Welcome to another members update of worldwide snow conditions, together
with prospects for the week ahead.
We currently have spring snow conditions across most of the resorts in the
Southern Hemisphere and the number of resorts that have closed for the
season in New Zealand has jumped significantly in the last week. Meanwhile,
the Atlantic weather charts have taken on a distinctly autumnal feel with a
succession of deep lows running through the gap between Iceland and
Scotland. As we forecast a week ago, the icy northerly plunge behind one of
these systems brought maximum temperatures of -3 degrees to the Scottish
summits on Monday, accompanied by 80km/h winds and widespread drifting
snow - it was the first blizzard of the season. There were very similar
winter conditions across Scandinavia too and the cold northerly air briefly
extended far enough South to bring further light snowfalls to the glaciers
of Austria and Switzerland.
New Zealand
=========
The Christchurch Press newspaper recently ran a very gloomy article in which
it claimed that the 2007 ski season had been exceptionally bad. With local
resorts like Olympus opening late and Temple Basin not opening at all, it is
easy to see why the Canterbury regional paper took this line. Even so,
looking across all NZ ski areas, the statistics don't support this
depressing picture and even locally Mt Hutt and Broken River have had a
fair season with a few truly great days. Although 2007 hasn't been anything
like as good as the 2006 El Nino year, you only have to go back to 2005 to
find a season that was worse. Many resorts have had an average season -
Rainbow in particular has had a good one. Last week several more resorts
closed for the season which is normal for the time of year - Mt Lyford,
Hanmer, Temple Basin, Craigieburn, Cheeseman, Porters, Olympus and Dobson
are all closed now - about 25% of resorts. There is still great skiing to be
found elsewhere. North Island resorts of Turoa and Whakapapa are confident
they will stay open until late October and as always, deep snow above the
lifts means that Ruapehu will offer superb back country days for the more
adventurous until Christmas at least.
The next few days sees pressure falling and a complex low pressure area
developing over New Zealand and the nearby Tasman. Initially, the air is
warm - freezing levels are above 2000m and it's cloudy and miserable. As the
low pressure transfers east and deepens it will draw in cool SE air in its
wake. Freezing levels will quickly fall and there should be widespread
fresh snowfalls at most resorts between Monday and Wednesday.
Australia
======
A few days ago I was trying to reconcile the snow report for Thredbo with
the latest web cam image. Whereas the report suggested top to bottom skiing
on a decent base, the camera suggested that resorts level snow was very
patchy - nothing like the 124cm reported. I mention this because the
apparent contradiction is a very common one that is not peculiar to Thredbo.
The reason is that snowmaking has boosted snow depths on the lower pistes
way below the natural levels and it is the snow depth on the piste that is
quoted in the report. As more and more resorts invest in snowmaking, this
creates a statistical headache. The problem is that snowmaking distorts the
record and spoils any historical comparisons that date from before it
existed. Be aware of this possibility if you find yourself concluding that
ski resorts are seeing much more snow than they used to - it may well be
mostly man-made and little consolation if you are an off-piste enthusiast.
Comparing upper snow depths is usually a much more reliable indicator.
Australian resorts are subject to spring conditions right now. The new snow
that fell last week didn't change much and it was soon back to mild weather
and wet heavy snow by afternoons. Right now, they have a real mixed bag of
weather in the Snowy Mountains following a front that is moving away to the
East. Freezing levels are about 2000m (near the summits) but falling. There
are rain, sleet and increasingly snow showers on the westerly breeze. Expect
a clearance in time for the weekend and reasonable skiing. If you stay high
and you may even be lucky enough to find some fresh snow from one of those
passing showers. Becoming milder on Tuesday as pressure builds and a NW wind
becomes established. The next cold front should be much more vigorous than
the recent one when it sweeps in off the Southern Ocean in about a week.
It's a long way off, but there is potential for a reasonable snowfall in
time for next weekend. A few days before it reaches the Ski Fields, that
same cold front may briefly manage a rare dusting of snow at the top of the
remote Stirling Ranges of Western Australia - don't bother taking your
skis - there is scrub almost to the summit, but if you are passing and see
snow, please post any photos of this in our online gallery.
South America
==========
Last week stayed pretty cold across most Andean resorts and that has helped
preserve the snow. With an anticyclone taking up residence over the nearby
Pacific, the week ahead begins cold and slowly warms up. The only
significant snow forecast is for resorts in the far South that are exposed
to fronts embedded the Westerly flow around the bottom of the high pressure.
Nothing too exciting, but I imagine most skiers down there have had such a
great season that they are losing interest now anyway. It's a huge area so
please refer to our detailed forecasts and reports for details.
European Alps
==========
There was more fresh snow on the Swiss and Austrian glaciers last week -
nothing like the 70cm plus falls of the week before, but very welcome just
the same. Typically 10cm in Austria and 2cm in Switzerland. High pressure
will provide a few more sunny days with light winds before cold northerly
air brings the possibility for another light fall of snow in the middle of
the week. Once again Scotland and Scandinavia should also see another cold
and wintry blast. Let's just hope this weather pattern lasts all winter and
breaks the recent pattern of high pressure over the Alps and a mild SW flow
for Northern Europe.
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