Weather to ski

We’re half-way through the ski season, and yet the sky just keeps on giving with fresh snow falling across the Alps, but to find out where has the best conditions, read our weather report, from weathertoski.co.uk

On the whole, snow conditions remain very good across the Alps with ample cover, even lower down.  It is turning milder though and, given the strengthening sun, some lower and/or south facing slopes will now soften up as the day goes on. The most significant fresh snow is currently in the Dolomites.

Austria

On the whole, conditions in Austria remain excellent, with fresh snow falling in many resorts yesterday (Tuesday).  One resort that benefited was Obertauern (210/250cm) which is skiing superbly both on and off -piste.  Lower-lying Kitzbühel (75/165cm) and Söll (100/170cm) have also seen a little new snow but, for once, resorts further west such as Lech (130/300cm) have missed out.

France

Many French resorts saw at least a little snow last weekend which helped freshen up the pistes after the busy half-term week. After some very low temperatures, it’s beginning to warm up too, but not enough to unduly affect the snow quality which remains good just about everywhere, including in Avoriaz (260/300cm) which, on-piste at least, is still skiing superbly. Further south, Serre Chevalier (75/170cm) is one resort that hasn’t seen any significant snow for some weeks now, but here too conditions remain excellent thanks to huge snowfalls earlier in the season.

Italy

Most (but not all) Italian resorts have seen new snow this week, the heaviest of which has fallen across the Dolomites. Arabba (125/230cm) saw 30cm of new snow on Monday and offers fantastic conditions both on and off-piste.  Further west, Alagna (40/280cm) also has seen a significant fall, but Courmayeur (75/185cm) saw no more than a dusting this time around.

Switzerland

There hasn’t been a huge amount of snow falling across Swiss resorts in recent days but, generally speaking, conditions remain very satisfactory. At altitude, the deepest cover remains in Engelberg (115/500cm) despite no significant snow since 11 February. Here the off-piste has long been tracked out, but on-piste conditions remain excellent, as they do further west in Wengen (65/160cm) where there was a dusting of snow on Sunday. Further south, Zermatt (65/255cm) also has a little new snow and continues with its excellent season.

Rest of Europe

The snow just keeps falling in the Pyrenees where conditions are just about perfect in Andorra’s Arinsal (160/210cm). There is excellent skiing to be found in Bulgaria too, with fresh snow in Bansko (100/250cm) and yet more in the forecast. Figures are more modest in Sweden, but don’t be deceived into thinking conditions aren’t just as good in Åre (40/80cm) where new snow is also forecast.

A special mention for Scotland too, where the sun has been shining this week and snow conditions are pretty good in all 5 resorts. The deepest snow is currently in Glencoe (65/240cm) – incredible figures for this part of the world at any point in the season.

USA

Good conditions continue to prevail across Colorado though snowfall figures are still below where they should be for this time of year, thanks to the slow start to the season. Telluride is skiing as well as any resort here with 20cm of new snow on Monday and a 160cm mid-mountain base.  For the deepest powder, however, you need to head for the Pacific north-west where Mt-Baker (Washington State) has seen over 1m of new snow since last Friday and has an upper mountain base of 546cm!

Canada

Whistler (222cm mid-mountain base) has plenty of fresh snow with more to come this week, though it will turn milder with rain possible at resort level. It is colder further inland in Kicking Horse where the mid-mountain snow depth is 152cm and conditions are excellent at all levels.

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