Huge snowstorm hits The Alps
Monday December 19, 2011 - Email this article to a friend

Over a metre has fallen and it is still coming down. Resorts are closed and some now have too much snow. Avalanche risk is serious, roads are blocked and winds are high. Its a long way from the snow drought earlier this month. PlanetSKI reports from The Alps.

"As I arrived in Verbier on Sunday I have never seen so much snow as we drove up the hill to the resort. Police were ensuring everyone had chains on and trees were bent over the road due to the weight of snow," said the PlanetSKI content editor, James Cove.

'It has been falling heavily for the past few days and is set to continue at least until Wednesday according to the forecast."

The snow storm has been hitting many parts of The Alps with the biggest falls in the west.

In Verbier people have been evacuated from exposed chalets for fear of avalanche.

Some friends of ours over on Facebook say it is the biggest single snow storm for a decade, though here at PlanetSKI we can not confirm the claim. It certainly looks like it in Verbier.

160cm has fallen at Ruinettes above the town and more higher up. People are talking of shoulder high powder.

"There is hardly any terrrain open, just the runs above the village and below Ruinettes, but what there is should be rather good!" said James Cove. 

He will be bringing us a video report of the snow later so do check back for that.

Verbier, Sunday night

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dripping in snow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winds are storm force and some lifts can not run. Many alpine roads have been closed.

Saturday's transfer day for the pre-Christmas week has been difficult for many.

Gusts of up to 150km/h were recorded.

There's a car under there

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For a time on Friday Tignes was cut off.

"I've never seen the like! Snowed solidly for almost 4 days and must have been over a metre last night." said PlanetSKI reporter Sarah Vizard from Tignes. "We almost got stuck in Tignes over night as conditions on the road were so bad they shut it. All lifts were shut and aren't expected to be open at all over the weekend or until this storm eases up. Seems you can have too much of a good thing!"

The storm hits Tignes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Never seen so much snow!" was how another PlanetSKI reader put it from Tignes.

"Blizzards in Les Gets all day and we now have a metre of fresh snow in places. The resort officially opened on Saturday for the season, with fantastic light snow and a superb cover ready to welcome the new wave of holidaymakers," said Tim Scott from the ski and snowboard school, LGS.

"Many lifts didn't open today, as the high winds of yesterday prevented de-icing work to go ahead. Pisteurs are working hard to make the slopes safe and more lifts/runs should open soon."

Les Gets on Saturday

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flights in and out of Geneva were badly affected with torrential rain and high winds.

"Chaos at Geneva today, nightmare. Haven't seen a plane take off for an hour," said another of our readers on Friday.

Zurich was also affected with fights cancelled and delayed. If anything it was worse than Geneva.

On Saturday Verbier was shut due to high winds and avalanche danger, though some of the lower runs in the trees opened late morning.

Some skiing in the trees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is what it looks like

The video was made by one of the local ski schools, Performance.

In France Meribel has been affected as well.

"High winds and snow closed the valley down early on the Thursday; and nothing open on Friday because of heavy snow at altitude and rain at resort level," said Rob Rees, from Inside Out Skiing.

Inside Out Skiing in Meribel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In neighbouring Courchevel the snow has led to disruption to the women's World Cup racing.

"The starting time of the first run of today's Audi FIS Alpine Ski Ladies World Cup Slalom in Courchevel was postponed to Sunday, after already being delayed to 10:45am, due to the bad weather conditions," said a statement we were sent on Saturday morning.

It did though take place on Sunday though the Giant slalom was cancelled.

"Thanks to the efforts of the event organisers. Today's event went ahead without any problems, in favourable snow conditions and clear visibility," said the race organisers on Sunday.

The Austrian, Marlies Schild, won the event,Tanja Poutiainen of Finland was second and Schild's compatriot Kathrin Zettel took third place.

Snowed under in Les Trois Vallees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Piling up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The two photos above were taken by our friends at Ski-savvy that offer great value holidays to Les Trois Vallees.

The poor snowfall of November seems an eternity ago already.

But not everywhere. Conditions on lower runs are still not good in some resorts and heavy rain has been falling.

With Christmas and New Year falling over the weekend and many schools going back in the week after New Year next week has sold well.

Most people should have good snow in The Alps once the storm finishes and the resorts can open the slopes.

Les Gets in snow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zermatt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sadly it is not quite the same over in The Pyrenees.

The resorts in France, Andorra and Spain are desperate for some of the white stuff.

Many resorts in North America could do with some too but they are able to live off the good snow of a few weeks ago.

The main resorts in The Alps though should be excellent.

The picture below was taken on Thursday night in Chamonix, by a Crystal Ski resort rep.

Just in time for Christmas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Austria it has been rather good.

Seefeld after the snowfall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a forecast of more to come this weekend according to information we have been sent on Friday morning from the Austrian Tirol region.

Arlberg region/St. Anton up to 50 cm, Ischgl/Obergurgl up to 40 cm, Seefeld/Mayrhofen/Alpbach up to 30 cm and Skiwelt/Söll/Kitzbühel up to 20 cm.

While the photo below was taken in Seefeld, in the Tirol region, on Friday morning.

Snowing again in Seefeld

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The PlanerSKI content editor was in the Silvretta-Montafon area of Austria last weekend and below is a video snow report from the time.

The fresh snow has led to the authorities issuing warnings. 

Some about avalanches. In many parts it is level 4 on a scale of 5.

In other parts, where there has been less snowfall, it may look good on the surface but often it is only just covering up rocks, trees and other obstacles.

In places it has been falling on bare ground after the snow drought in November.

There for a reason

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For a full round up of current conditons round the world see the PlanetSKI snow report below that was compiled last Friday. 

Do check back as we will be updating it with more news, information, photos and videos as it continues to fall.

Welcome to Winter!

AUSTRIA: Many resorts report good conditions with St Anton doing perhaps the best with a claimed snow depth of 80cm.

Neighbouring Lech and Zurs report similar levels. 

Kitzbuhel has 40cm on the upper slopes, but just 10cm on the lower ones.

Obergurgl has over 1m on the upper runs and 30cm on the slopes above the village.

Silvretta-Montafon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The apres ski bars in Austria have been busy too this week.

Drink up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SWITZERLAND: The west of Switzerland has seen the most snowfall.

In the PlanetSKI video report above from our content editor, that was filmed last weekend, he said Crans-Montana was good.

Well it has got even better with 80cm falling. 

Across the Rhone Valley and over into Verbier it is still snowing too.

There was a respite that enabled one of the ski schools in the resort, European Snowsport, to take a group photo of its instructors.

Feel the love!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The snow has led people to try a few other activities too. 

In St Moritz where the snowfall has been slightly less people have been spotted doing a few adventrous things off piste.

Action packed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The photo above was taken by an instructor from the ski school, European Snowsport, that opens in the resort this winter.

Meanwhile another Swiss ski school, Performance in Verbier, has been showing off its new bright red uniforms.

Only the visibility has been a bit poor with the low cloud and snow!

Performance Ski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ITALY: Cervinia claims the best snow depths though of course much of the upper areas of the resort are actually in neighbouring Zermatt.

It claims 1.8m.

Courmayeur has 70cm on the upper slopes and 30 on the lower runs. 

Further down the Aosta Valley Pila has just over half a meter on its top runs and 15cm on the resort runs.

The snow falling has made some nice pictures in the trees as we can see from the photo below that was sent to us this week.

Snow, snow and more snow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FRANCE:  France has done probably the best out of the snow in both the northern and southern resorts.

It is still coming down.

"Heavy snow in Meribel, and looks set to continue for the next two days. Awesome!" said Rob Rees,  from Inside Out Skiing, over on Facebook on Thursday.

At the weekend the Portes do Soleil opens all its links and with more snow due on Friday conditions look promising for the weekend and for Christmas.
 
The current snow coverage at 1,800 meters is 95cm with 50 cm of fresh powder measured at midday on Thursday 15th December.
 
"We are pleased to be able to open the Portes du Soleil ski area as planned. It's great to see the resorts once again covered in a blanket of snow, and we looked forward to opening the full area to skiers this weekend," said the director of the Portes du Soleil, Bruno Cherblanc.

See this time lapse video from Val d'Isere that shows the recent storm.

Good snow was reported in Chamonix on Tuesday 13th from the ski instructor and BASI trainer, Derek Tate.

He co-runs, BASS Chamonix.

"Excellent conditions today on the Grands Montets with fresh powder from yesterdays snow fall. All the ski areas in the Chamonix Valley will be open from Saturday the 17th of December," he said in an email to us.

Chamonix, Tuesday 13th December

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANDORRA: The Pyrenees has not done so well. The resorts have not have enough snow to open properly.

Pas de La Casa and Soldeu have a few runs open.

Arcalis has 3 lifts running out of 42 and there is only snow on the higher runs.

There has been a distinct lack of natural snow and warm temepratures also meant it hasn't been cold enough to make snow.

It will come though - it always does!

SPAIN: The resorts in the Spanish Pyrenees are worse.

Baqueira Beret and Formigal are closed.

Further south though Sierra Nevada claims 1m on its upper slopes.

 

SCOTLAND: The area has experienced severe weather with snow and strong winds.

It is hoped all the resorts will open this weekend.

Last weekend some fired up their lifts.

Others couldn't due to storm damage.

At The Nevis Range winds gusted up to 130mph and the quad lift was severely damaged with chairs blown off the pylons.

15 chairs were written off and a further 25 had to be repaired. We have reported on it here on PlanetSKI.

"A successful opening this coming weekend is planned and the good news is that at the moment there's plenty of snow on the slopes and more is forecast on the upper slopes this week.  Most runs are now complete with good cover and there's good skiing on and off of the runs," a spokeswoman from the resort, Heather Negus, has told us.

Smashed by 130mph winds

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See this report on conditions earlier in the week and this feature on some of the more adverturous ones who went ski mountaineering from Glenmore Lodge near Cairgorm.

In Cairngorm the piste basher has been put to good use in the past few days.

Hard at work

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NORWAY: In northern Europe is has been dumping.

Norway reports that 1.2m has fallen in the past week or so.

 

 

SWEDEN: Are claims 40cm on the upper slopes and 30cm on the lower ones.

However only 3 out of over 40 lifts are working according to the figures we have.

 

 

USA: The early season snowfall in North America has led to some good early season conditions but there hasn't been any fresh snow for a while.

Heavenly in California has 61cm on its upper slopes but it hasn't snowed since November 20th and the slopes are hard-packed.

Breckenridge in Colorado is busy celebrating its 50th birthday as we have reported in this article from one of our PlanetSKI partner resorts.

Check out the snow there at the moment - a day of whoops.

Elsewhere in the state Vail claims 50cm on its upper and lower slopes.

Winter Park opened on Thursday 15th with queues of people lined up to get on the first lift.

First lift at Winter Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the eastern USA there is a distinct lack of snow.

CANADA: Further north in Canada it is a similar story.

The west is doing well with recent snowfall in Whistler but the east needs some fresh snow.

PlanetSKI will be reporting direct from eastern Canada later in the winter so kepe an eye out for those articles.

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