Northern Hemisphere Weekly Snow Roundup #326

·       Only lift-accessed outdoor snowsports in northern hemisphere currently possible in Italian and Swiss Alps.

·       Norway and Scandinavia’s only summer ski area open suspends operations, probably until September.

·       Three Austrian ski areas plan to start their 26-27 seasons next month.

·       No lift-accessed ski areas open in North America but indoor centre in New Jersey remains an option.

NORTHERN HEMISPHERE REPORT

It has been a tough few weeks for Alpine glaciers with the summer-long high temperatures in Europe, including the freezing point often moving above 4000m and glacier altitudes 24-7. As a result, all the snow covering most glaciers has melted away, and the ice below is currently exposed to direct sunlight. 

On Saturday, the world's lonely remaining centre that attempts to open for snowsports every day year-round, Zermatt, which also has the continent's highest lift-served slopes, was first to temporarily suspend summer skiing due to these conditions. It's the second time that's happened in the decades that it has been offering year-round snowsports; the last time was 2022.

There are two ski areas still open for glacier skiing in the Alps; however, now the only two areas open in the northern hemisphere. Zermatt's neighbour Saas-Fee (0/220cm / 0/88") has around 10km (6 miles) of high altitude slopes open; Italy's Passo Stelvio (0/105cm / 0/42") is also still open for snowsports with about 4km (2.5 miles) of runs open there.

In Scandinavia, the country’s highest slopes at the Galdhøpiggen summer ski area have, like Zermatt, closed for the warmest months of the season. That's become a regular summer plan there each year, normally reopening in the latter half of next month.

There’s nowhere currently open for lift-accessed snow sports in North America, other than the Big Snow indoor centre in New Jersey, but northerly Sunshine ski area near Banff in Alberta, Canada posted pictures of a dusting of fresh snowfall on its high terrain at the weekend. 

NORTHERN HEMISPHERE FORECAST

There’s little change in the forecast with a warm, mostly settled week dominating high‑altitude areas. In Saas‑Fee and Passo Stelvio, freezing levels hover near 4000 m, even overnight, meaning there’s little chance of overnight refreezes but making surfaces firm first thing before softening. Sunshine is frequent, but afternoon or evening showers, usually of rain or sleet, sometimes briefly heavy, are possible, with snow only on the highest peaks and not most glaciers. Zermatt/Saas‑Fee show low precipitation odds except on isolated unstable days. Farther north in Norway, Galdhøpiggen stays cooler, with more persistent cloud, occasional light snow or drizzle, and generally firmer surface conditions thanks to lower temperatures.