Weather Archives - The Whiteroom

LifestyleWeather

Utah Ski Area Re-opening in May For The First Time

The world famous Utah ski resort of Sundance, established and owned for many years by Hollywood actor Robert Redford, is re-opening for skiing in May for the first time in its history. Sundance Mountain Resort is reopening for what in the US is the Mother's Day weekend. The resort reported 520 inches of snowfall this winter, a third more than its previous record of 390 inches set in the winter of 1992/93, and a lot is still lying on the slopes. Sundance will be open for skiing and snowboarding on Saturday, May 13th, and Sunday, May 14th. Lifts will spin from 10am-2pm daily with tickets costing $49. The resort plans to open terrain on Back Mountain in the Bear Claw…

Snowhunter 13th May 2023 1

Weather

Jackson Hole Sets Seasonal Snowfall Record

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR) is the latest Western US resort to announce it has had more snowfall than any other, at least for part of its terrain. The 2022-23 season saw 595 inches (15.1 metres) of total snowfall, setting a record in Rendezvous Bowl. That included 41 days with 6 inches or more of new snow. The snow started falling in mid-October and hardly let up until the end of the season “The consistency of the powder days, the cold temperatures and the quality of the snow made for exceptional conditions through closing day,” noted Mary Kate Buckley, president of JHMR. The top three years for snowfall between October 1 and April 9 in Rendezvous Bowl are 2022-23 with…

Snowhunter 21st April 2023

Weather

Major Snowfall For High Slopes in the Alps As Season Winds Down

Some ski areas have reported snowfall totals of up to a metre (40”) on their higher slopes above 2,500m, and particularly above 3,000m, in the Alps over the last five days. The cold, snowy weather has led skiers and boarders in the mountains at present to compare mid-April to mid-Spring. About 80% of ski areas in the Alps have already ended their 22-23 seasons however and more will close from Monday. But much of the snowfall has been on high slopes, with rain in valleys anyway, although some ski areas above about 1300m have seen periods of snowfall right down to resort level. The biggest accumulations though have been reported on glaciers that are open into may and beyond. Ski…

Snowhunter 16th April 2023

Weather

Snowbird Latest US Resort To Announce All-Time Snowfall Record

It’s been a historic week at Snowbird ski area in Utah as the resort flew by their all-time snowfall record and then eclipsed 800” (20.3 metres) for the season on Wednesday, joining neighbouring Alta which also hit that incredible total last week. The latest storm has delivered an additional 18” (45cm) overnight bringing the storm total to 67”(170cm) of snow. The downside of all this snow is that the resort has been forced to close for several days declaring another “Interlodge” – the name given for the operating status when the avalanche danger is so great, anyone in the area is asked to leave the ski slopes and their cars or any outdoor location and get indoors. “Given the amount…

Snowhunter 5th April 2023

EnvironmentWeather

Europe’s 2023 Ski Season: A Tale of Two Regions

A Poor Start in the Alps This year's ski season in the Alps faced an unexpectedly poor start, with ski resorts and mountain communities struggling to adapt. A significant lack of snowfall led to delayed openings, and shorter ski seasons across the region, disappointing many skiers and snowboarders. The situation has been particularly challenging for ski resort operators and local businesses, as the shortened season has translated into reduced revenue and economic hardship for these alpine communities. That said, many bounced back as conditions improved and once the snow arrived, business was up overall. Rising temperatures and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns have led to less reliable snowfall and a greater risk of rain during the winter months. Resorts in the…

Nick Russill 4th April 2023 10

Ski ResortsWeather

Utah Doubles Hokkaido’s Snow Total

Winter 2022-23 has been a record breaker in the Western USA, with months of successive super snow storms bringing huge accumulations to the region. It has been very snowy almost everywhere but ski areas in Utah and California are posting the very biggest numbers. Alta in Utah (pictured above) passed the 800 inches seasonal-snowfall to date mark in the last few days, meaning it has now had more than 20 metres of snowfall this winter. By contrast the famously snowy northern Japanese ski island of Hokkaido has had a warmer winter than usual and snowfall totals are below average there. Niseko has just passed the 10-metres seasonal snowfall to date mark, about 50% below its long term average. SnowJapan.com reports…

Snowhunter 3rd April 2023

RoundupsSki ResortsWeather

Base Depths Jump In The Alps Ahead of Spring

Ski resorts in the Alps have reported they received up to 1.6m (66”) of snowfall during the period from Friday to Wednesday. Many have seen their upper slope base depths jump by between a third and two-fifths after months of staying fairly static pr seeing a gradual decline. (Val d'Isere this week) Tignes is topping the charts, now up to 3.9 metres (13 feet) on the grand motte glacier, up 1.2m (4 feet) on a week ago. Glacier 3000 near Gstaad (pictured below on Wednesday and top) has posted the biggest snowfall – 1.6 metres (over 5 feet) and re-opened on Thursday after several days digging out lifts and buildings. Cervinia say they’ve had 1.5 metres (five feet) of snowfall.…

Snowhunter 16th March 2023

EnvironmentWeather

Pyrenean Ski Centre Ends Season Early

One of French Pyrenees resorts that have been battling season-long warmer-than-average temperatures and below-average snowfall have announced they’re giving up the fight and have closed for the season. Formiguères ski area, which is celebrating its 50th season this winter, posted on social media that, “Despite all the efforts we’ve made, tonight's weather gave a blow to the ski area (and) we will not be able to reopen the station for this season. Good conditions, quality and safety cannot be guaranteed.” After rain at the start of the week temperatures are expected to be above +15C at the base of the slopes and above +10C at 2500m over the next few afternoons. The resort has lifts up to 2,320m and is…

Snowhunter 15th March 2023 3

AllSki ResortsWeather

Aspen Latest To Extend Season

A growing number of western North American ski areas are announcing extended ski seasons due to the bumper snowfalls they’ve received this winter. With above average snowfall every month since October and consistent cooler temperatures, Aspen Snowmass in Colorado is the latest to announce an extension of their 22-23 season for two of its four mountains, Aspen Highlands and Aspen Mountain, each extending by a week. Aspen Highlands will stay open an extra week and will now close on 16 April along with Snowmass. Aspen Mountain will extend their season to 23 April. Buttermilk will close as scheduled on 9 April. Snowmass and Aspen Highlands have both already tracked around 300 inches (7.5 metres) of snowfall this season so far,…

Snowhunter 11th March 2023

AllWeather

Heavy Snowfall Begins in the Alps

Ski resorts in the Alps have begun reporting snowfall at the start of a weekend storm that looks like it will bring the most snowfall of the season over the next 48 hours. Cervinia – open to May – already posted two feet (60cm) of fresh snowfall in the 24 hours to Friday morning and forecasts point to high slopes in the north-western Alps receiving over a metre of snowfall by Sunday. Europe’s deepest snowpack has also increased back up to 3 metres (10 feet) for the first time in two months on high slopes above both Avoriaz and Tignes. The negative side of the storm is that the freezing point is currently between around 1200 and 1800m, meaning…

Snowhunter 10th March 2023 1

AllWeather

Scottish Ski Season Re-boot?

Scotland’s 22-23 Ski season appears on the verge of a reboot with low temperatures and snowfall reaching the five Highland centres. Although the season started fairly well the past few months have seen a common roller coaster of weather conditions (freeze, thaw, snowfall, melt) gradually diminish what the centres could open and the past week has seen very limited terrain still available. But things may now improve fast. Overnight temperatures as low as -16C have been reported over the past few nights and up to 35cm (14”) of snowfall so far with Met office weather warnings for heavy snowfall at the end of this week and through the weekend. Ski centres in the east seem to have done beat with…

Snowhunter 8th March 2023

AllWeather

More Huge US Snowfalls – Up To 12 Feet in 7 Days

Ski areas in California have posted some huge snowfalls over the past week. The Palisades Tahoe is one of the big winners, saying it had over 12 feet (3.6 metres) and has now had more snow by this point in the season, than any winter for more than 50 years. Elsewhere Mammoth Mountain, already posting the world’s deepest snow up top , has seen its numbers jump from 5.9 to 7.6 metres (under 20 feet to around 25 feet) following the snow there. Tourers have also been reported to have been hiking up to ski hills around Los Angeles. All the snowfall has of course impacted operations, with first access roads needing to be dug out, then lifts and other…

Snowhunter 2nd March 2023 3

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