Snow Conditions 2011-2012

The ski season 2010-11 was a disaster for many resorts in the Alps and the early season of 2011-12 didn’t look too good either with many resorts recording their warmest and driest autumn on record.

Then on December 3^rd and 4^th everyone’s prayers were answered. A succession of powerful Atlantic storms slammed into the North Western Alps delivering massive snowstorms to many resorts. Val D’Isere saw over 4 metres of snow, almost twice what it received for 2010-11! But this wasn’t true across the whole of Europe. Austria and Switzerland also saw lots of snow but Italy and the Southern Alps missed out.

The Northern Alps continued to get snow throughout January 2012. Many Austrian resorts were cut off with many Brits unable to get out of resorts. In the Tirol many resorts reported their best snow for 30 years. Some snow did get through to the Southern Alps, mostly in Courmayer and Cervinia, but the Dolomites still had to rely on manmade snow.

2012 - January Onwards

As January turned into February, the snow calmed down but temperatures dropped to record levels. Tignes recorded a record temperature of -30 c and in Val D’Isere temperatures saw skiers unable to stay out on the slopes for long as temperatures dipped to scary levels! Meanwhile in Austria there were a number of avalanche accidents and resorts cut off.

March then saw exceptionally warm temperatures so that conditions worsened in many resorts quite quickly causing many to think that was the season over but then another strange twist to the 2011-12 ski season happened. The snow came back in April!

So who got the best snow last season?-Val D’Isere got 6.9m, Avoriaz got an amazing 10m and in Switzerland Arosa had 8.8m at least 2m above its normal levels. Austria had a bumper season with 9m in Lech, but the award for the snowiest place in Europe goes to.....Oberauern with an amazing 12.2m of the white stuff!

Meanwhile, what was happening in North America? Well, while the Alps were enjoying an amazing snow season things were grim over the water. It wasn’t until January that all of Colorado’s resorts were open. In fact most resorts in North America recorded their worst snowfalls for 30 years. Vail had 5.4m against an average of 9.2 and Mammoth had 5.7m compared to its usual 9.3m.

The North West however had good snow in March. Lake Louise received 7.1m of snow but the resort which wins the best snow record in North America last ski season is ........Mount Baker with an amazing 20.4m of snow!

In Summary

So, overall a strange ski season last year. Fortunes fluctuated between Northern and Southern Alps and tough times across North America. Difficult to predict what the ski season 2012-13 will bring but let’s keep our fingers crossed for snow.

By Will Smith