World Snow Wrap Up Vol. 8, 20 Dec – Santa’s Going to Need Rodolph’s Glowing Red Nose this Year
Mammoth snowfalls in Mammoth 20 December. Image:: Mammoth
Stormwatch:
The snowfall heros
Snow across the Australian Snowy Mountains a week before Christmas is pretty heroic so special credit to Mother Nature for that (though it could be a litter warmer in the cities please) But the real hero this week just has to be Mammoth’s 10ft (that’s 304cm!) storm…
- Mammoth – with 3m in three days… are there words?
- France – the Southern and Northern Alps scored big from the same storm that snow-bound London
- Niseko – a decent metre or so and Niseko is Ja-Pow once more
The snow forecast heros:
Santa’s bringing a lot of Christmas frosting to the Northern Hemisphere this week
- 150cm for Mammoth again, crazy
- Zermatt with over 40cm before Christmas
- Lake Tahoe, the California/Tahoe resorts will potentially get a 1m Christmas present
Last week’s highlights:
The Nike 6.0 Open, the first stop on the Winter Dew Tour at Breckenridge saw the world’s best skiers and snowboarders establish the hierarchy for season 2011, with Simon Dumont, Alexis Godbout, Louie Vito, Queralt Castellet, Torstein Horgmo, and Jamie Anderson earning top of the pecking order.
The opener of the World Cup ski cross season, with Aussie Scott Kneller winning World Cup gold – Australia’s first – in the second race of the season
Highlights this week:
- 18 – 21 December 2010 FREESTYLE WORLD CUP – Moguls and aerials. Beida Lake, China
- 18 – 19 December 2010 FREESTYLE WORLD CUP – skier X. Innichen/San Candido, Italy.
- 19 December 2010 ALPINE SKIING WORLD CUP, Alta Badina, Italy. Mens GS
- 21 December 2010 ALPINE SKIING WORLD CUP, Courchevel, France. Women’s slalom
- 27 – 29 December 2010 ALPINE SKIING WORLD CUP, Bormio, Italy. Men’s downhill
- 28 – 29 December 2010 ALPINE SKIING WORLD CUP Semmering, Austria. Women’s slalom and GS
If we could pick anywhere this week, we’d be: Silly question, Mammoth of course, we’d possibly sell our own grandmothers to get to Mammoth right now
Digging for cars in Mammoth 20 December. Image:: Mammoth
California
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 134.62cm in the last week
7 Day forecast: 87cm forecast for the week
Current snow depth: 154cm – 198cm
Current conditions: powder, packed powder, man made and machine groomed
The 1m mega storm! 100% of Heavenly’s terrain is now open and covered in some sweet fresh pow. Sadly weather – particularly wind – is forcing the temporary closure of the California side of the resort right now, but imaging how good those stashes are going to be once you can reach them…
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 213cm 304cm since Friday – yes, since Friday
7 Day forecast: 150cm forecast
Current snow depth: 457.2cm at the summit
Current conditions: fresh powder, packed powder and machine groomed
Are there words? How about 2010 entering the top five snowiest Decembers on record for Mammoth…
And California/Tahoe generally…
Not to be outdone by Mammoth (though technically, every resort was) Northstar, Sierra at Tahoe, Alpine Meadows and Sugar Bowl all cracked 1m of new snow over the weekend. Forget surf and sun, California is the snowy state at the moment and with the same amount again forecast for the coming week who knows what’ll happen. Snow in LA?? probably not but it’s worth a giggle over.
And the rest of the USA…
The talk is all West Coast this week, California and Colorado are stealing the snowfall limelight. Washington hasn’t fared too badly with around 50cm across the resorts there and Wyoming has had a nice dusting of around 24cm. And yes, more snow is forecast, everywhere.
Japan
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 175cm at the summit over the weekend
7 Day forecast: 120cm
Current snow depth: 160cm at the summit
Current conditions: japan powder!
This is the Niseko we all know and love at last. Snow snow snow. What a difference a week makes, all lifts are now running and the resort is pretty much fully open.
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 90cm on Sunday
7 Day forecast: about 25cm for the week
Current snow depth: 90cm at the summit
Current conditions: early season
The resort is now open! conditions are a little slushy particularly on the lower slopes but there is more snow on the forecast and the temperatures should drop over the coming days.
And Japan generally…
It’s been generally snowy across both Islands again this last week, though except for Niseko the temperatures have been a little warm for true Japan powder. Both Islands are looking at a good temperature drop at the end of the week after a week of snow-verging-on-rain so there should be some good snow for Christmas Day.
British Columbia
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 18cm this week
7 Day forecast: about 17cm in the next 7 days
Current snow depth: 106cm
Current conditions: packed powder and machine groomed
Not as much snow in Canada as they’ve been seeing in the Western United States but there’s certainly nothing to be complaining about, Big White has excellent conditions and to make sure everyone’s enjoying them the resort is operating extended holiday hours, thanks Big White!
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 47cm in the last 7 days
7 Day forecast: about 22cm for the week
Current snow depth: 134cm
Current conditions: ppacked powder
Following a lovely 50cm top up last week Fernie is actually going to see some blue skies on Christmas weekend – possibly one of the only resorts to be so lucky.
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 14.5cm in the past week
7 Day forecast: about 8cm for the week
Current snow depth: 114cm
Current conditions: fresh powder and machine groomed
Silver Star is up and charging, with the two Telus terrain parks, and the kiddie park, jibbed up, the back bowls open and plenty of that chocolate-box-cuteness around the village.
Snow white boomers in Sun Peaks on 19 December. Image:: Sun Peaks
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 52.6cm last week
7 Day forecast: about 15cm for the week
Current snow depth: 92.7cm
Current conditions: powder
Christmas weekend is going to be picturesque in Sun Peaks with a lovely light dusting of snow Saturday and Sunday. Another good Christmas present? the resort is 100% open.
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 35cm in the last week
7 Day forecast: 156cm coming up
Current snow depth: 154cm
Current conditions: Powder
When we said the snow hadn’t been as heavy in Canada as in the USA, well, Whistler is the exception. Yet another week of constant snowfall, though 156cm forecast for the week is large, even for Whistler. Most will fall next weekend, with Santa bringing 63cm on Christmas Day.
And BC Generally…
Decent dustings of snow across the province over the weekend, with most of it concentrated in the Vancouver resorts. Again, another snow filled week coming up, though there may be some sunshine on Sunday. We can only assume the locals are looking forward to that.
Alberta
OPEN
Recent Snowfalls: 19cm in the last 7 days
7 Day forecast: about 2cm for the coming week
Current snow depth: 84cm
Current Conditions: packed powder and man made
Another cheeky 20cm or so and some partly sunny days makes Lake Louise a pretty good place to be right now. The lifts are all turning and the terrain park is up and running.
And Alberta generally…
Not much snow for Alberta before Christmas but those sunny days should be glorious!
Going Global
France
Recent snowfalls: Most of France was snow smashed by the same storm that swept across Britain over the weekend, depositing between 50cm and 60cm across most of the country with the Northern Alps catching up to 1m.
Forecast snow: More snow through the week, about 10cm Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for Chamonix and the surrounds and about 30cm by Christmas for Alpe d’Huez
Snow conditions: Powder
Top pick: Still going with Chamonix, the deepest snow base of all the open resorts and pow every day this week
Switzerland
Recent snowfalls: Snow for the Four Valleys again this week, perhaps 30cm for Verbier, about 10cm for Zermatt and a very pleasing 70cm for Gstaad on Monday
Forecast snowfalls: Good snowfalls coming through, over 40cm for Zermatt
Snow conditions: Fresh snow!
Top pick: Zermatt, snow’s-a’-comin’ and it’s just such a picture-perfect Christmas village
Austria
Recent snowfalls: Zauchensee was a top snow earner again this year with another 30cm, Austria saw snow generally, with between 10 and 40cm across the country.
Forecast snowfalls: The Alberg will have a snow covered white Christmas, there should be about 30cm at St Anton am Alberg and the Lech area
Snow conditions: Snow cover is starting to look really good
Top pick: St Anton am Alberg, perfect for Christmas
Italy
Recent snowfalls: 50cm over the Dolomites at the end of last week means the Italian resorts have some of the deepest snow in the world right now
Forecast snowfalls: up to 82cm in Arabba
Snow conditions: fresh pow all round for Italy
Top pick: Arabba 50cm of fresh and an over 3m snow base
Hakuba forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.
Lake Louise forecasts,
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live snow cams.
Heavenly forecasts,
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Big White forecasts,
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Whistler forecasts,
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Vail forecasts,
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Steamboat forecasts,
snow reports and
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Fernie forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.
Snowbird forecasts,
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Niseko forecasts,
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live snow cams.
Aspen Mountain forecasts,
snow reports and
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Sun Peaks forecasts,
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Park City forecasts,
snow reports and
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Breckenridge forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.
Silver Star forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.
Mammoth forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.
