World Snow Wrap February 25 – Dry Spell Breaks in US, Solid Snow Falls in Europe, Good Conditions in Canada and Massive Falls in Japan

Mountainwatch | Reggae Elliss

Plenty of snow over the past two weeks with consistent top ups in Canada, solid falls earlier this week in Europe and massive 5-day totals  in Honshu. The long drought finally broke in the US, delivering a few good days this week to the Rockies and northern Sierras. Read on for the details:

USA

The long dry spell finally broke across the western US with good snowfalls this week in California’s Sierras and the Rockies while the Pacific Northwest had a round of fresh snow last weekend. The snow started falling in Colorado on Monday afternoon and continued through to Thursday and by all reports Wednesday was the best powder day of a good bunch. Totals were highest in central and southern Colorado resorts, Aspen with 65cms and Wolf Creek a huge 105cms. Further north the falls were not as heavy, with 35cms for Vail, and 22cms for Steamboat.

The totals in the northern Rockies were similar and in Utah, Alta picked up 25cms on Feb 22-23 and Park City 27cms.  Jackson Hole also broke a long time in between drinks, Monday turning on the first “real” powder day in six weeks with a 33cms of dry, cold “cowboy pow”.

In California, the Tahoe resorts also fared pretty well, the first cold front dropping 5cms before a stronger front dropped 20-30cms on Tuesday night.  By the time the snow cleared yesterday there were some healthy three-day totals, Sugar Bowl with 50cms, Palisades Tahoe 40cms while the resorts south of Lake Tahoe did well, Heavenly and Kirkwood reporting 50cms. Unfortunately the storm was a little too far north for Mammoth to see those totals, but 15cms last night turned on a fun day this morning.

The forecast is for a fine weekend in the Rockies followed by light snow next week for Jackson Hole and Grand Targhee while it’s a return to dry weather for Colorado. The weekend is also looking fine for the Californian resorts ahead of a storm next week, but snow totals of 10- 15cms. A stronger storm is due in the Pacific Northwest this weekend, probably starting late Saturday with Mt Baker looking good for 35cms by next weekend.

Canada

Resorts in Interior British Columbia received a top up last weekend with a nice storm cycle dropping 23cms at Kicking Horse and Whitewater while Revelstoke reported 30cms. The storm missed the Coast Mountains although Whistler Blackcomb did see a few snow showers earlier in the week but only 8cms on the ground.

Cold but dry conditions into this weekend for most BC resorts ahead of a storm on the weekend with heaviest snowfalls coming through for Whistler on Saturday arvo with the chance of 30cms by late Sunday morning. The storm will travel east but storm totals won’t be as high for interior resorts with 5-10cms forecast by mid-week. That may be followed by a second storm with the Powder Highway resorts, Revelstoke possibly receiving 35-40cms from Sunday through to next weekend.

It has been a consistent winter in Alberta and while it has been mainly dry with a few snow flurries over the past two days there were some good falls early in the week. Lake Louise has received 32cms in the past seven days while Banff Sunshine had 43cms with good conditions across both mountains. The weekend will be fine and cold ahead of snow and milder temps next week, a storm due on Monday with 20-25cms possible by next weekend.

Japan

What a season it has been in Japan, particularly for the resorts around Central Honshu which saw big snow totals again over the past week, Myoko topping the count with a 7-day total of 2.5metres. That takes the season total for Myoko to a whopping 16 metres. Much of the snow fell early in the week, Monday alone seeing 77cm, making for a good powder day but also a lot of shovelling! It was a similar story in Shiga Kogen and Nozawa Onsen, both reporting 130-150cms from Sunday through to yesterday morning while Hakuba had 77cms. Niseko also enjoyed consistent snowfalls this week with 122cms in the past seven days.

With international borders closed and thin mid-week crowds there was plenty of inbounds powder turns to be had all day in resorts on both Honshu and Hokkaido. The Grasshopper is calling for snow Sunday night and Tuesday/Wednesday in Central Honshu with 30-50cms in the forecast.

Consistent snow showers over the next five days in Hokkaido with 5-10cms forecast daily but the snow will be accompanied by moderate to strong winds, but more powder turns for those lucky enough to be there. While it has been a season to remember for these living in Japan, it looks like borders will be open next winter and no doubt Japan will be at the top of many people’s travel plans.

Europe

A few storms over the past 7-10 days have provided another top up across the European Alps thanks to widespread snow falls. Regions in Austria have seen snow nearly every day over the past week with some very good snowfalls reported, St Anton receiving 95cms over a three-day period from Feb 21-23. It was a similar story in Switzerland with consistent snowfalls dropping snow totals of 30-60cms, although Verbier topped that, picking up a good four-day total of 72cms.

The French Alps received 40-60cms on Feb 20-23 setting up a good week with sunshine over the past few days ahead of light snow showers tonight. Snowfalls are also forecast for Switzerland and Austria leading into the weekend ahead of a run of fine weather through the next week.

In Italy resorts in the Dolomites saw light falls with just 5-10cms early in the week before a return to fine weather.  The Pyrenees finally broke an extended dry period, but falls were nothing huge with 5-10cms last weekend

Where We Would Like to Be This week

Revelstoke. Great town, great mountain and there’s 40cms in the forecast by next weekend. Too good.