So where's the snow in 2010?
Sunday January 3, 2010 - Email this article to a friend

It has not been a bumper Christmas and New Year in many places in the Alps and the Pryrenees, despite what you may have read elsewhere.

The headline in our local paper in Switzerland is pretty clear;

"De l'eau, de l'eau et encore de l'eau."

It just about sums it up really though it is due to get cold again soon.

PlanetSKI is out here in the Alps seeing it with our own eyes and hearing it from our friends and contacts around the mountains. 

The snow levels have been OK, but no better than that, and sadly much has been washed away or ruined by rain in recent days.

In our base resort of Verier in Switzerland, at 1,600m, it has been raining heavily.

See the video below from our content editor, James Cove, that was made earlier this week.

However since we made the short video it has started snowing. 

Looking good

Here's our detailed roundup with help from our friends at www.skiinfo.com.

France:    Even though temperatures have risen in the Alps, France has still had a snowy Christmas. Just.

Whilst its been raining almost everywhere the French Alps have received some fresh snow.

Chamonix has topped Europe’s snowfall tally for the past 7 days with a 103cm accumulation.  Serre Chevalier in the Southern Alps had 40cm whilst La Clusaz in the Northern Alps had 35cm.  Although it was raining in Tignes and Val d’Isere yesterday, its snowing today, New Year's Eve. 

The cooler weather is expected to bring a welcome 34cm top up of snow in the next few days.

Conditions in Morzine and Les Gets are disappointing too and the only snow available is man-made and unpleasant. At higher altitude in Avoriaz conditions are slightly better but everyone will be keeping their fingers crossed for fresh snow at the week end.

With the fluctuating temperatures the snowpack is unstable and the avalanche risk is high across the Alps, sadly with several fatal incidents recorded this week.  In France Montgenevre, which boasts the deepest snow depth in France at 180cm, has the highest avalance alert level of 5, Ste Foy Tarentaise and Serre Chevalier are at level 4. 

Skiers and snowboarders are warned of the dangers of skiing off-piste.

Switzerland:  It was raining in Verbier town yesterday and umbrellas were up, but it's snowing now.

Much higher up its snowing quite hard but Mont Fort remains firmly closed.  Snow depths vary between 25cm and 150cm depending on altitude. 

Most of Switzerland suffered the rain this week including St Moritz in the valley, but with cooler weather on the way this will turn to snow.  In the meantime St Moritz has one of the deepest snow depths in Swtizerland with 2m.

Lötschental currently has the biggest snow base in Switzerland with 221cm, and on 30th December the resort reported a further 16cm of snow - they've had 54cm in the past seven days. Nax had the most new snow last week with 80cm. Other Swiss resorts with deep snow include Andermatt-Gotthard and St. Moritz  each with 2m. 

Engelberg had a small top up of between 10cm and 140cm on 31st.  Hopefully Switzerland will enjoy some fresh snow in the next few days.

Austria:  As with most of the Alps, the lower Austrian resorts had rain and a nasty thaw.

The forthcoming cold spell will enable fresh snow making to help repair the washed-out slopes. 30th December brought a 10cm top-up of snow in Sölden, in addition to its 35cm snowfall received in the past 7 days - it now has 167cm on upper slopes.

But there has been some snow. Lech Zürs had 25cm in 1 week, while the Großglockner/Heiligenblut and Montafon Gargellen each had 30cm. The Mölltaler Glacier continues to have the deepest snow depths in Austria with 240cm.  Obergurgl reports snow cover 51-117cm deep on its pistes.   Söll is reporting 5cm of snow in the valley and 50cm on its higher slopes.

Italy:  Italy still has the deepest snow in Europe with 312cm at the Marmolada glacier near Arabba and 2.6m at Boirmio, which hosted World Cup downhill ski races this week.

Italian resorts are reporting some of the biggest snowfalls in the last 7 days.  Sestriere had 60cm, Courmayeur 65cm, Livigno 80cm and Bormio 90cm of fresh snow.

However it has led to a number of avalanche deaths as we have already reported on PlanetSKI.

Spain:  Many resorts had to close due strong wind, rain and warm temperatures but a cold front is expected to bring some New Year snow. 

Formigal has some of the deepest snow in the country with 120cm of snow on upper slopes and most terrain open, 97km, and 70cm on upper slopes.  Conditions have improved in Masella, 25cm -55cm powder with 41km of pistes, and has opened a new ski area served by a new chairlift called La Pia Express.   Baqueira currently has the most terrain open in the country with 77km.

Sierra Nevada is reporting 20cm - 100 cm of powder snow but it is now closed due to the strong wind.

Andorra:  Conditions have been variable with strong winds and rain. 

Some areas have a snow depth of 50cm but most ski areas are still only partially open. The best conditions in Andorra are better on higher slopes in Col de La Botella (the pass between Pal and Arinsal) and Pas de la Casa, where on-piste snow is around 50cm deep.

Some fresh snow is expected over the weekend and early next week.

Scandinavia:  There’s been heavy snow in Scandinavia with lots of snow at Swedish and Norwegian resorts in the last week.

Sweden: Valfjället and Ski Sunne got the most snow with 40cm each and Fjätervålen 35cm.

The Christmas period also brought really low temperatures to large parts of the area, dropping to -15°C and even lower to -25°C at several resorts.

Scotland:  Scottish ski areas have enjoyed their best Christmas for over 14 years.

Over 2,000 skiers a day have enjoyed the excellent snow cover all over Cairngorm.  Temperatures are set to remain below freezing until at least Tuesday 5th January and Scottish school holidays continue through to January 11th. Strong winds are expected to drop to give another good skiing day on New Year’s Day with bright sunshine and only pockets of cloud. More snow and blizzards are expected from 2nd January.

There have been several avalanche fatalities in Scotland this week as we have reported on PlanetSKI and SAIS has warned that fluctuating temperatures have made the snowpack unstable and the risk of further avalanches is high.

USA:  There has been heavy snow across the Eastern side of North American, with many ski areas in New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and New York State reporting at least 30cm of snow. 

More southerly states including West Virginia and New Jersey have also had snow. 

The storm brought a good depth of snow to Utah reporting 25cm in Snowbasin and Wolf Creek, 20cm - 30cm along the Park City ridgeline, around 26cm in Sundance and between 43cm and 51cm in Alta.  Snowbird  reports a 40cm snowfall and all enjoyed a Blue Bird Day on New Year’s Eve. 

Colorado also benefitted from the storm with great new snow depths including 43cm at Beaver Creek, 30cm at Vail, and 20cm in Breckenridge with more expected.

In the West, Squaw Valley, received another 76.2cm of snow this week with a further 90cm falling over the past 72 hours, bringing December snowfall totals to almost 4m. Elsewhere around California, over the past 72 hours Mammoth Mountain and Mount Shasta both report 30cm, whilst Northstar-at-Tahoe, Sierra-at-Tahoe and Bear Valley report 25cm of snow.

Canada:    In Quebec most of the Mont-Sainte-Anne trail network is now open to skiers and riders. Night skiing is now available at Mont-Sainte-Anne offering the highest nocturnal vertical drop in Canada.

Both Mont-Sainte-Anne and it’s sister resort, Stoneham received a 70cm snowfall last week.  Conditions are good in Banff National Park.  Lake Louise reported 5cm of fresh snow with nearly 1m at higher altitude. 

See our Christmas report that includes news from Lake Louise where temperatures hover at a chilly -12°C.  Fernie has a 174cm snowbase. Whistler has had 7cm of snow in the last 48 hours, though a further ½ metre is expected at the weekend.

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