seven feet) and BC, but California’s season has slowed down again. In the East there’s been lots of snow in New England and Quebec too – up to a foot of fresh – with Vermont doing particularly well.
