World Snow Wrap Up Vol 20, 28 March – is it Spring Yet?
Someone got a shovel? Snowed in at Mammoth 25 March. Image:: Mammoth
Stormwatch:
The snowfall heros
California was again some kind of snow vortex attracting simply epic amounts of powder over the past week. Metres and metres of snow fell all across the state, making it the snowiest place in the world by far. Mammoth deserves a special mention for managing to accumulate an 822cm snow base.
- Mammoth, California – with 3m in the week
- Heavenly, California – 204cm, this past week
- Colorado – around 40cm or so and wintery weather in most resorts
The snow forecast heros:
Spring may perhaps be making itself felt because the forecasts are certainly a little lower this week for the Northern Hemisphere, however New Zealand is starting to look to winter…
- 35cm for Vail and Aspen and the rest of Colorado
- 32cm for Lake Louise, Canada – where it’s still very cold
- 29cm for The Remarkabes, NZ – winter is on its way to New Zealand
Last week’s event highlights:
- Nate Johnstone and Alex ‘Chumpy Pullin winning their respective World Cup Titles. From never having won a snowboarding World Cup title (or indeed any winter World Cup title outside of aerial skiing) Australia now has three, and a runner up. Not only did Nate claim the halfpipe title, he also won the overall freestyle snowboarding title. Holly Crawford finished second overall in the World Cup standings in the girls halfpipe.
Event highlights this week: The season’s really winding down, no major events on the calender this week, there are some spring time festivals coming in April though…
If we could pick anywhere this week, we’d be: MAMMOTH, California, then maybe a quick dash over to Colorado later in the week…
Winter won’t quit in Aspen. 28 March – apparently one of the deepest days of the year. Image:: Jeremy Swanson/Aspen Snowmass
Colorado
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 43.18cm at Aspen Mountain in the last 7 days
7 Day forecast: 23cm forecast in the next 7 days for Aspen Mountain
Current snow depth: 152.4cm at Aspen Mountain
Current conditions: powder packed powder
Yep, another week of snow. Except for some blue skies on Friday Aspen will be beneath a snow cloud once again this week. Most of the snow is concentrated at the beginning of the week with lows down to minus – 12 degrees Celsius.
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 40.64cm in the past 7 days
7 Day forecast: 17cm for the coming week
Current snow depth: 228cm at mid mountain
Current Conditions: powder and packed powder
Like Aspen, decent snowfalls gathered at the beginning of the week with some sunshine at the weekend. The good news is the snow and the cold temperatures are going to happen together this time, so the rain should stay away.
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 21.59cm in the last 48 hours
7 Day forecast: about 29cm forecast in the next 7 days
Current snow depth: 223.9cm at mid mountain
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
Cold and snowing to start the week, sunshine on the weekend. Winter isn’t letting go its grip on Ski Town USA and that means there’s some truly excellent, winter-style spring skiing to be had.
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 66.04cm in the last 7 days
7 Day forecast: 20cm
Current snow depth: 185.42cm
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
Some really rather large snowfalls in Vail last week, considering it’s springtime, with quite a bit more on Monday and Tuesday. Similar weather patterns to the rest of the state.
And Colorado generally…
It snowed 48cm at Crested Butte on the weekend, 30cm at Silverton and around 17cm at most Colorado resorts, making for some excellent skiing all over the state. It’s going to be cold this week, most of the resorts have begun their spring promotions – discounts, value packages and spring entertainment, so anyone heading to Colorado will get winter skiing with a springtime vibe – dream living!
Getting buried in Vail 24 March. Image:: Connor Walberg
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 30.48cm in the last three days
7 Day forecast: 10.9cm on the forecast
Current snow depth: 322.48cm
current conditions: powder, packed powder and machine groomed
The snow just keeps falling at Park City and winter temperatures seem to have returned, making for some days of epic champagne powder. Things start to look ugly next Saturday though, it will warm up quickly and rain will set in, so enjoy the gorgeous conditions while they’re there!
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 22.86cm in the last three days
7 Day forecast: 10cm
Current snow depth: 416.56cm at mid mountain
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
Good snow, cold weather and more of the same means Snowbird is doing rather nicely at the moment if you happen to be a fan of winter. Anyone hoping for a sping thaw had been head somewhere else for the time being. Though next weekend is looking warmer, with a touch of rain.
And Utah generally…
Utah is having a winter resurgence with as much as 60cm (Snowbasin) of new snow over the weekend. It’s time to think about spring but some of the resorts are extending their seasons because winter just wont let go!
California
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 205cm in the last week
7 Day forecast: 6.7cm or so for the week
Current snow depth: 447cm at the summit
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
Two amazing, astounding, epic snowfall weeks at Heavenly – weather was cold, snow was plentiful and riding was as good as you can ask for. For a bit of a change, it’s expected to be 15 degrees Celsius in heavenly on Wednesday and Thursday, then back to -3 degrees and snowing on Saturday.
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 274.32cm since Wednesday
7 Day forecast: 13.6cm for the week
Current snow depth: 822.96cm at the summit
Current conditions: powder packed powder
Actually there’s really nothing to say. The numbers speak for themselves. Perhaps we should just mention the weather has been cold this past week. There’s going to be a sudden Indian spring on Wednesday and Thursday though, before it’s back to winter with 13cm of new snow on Sunday
And California/Tahoe generally…
1.6m, 1.8m, 2m… It’s not worth dealing in centimetres when talking about snowfalls in California at the moment because ever resort has had at least a metre of snow in the past week. There’s going to be a sharp swing into warmer, sunnier weather at the end of the week but winter isn’t conceding defeat just yet, it will snow again on Saturday.
And the rest of the USA…
California has dominated the snowfall rankings again this week, the East Coast is somewhere in there, with some 60cm or snow in parts of Vermont.
Japan
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: about 60cm this past week
7 day forecast: 9cm
Current snow depth: 410cm at the Grand Hirafu summit
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
Niseko is soldiering on despite the difficult circumstances. A week of drizzle and wet snow won’t help things unfortunately.
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: about 36cm this week
7 Day forecast: 7.2cm for the week
Current snow depth: 280cm at the summit
Current conditions: packed powder
Hakuba seems to be winding down for the season. A combination of warmer weather and earthquake related issues is bringing the season to a close in some of the areas. Those who do ski though will find a nice spring cover and some clear days through this week.
Slashing turns in Whistler 25 March. Image:: Logan Swayze/Coastphoto.com
British Columbia
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 20cm this week
7 Day forecast: 23cm this week
Current snow depth: 278cm
The snow continues at Big White with another week sans sunshine. Grab it while you can though as it’s definitely getting steadily warmer every week.
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 13cm in the last 7 days
7 Day forecast: 16.4cm for the week
Current snow depth: 370cm
Current conditions: spring conditions
The word spring is starting to be used to describe the Fernie snowpack. Not that there isn’t great skiing in the big mountain resort, but perhaps the days of bottomless icing-sugar powder are moving to make way for some spring corn snow. This week it’s going to be overcast and a little snowy though.
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 23cm this week
7 Day forecast: 12.6cm
Current snow depth: 220cm
Current conditions: powder and machine groomed
Snow and rain through the middle of the week in Silver Star and not much in the way of sunshine. It seems winter is on the way out, though spring skiing will be glorious.
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 31.6cm last week
7 Day forecast: 9.1cm for the week
Current snow depth: 171cm at the summit
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
There’s not much variability on the forecast for Sun Peaks this week, there will be a combination of snow and rain each day.
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 8cm this week
7 Day forecast: 43cm this week
Current snow depth: 345cm
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
After the huge snowfalls of the week before Whistler enjoyed a bit of a reprieve and some clear days. Not this week though, there should be daily snow all week.
And BC Generally…
It snowed about 10cm across BC over the weekend but conditions are starting to become decidedly spring-like. This week brings more of the same, bits of snow, rain and wind, not too much sunshine unfortunately.
Alberta
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 11cm in the last 7 days
7 Day forecast: 32cm for the coming week
Current snow depth: 185cm
Current conditions: packed powder
The good news for Lake Louise is that while the rest of North America is warming up it’s staying decidedly chilly in Alberta with temperatures barely cracking zero for the week.
Going Global
France
Recent snowfalls: It snowed pretty generously around France over the weekend, nothing to get super excited about but a healthy 15cm or so is always welcome.
Forecast snowfalls:It’s going to snow about 20cm in Alpe d’Huez at the beginning of the week and similar amounts in the rest of the region making for some welcome late-season powder
Current conditions: powder and packed powder
Top pick: Alpe d’Huez
Switzerland
Recent snowfalls: Except for about 5cm or snow in Zermantt and Grindelwald over the weekend there hasn’t been much snow in Switzerland recently
Forecast snowfalls: Up to about 30cm for Zermatt and the Southern regions by Wednesday
Snow conditions: packed powder and spring line
Top pick: Zermatt
Austria
Recent snowfalls: It snowed lightly throughout the week in Austria with a few days of 10cm or snow, especially in and around Kaprun
Forecast snowfalls: It should continue to snow intermittently in both they Tyrol and the Alberg throughout the week
Snow conditions: packed powder and spring like
Top pick: Kaprun, the glacier skiing will be the pick
Italy
Recent snowfalls: The weekend saw as much as 20cm (in Courmayeur) for Italy
Forecast snowfalls: A little snow in the middle of the week but nothing to get excited about
Top pick: Anywhere in the Dolomites
