| Snow Report - 30 Jan 2015 | | Last snowed | 30-Jan-2015 |
| Fresh snow | 10 cm |
| Lower slopes | 40 cm |
| Upper slopes | 230 cm |
| Pistes | | Piste state | Powder |
| Runs to resort | Powder |
| Off piste snow | Powder |
| Comments | Limited skiing due to high winds |
| Lifts open | 5 |
| Lifts total | 21 |
Snow Overview - Switzerland (snow news updated 31-Jan-2015)
Heavy snow was falling on the morning of Thursday 29th January across Switzerland, following some great falls earlier in the week. As a result conditions are excellent across the country although the avalanche danger has reached Level 4 in the southwest. Stay on piste in this region and be very careful elsewhere as the danger is still at Level 3.
Murren (80/145cm) saw 30cm of fresh snow by Tuesday morning, making it one of the snowiest resorts earlier this week. A further 15cm was recorded on Thursday 29th January so some great powder conditions can be found across the mountain.
Thursday’s heaviest falls were recorded in southwest Switzerland, with Leysin (50/70cm) and Les Mosses (50/70cm) recording 35cm of fresh snow. Anzere (30/125cm) saw 30cm which has significantly improved the skiing conditions. Although as mentioned above however, the avalanche danger in this region is Level 4 - which recommends skiers stay firmly on piste.
Andermatt (63/380cm) benefited from a further 10cm of fresh snow and currently boasts one of the deepest base depths in the whole of the Alps. The skiing on Thursday was excellent, although visibility was reduced as a result of the snowy weather.
The heavy snow is expected to continue throughout the weekend, and with the freezing level dropping to sea-level, snow can be expected at all levels. Once the storm subsides, totals of around a metre are expected for many, especially in the north and west. Monday is currently looking sunny, providing the best overhead in which to enjoy the new snow, before more snow returns on Tuesday.
European Weather Outlook
The current snowstorm could prove to be the season-changer, especially as the snow is not forecast to cease until Sunday night. By then over a metre of fresh snow is possible across a wide area of the northern and western Alps, with the heaviest falls around the French/Swiss border. Further east in Austria, between 20 and 40cm can be expected, with some favoured spots potentially seeing more. Current forecasts are pointing towards a brighter day on Monday, so this could be the best bet for some clear overhead conditions as yet more snow is predicted from Tuesday onwards. Again be careful to check the latest avalanche bulletins as the snow conditions are extremely volatile and will continue to be as the snow carries on falling.
Heavy snow is expected to set in on Thursday night across the Pyrenees and is not forecast to stop for almost a week. Current forecasts are pointing towards around a metre of snow by Sunday followed by even more next week. Some great skiing is likely as a result although be careful to heed the avalanche warnings as the danger level is likely to rise significantly over the coming days.
A further 15-40cm of snow is forecast for both Norway and Sweden over the weekend, adding to the already good conditions. Some sunnier weather is expected at the start of next week, providing the perfect opportunity to head out and enjoy the new snow.
Bulgaria is also expecting some heavy snow over the weekend, with Bansko looking at more than 40cm of fresh snow over the weekend. Unfortunately less is forecast where it’s needed in Pamporovo, but 15cm could still fall in the next five days.
Further heavy snow is expected in Scotland before the weekend is up. The heaviest falls are set to shift from the west to the east during Friday, with a further 25cm expected for Cairngorm, The Lecht and Glenshee.