World Snow Wrap Up Vol 17, 7 March – Winter is Going Strong
Gorgeous conditions in Niseko. Image:: SkiJapan.com/Hotshots
Stormwatch:
The snowfall heros
British Columbia had a great weekend, the whole state benefitted from a big snow dump, especially Fernie. It’s also good to see the snow returning to Europe after what seemed like an endless run of blue skies.
- Fernie, BC – with 120cm last week
- Arabba, Italy – 70cm, holding its own as one of the world’s snowiest places
- Sun Peaks, BC – 68cm – good to see
The snow forecast heros:
Japan of course, and Whistler of course, does it ever not snow there? hopefully the storm heading towards Europe for the weekend will come through with some good fresh also.
- Around 30cm for Colorado – all the resorts should get a top up
- Hakuba, Japan with 57cm
- Park City, Utah, with 33cm
Last week’s event highlights:
- The Freeride World Tour touching down in the future home of the Winter Olympics, Sochi, Russia for the men’s only Nissan Russian Adventure, won by Switzerland’s Samuel Anthamatten, the series leader
Event highlights this week:
- 5 – 9 March 2011 The North face Masters of Snowboarding by Swatch in Kirkwood, California, USA – Snowboard only Freeride World Tour Qualifier 4 Star
- 6 March 2011 FREESTYLE WORLD CUP – Skier X. Meiringen-Hasliberg, Switzerland
- 7 – 13 March 2011 BURTON US OPEN, Stratton Mountain Resort, Vermont.
- 10 – 13 March 2011 ALPINE SKIING WORLD CUP, Kvitfjell, Norway. men’s downhill and super G
- 11 – 12 March 2011 ALPINE SKIING WORLD CUP, Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic. Women’s slalom and GS
- 11 – 12 March 2011 FREESTYLE WORLD CUP – moguls and dual moguls. Are, Sweden
- 11 – 13 March 2011 SNOWBOARD WORLD CUP – halfpipe and slopestyle. Bardonecchia, Italy
- 11 – 15 March 2011 Nendaz Freeride in Nendaz, Switzerland – Ski + Snowboard Freeride World Tour Qualifier 4 Star
- 12 March 2011 FREERIDE WORLD TOUR Big Mountain Fieberbrunn 2011 by Nissan (AUT). Men Only. The fifth stop on the FWT
- 13 March 2011 FREESTYLE WORLD CUP – Skier X. Branas, Sweeden
If we could pick anywhere this week, we’d be: Arabba in the Dolomites, Italy. Arabba seems to be in a snow vortex… while the rest of the continent is parched it’s receiving 70cm of snow, just like that
Gettin’ deep in Aspen on 6 March. Image:: Jeremy Swanson/Aspen Snowmass
Colorado
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 30.48cm at Aspen Mountain in the last 7 days
7 Day forecast: 29cm forecast in the next 7 days for Aspen Mountain
Current snow depth: 142cm at Aspen Mountain
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
It’s just snow, snow, snow for Aspen at the moment with nothing but snow cloud icons on the forecast for the coming week. All in all, Aspen is a good place to be if you like snow right now.
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 38.1cm in the past 7 days
7 Day forecast: about 20.5cm for the coming week
Current snow depth: 215cm
Current Conditions: powder and packed powder
It’s a snow story for Breckenridge also, this Colorado storm is spreading its love across the whole state right now
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 5cm in the last 48 hours
7 Day forecast: about 25cm forecast in the next 7 days
Current snow depth: 203.2cm at mid mountain
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
Snow on the forecast, again, but it’s going to get a little warm in Steamboat over the weekend and that my send a little rain their way.
Bindu Pomeroy enjoying the freshies at Vail this week. Image:: Patrick Orton/Vail
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 22.86cm in the last 7 days
7 Day forecast: 24cm
Current snow depth: 172.72cm
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
Snow, snow flurries, snow… the storms are picking up again this week for Vail and there should be plenty of opportunities for fresh tracks
And Colorado generally…
It’s been snowing right across Colorado these past few days and there isn’t much sign it’s planning to let up. Silverton scored a lovely 25cm over the weekend and there were similar stories at Telluride, Crested Butte and Powderhorn, well pretty much everywhere really.
Utah
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: no snow in the last three days
7 Day forecast: 30cm on the forecast
Current snow depth: 271.78cm
current conditions: packed powder and machine groomed
The Park City snow base just keeps on growing, thanks to a consistent run of snowfalls. It’s been sunny, but there’s a good storm on the way for Monday and Tuesday, with a little more snow again on the weekend.
It did snow at Park City. Image:: Park City
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 30cm in the last three days
7 Day forecast: 29cm
Current snow depth: 358cm at mid mountain
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
Living up to its name, Snowbird is in the midst of some great snowfalls and there’s more to come
And Utah generally…
Parts of Utah have had great snow in the past few days, 15cm fell at Brighton over the weekend, while others enjoyed a clear sky Saturday and Sunday. The coming storm should top up most of the state’s resorts though.
California
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 25.4cm in the last week
7 Day forecast: maybe 25cm or so for the week
Current snow depth: 322cm at the summit
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
After some dry weeks it’s really picked up again at Heavenly with great snow set to continue all this week, not a patch of blue sky to be seen!
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 12.7cm in the past few days
7 Day forecast: 15.3cm for the week
Current snow depth: 548.64cm at the summit
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
Two days of snow on Monday and Tuesday the sunny skies for the rest of the week at Mammoth, giving everyone the opportunity to enjoy all that pow
And California/Tahoe generally…
Good snow in the Tahoe area over the weekend with more of that to come. Most of the state will be under some generous snow clouds for the next few days and there should be some good skiing in California this week.
Spectacular conditions at Snowbird. Image:: Snowbird
And the rest of the USA…
Wyoming and the East Coast were the winners this weekend snow-wise, with Montana demanding to be noticed as well. It’s going to be generally overcast and snowy again across the USA this week. This season doesn’t look like it’s slowing down as yet!
Japan
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: about 55cm this past week
7 day forecast: 53cm
Current snow depth: 385cm at the Grand Hirafu summit
Current conditions: powder
Tuesday and Wednesday should be the biggest days in what will be yet another snow filled week for Niseko.
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: about 29cm this week
7 Day forecast: 54cm for the week
Current snow depth: 280cm at the summit
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
After some sunshine last week it’s back into snow clouds again until next weekend for Hakuba
Enjoying the Niseko pow. Image:: SkiJapan.com/Hotshots
And Japan generally…
Japan is kicking along as only Japan can, with bucketloads of powder everywhere you look. Furano has had a particularly good couple of days.
British Columbia
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 39cm this week
7 Day forecast: 17.4cm this week
Current snow depth: 243cm
It’s going to be a chilly start to the week in Big White and the snow should fall from the sky very, very dry. However while the precipitation isn’t going to let off, the temperature will rise and the end of the week may be a little damp and warm.
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 120cm in the last 7 days
7 Day forecast: 25cm for the week
Current snow depth: 346cm
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
A lot of snow fell at Fernie last week, a lot of snow. Upholding Fernie’s reputation as one of Canada’s best powder destinations.
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 49cm last week
7 Day forecast: 16.8cm
Current snow depth: 215cm
Current conditions: packed powder and machine groomed
It’s looking pretty good up Silver Star way at the moment with the snow sticking around on the snow base in a good way.
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 68.2cm last week
7 Day forecast: 12.3cm for the week
Current snow depth: 179cm at the summit
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
A very healthy 68cm of snow last week means Sun Peaks is a powder playground right now, there’s not much in the clouds for the coming week but it will remain overcast with light snow flurries.
Ryan Proctor in Whistler 3 March. Image:: Whistler Blackcomb
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 82cm this week
7 Day forecast: 65cm this week
Current snow depth: 232cm
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
Another one of those Whistler snow weeks they seem to be having pretty much every week. The good news for the coming week is that the freezing level will stay low, meaning snow all the way to the village again.
And BC Generally…
It’s been an all round fabulous week in BC this last week with just heaps of snow. Revelstoke, Cypress, Apex all received around half a metre of new snow over the weekend. The storms will dissipate in the coming days but the skiing will remain excellent.
Alberta
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 28cm in the last 7 days
7 Day forecast: 10.4cm for the coming week
Current snow depth: 232cm
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
Looking good again at Lake Louise with another week of snow flurries ahead
Going Global
France
Recent snowfalls: it snowed 50cm in Bonneval sur Arc on the weekend, which is not really indicative of the country as a whole. Things have picked up a bit for France but it’s by no means fantastic
Forecast snowfalls: Sunday is looking like the goods for some solid snowfalls across the alps, sunshine until then pretty much
Current conditions: improving
Top pick: Chamonix, the snow should be heading there too!
Switzerland
Recent snowfalls: 30cm at Saas Fee on Friday was an excellent present to the Swiss Alps
Forecast snowfalls: A dusting on Monday and Tuesday then more serious snow over the weekend
Snow conditions: also improving
Top pick: Saas Fee, obviously
Austria
Recent snowfalls: it snowed dribs and drabs over the Austrian alps last week, nothing spectacular though
Forecast snowfalls: doesn’t look like Austria will be as snow blessed as the cousins to the west this week, though there will be some snow on the weekend for the Tyrol
Snow conditions: some fresh to be found
Top pick: any glacier
Italy
Recent snowfalls: 70cm in Arabba last week, nice
Forecast snowfalls: The weekend is looking promising, slightly more promising for the Dolomites but the whole north of the country should receive some nice snow
Snow conditions: powder in places and packed powder
Top pick: Arabba
