The PlanetSKI Snow Report
23rd March 2022
Last modified on April 5th, 2022
Significant amounts of snow have fallen across the Alps with some areas reporting well in excess of 50cm. It is very welcome after a prolonged dry spell with spring conditions on the slopes. It bodes well for the start of the Easter break that is getting underway. UPDATED
Monday 4th April
The snowstorm has delivered and the great late season conditions can be enjoyed in sunshine today.
One of our regular readers, Lynsey Devon, is in Verbier in Switzerland.
Looking good, once you get above the clouds.
Verbier, Switzerland. Image c/o Lynsey Devon.
Verbier, Switzerland. Image c/o Lynsey Devon.
Verbier, Switzerland. Image c/o Lynsey Devon.
Our Chief Reporter, Jane Peel, was in Chamrousse at the end of March where the snow was vanishing fast in mild spring weather.
And now look at it today…
https://www.facebook.com/Chamrousse/videos/1953458024865436/
There have been big snowfalls across much of the Alps in a 48-hour period but today is largely sunny and cool.
“This fresh snow has come just before we move in to our busy Easter holiday period,” Nathalie Guidon, Director of Arc 1950 Le Village in the French Alps told us.
“Whilst we always make sure we have snow throughout the village, so our residences remain ski in/out, this new snowfall is very welcome to carry us through our last three weeks of the season.”
PlanetSKI was in Arc 1950 as it opened back in December 2021.
We are returning later this month as it closes and assessing how the winter has gone – look out for those reports.
https://www.facebook.com/Isola2000/posts/5087906821269570
https://www.facebook.com/AletschArena/videos/305406851734177/
https://www.facebook.com/Stanton.Arlberg/posts/10159736573737964
Most of the Alps will remain dry tomorrow with the best of the sunshine in the south but there could be more snow – and rain at lower altitudes – in the far northern Alps.
Saturday 2nd April
Heavy snow is now falling across many parts of the Alps after a long dry spell.
The temperature has dropped sharply with the freezing level down to under 1,000m in places.
The latest images of the snow we have come for Morzine in the Portes du Soleil during the height of the storm.
Morzine, France. Image c/o Sara Burdon.
Morzine, France. Image c/o Sara Burdon.
Morzine, France. Image c/o Sara Burdon.
Morzine, France. Image c/o Sara Burdon.
“It is fantastic to have a fresh coat of snow to start off April,” said Sara Burdon from the resort’s tourist office
“Heavy snowfall through Thursday evening, night and all day Friday is set to continue this weekend.
“It’s very welcome after a few weeks of warm sunny weather, and ensures pistes will stay in great condition until closure.”
UK Ski operators still have a few weeks of the season left and have welcomed the fresh snow.
Snowfall has returned to the Alps! After a warm spell across Europe, this week has seen a cold front in ski resorts. Much needed top-up in the lead up to Easter and the end of the season.
📸: Resort Photos
1. @valdisere
2. @Val_Tho
3. Alpbach
4. @Kronplatz pic.twitter.com/oFPNiy7B8R— Ski Solutions (@skisolutions) April 1, 2022
One of our regular PlanetSKI readers, Lynsey Devon, has been out in the powder in Verbier in Switzerland with friends and family.
Verbier, Switzerland. Image c/o Lynsey Devon.
Verbier, Switzerland. Image c/o Lynsey Devon.
And just to show that the snow is falling down in the valley beneath Verbier Lynsey sent us this image from La Chable at 820m.
La Chable, Verbier, Switzerland. Image c/o Lynsey Devon.
El Pas de la Casa ❄️ pic.twitter.com/PdTThrGt8Y
— Météo Pyrénées (@Meteo_Pyrenees) April 2, 2022
Des vues de plein hiver ce matin à Bagnères de Luchon 600m ❄️❄️ un 2 avril hivernal partout sur la chaîne 📷 @laurina_voisin #pyrenees pic.twitter.com/zBueVBUgKP
— Météo Pyrénées (@Meteo_Pyrenees) April 2, 2022
Friday 1st April
The ski resort of Les Menuires in Les3Vallees is one of many areas seeing a return to winter.
“Whilst we have been maintaining the slopes throughout the last few sunny weeks, this fresh snow fall and the return of cooler weather, will ensure we have great snow cover to the end of the winter season,” said the Director of Les Menuires Tourist Office, Marlene Giacometti, to PlanetSKI.
“We look forward to welcoming guests in Les Menuires and Saint Martin de Belleville over the next few weeks, to the end of this season on 22nd April .
“France moving the UK to the green list also means there are even less restrictions to get here, come for a final ski of winter.”
It is a similar picture in the neighbouring French resort of Val Thorens – it is the highest resort in Europe and PlanetSKI will be in the resort for its closing weekend at the beginning of May.
On n’en attendait pas autant ! 😮❄️
🇬🇧 We didn’t expect so much!#valdisere #snowfall #snowyday #savoie #snowstorm pic.twitter.com/vjovFmeTPE
— Val d’Isère (@valdisere) April 1, 2022
PlanetSKI reader Oonagh Griffith sent us these photos taken from the same spot in Tignes where she’s on a week’s holiday.
The first was taken at the beginning of the week and the second today.
Tignes before the snowfall – photo © Oonagh Griffith
Tignes, 1st April – photo © Oonagh Griffith
As Morzine says, this is not an April Fool Joke.
Here was the scene in Morzine on Thursday 31st March.
Image c/o Morzine web camera
And now here it is on Friday 1st April.
Image c/o Morzine web camera
“A major storm is set to bring significant snow to most parts of the Alps over the next 48hrs or so,” said the alpine weather expert, Fraser Wilkin from weathertoski.co.uk, early on Friday.
“With the centre of the storm so close to the Alps, it is very difficult to say exactly where the most snow will fall though just about all parts of the Alps are in with a chance of seeing some significant accumulations by the end of the weekend, with typically 20-40cm above 1500m but over 50cm in some favoured spots.”
See here for his full country by country report posted on Friday April 1st.
Here at PlanetSKI we are checking with more resorts, plus our readers & reporters out in the mountains and will be updating across the day and into the weekend as the Spring snowstorm hits.
There is set to be 50cm in some places and with Easter holidays around the corner it could hardly have come at a better time.
One of our regular readers, Lynsey Devon, is currently in Verbier in Switzerland and has posted this picture of husband James at Les Ruinettes.
Verbier, Switzerland. Image c/o Lynsey Devon
Higher up the mountain in Verbier at Attelas the snow is heavier.
Verbier, Switzerland. Image c/o Lynsey Devon
There are some good late season deals on offer if you are tempted to take advantage of the end of season snow:
Do check back…
Thursday 31st March
Snow started falling across parts of the Alps and the Pyrenees on Thursday as the temperatures fell.
There is set to be heavy snow across many parts on Friday and into the weekend.
It will be very welcome as there has been precious little snow for weeks on end, with warm temperatures.
With the Easter holidays getting underway shortly, many are looking forward to a good end to the season.
The snow has already started to fall in the Alps and the Pyrenees:
Retour au blanc à l’est ce matin , torna l’hivern ❄️📷 @FontRomeuP2000 une journée nébuleuse pic.twitter.com/onjAhvgyrC
— Météo Pyrénées (@Meteo_Pyrenees) March 30, 2022
It’s about to turn cold & very wintry in Europe…
Will April showers become snow storms? https://t.co/OPQ8NEXB9a— PlanetSKI Snow News (@planetski) March 30, 2022
More to follow…
Monday 28th March
Get the snow dances going folks.
After what has been weeks of sunshine and precious little snow things may be about to change.
We’re keeping out fingers and toes crosssed as there could be some of the precious white stuff later in the week.
“For the rest of the week the weather situation in the Alps will become quite complicated with the formation and deepening of a storm over the southern Alps,” said the alpine weather expert, Fraser Wilkin from weathertoski.co.uk, on Monday.
“The exact position of this storm will determine who gets the most snow, though it does look like many parts of the Alps will see significant snow later in the week.”
“Any precipitation will still be quite scattered on Wednesday and Thursday but by Friday it will become heavier and more widespread.
“It will also become colder with snow falling to increasingly low levels.”
Here at PlanetSKI we will be watching things closely and updating as the storm moves closer.
To say some snow would be welcome is something of an understatement.
Ski Welt, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI
Saturday 26th March
PlanetSKI’s Chief Reporter, Jane Peel, has been skiing in Grenoble’s closest ski area, Chamrousse, today.
“Little has changed in the weather in this part of the Isere region these past few days, with the exception that, if anything, the temperatures have risen ever further,” Jane says.
“The green areas in this photo below were white just a few days ago so it really feels as if the end of the season is just around the corner.
“The snow is typical for the spring, so slushy and heavy in the afternoon, but who cares when sun is out?”
Chamrousse, France – photo PlanetSKI
Jane is on a mini road trip discovering some of the lesser-known resorts in Isère.
Thursday 24th March
What is there to say?
It’s sunshine, blue skies and classic spring skiing all the way across the Alps.
PlanetSKI’s Chief Reporter, Jane Peel, has been on the slopes of the relatively unknown ski area of Villard-de-Lans in the Isère region of France.
https://www.facebook.com/planetski/videos/942144823135384/
Wednesday 23rd March
High pressure is sitting over the Alps with blue sky and warm temperatures across much of the mountain range.
It means there are mainly icy conditions in the morning with slushy snow, especially on south-facing slopes, later in the day.
Lunch remains a fabulous experience.
Ski Welt, Tirol. Image © PlanetSKI
“It’s wall-to-wall sunshine in the Alps with freezing levels close to 2000m in most regions. The rest of the week will continue to be mostly sunny and will turn a little warmer too, but not excessively,” said the alpine weather expert, Fraser Wilkin from Weathertoski.
In the tiny village of Nassereith in the Tirol where PlanetSKI has been based these past few weeks the ice on the pond has gone.
Nassereith, Tirol, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI
“It is a sure sign that Spring is here as it has been frozen since the beginning of winter,” said the PlanetSKI editor, James Cove.
He has been in the Alps for the past couple of months and you can read more about Nassereith in this rolling blog, Travel and Tales from the Tirol.
James has now left the Alps after 65 days, 46 different ski resorts and 5 alpine countries.
He has clocked up 5,126 road miles.
The alpine coverage baton has been passed on to PlanetSKI’s chief reporter, Jane Peel, as James heads home to the UK.
Jane is already on her way to the Alps and will be visiting a number of resorts in France.
She starts in the southern French Alps from Thursday staying in Grenoble and she’ll be skiing in the little-known resorts of Villard de Lans, Les 7 Laux and Chamrousse.
In April she’s skiing in the more well-known resorts of Les2Alpes and Tignes.
PlanetSKI is also planning to be in Les3Vallees, Les Portes du Soleil and Chamonix as we concentrate our attentions on France after our extensive reporting from Italy and Austria so far this season.
With a late Easter, April 17th, and some ski resorts open until early May we are looking forward to some great spring skiing.
- Fancy a late season ski trip to the Alps?
- Easter skiing in Tignes
- Crystal Ski’s top resorts for late season skiing
All we need is a bit more snow.
We’ll keep you posted.
If you want to look at our snow reports from the past few weeks then check out this earlier article:
Ski Welt, Tirol, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI
Ski Juwel, Tirol. Image © PlanetSKI
St Johann, Tirol. Image © PlanetSKI
