Warm Weather in the Alps Continues
22nd August 2024
Last modified on August 31st, 2024
Hintertux has temporarily closed its slopes as warm temperatures are continuing to damage the alpine glaciers. The handful of summer ski areas that remain open are also affected. UPDATED
Hintertux in the Tirol in Austria had 4 miles of slopes available, but it has now suspended skiing and snowboarding operations to preserve what snow it does have for when the temperatures fall.
It also has some snow stockpiled and it is reported that the ski area may re-open in early September using some of the snow stored.
Library image of stockpiled snow in Hintertux. © PlanetSKI
Warm temperatures are continuing to damage the glaciers and melt the snow at the handful of other summer ski resorts that remain open.
The glacier above Zermatt, that can also be reached from Cervinia, has the most runs open with 7miles of slopes on offer.
Saas-Fee has 5-miles and Passo Stelvio 2.5-miles.
Here is the latest from Snowforecast.com posted on August 28th:
There are four glacier ski areas in the Alps that are officially open, but all are battling the fast thawing of their snowpack in very warm temperatures.
The result is that what’s open varies from day to day, with the Hintertux glacier (0/55cm, / 0/22”) not open at all over the past week and Saas-Fee (0/280cm / 0/112″) open on limited dates too.
Italy’s Passo Stelvio (0/150cm / 0/60″) has been open for some days.
Zermatt and Cervinia’s glacier (0/150cm / 0/60″) is the only one to stay open through the past week, posting 11km (7 miles) of slopes open, the most of the four areas.
That said, temperatures have dropped a little compared to the past month, with the mercury dropping below freezing again above about 3,000m (9,843 feet) altitudes in the small hours of the night.
There have also been light snow flurries in the afternoons on high slopes, as microclimates have allowed the warmth to suck up moisture.
However, below 3,000m, it’s been falling as light rain or sleet, not snow.
Here is what summer glacier melting looks like over time:
Glacier Blanc (Ecrins massif)
1995 | 2022Yeah, but we are in an Interglacial! 🤣
Those ice bodies are following a woke political agenda!Pics @PnEcrins
Gif made by @bastamedia_
Via @MaximCombes
1/ pic.twitter.com/uNryf7g3gJ— Melaine Le Roy (@subfossilguy) August 30, 2024
In the Alps this summer the melt continues.
The raw power of melt water on a hot summer day as seen out of the #glacier portal at Rhonegletscher.
This is water nourishing one of the biggest streams of Europe from the Alps down to the Mediterranean Sea. Dynamics will change though once the ice is gone… pic.twitter.com/GIiUbcRaHg
— Matthias Huss (@matthias_huss) August 29, 2024
PlanetSKI has recently been on snow, and on water, in Austria.
Summer in Austria. Image © Simon Miller/PlanetSKI
There has also been heavy rain in places in the Alps.
The Austrian ski area of St Anton in the Tirol was hit by severe flash floods earlier in August:
“Fortunately, we can inform you that the situation in St Anton am Arlberg has calmed down significantly,” said a statement from the tourist office.
“The clean-up work is in full swing, and many affected areas are already accessible again.
“A huge thank you to all who have worked tirelessly and continue to work to make our beautiful village shine again.”
The Arlberg Pass has now re-opened and the weather has cleared.
Zermatt was also hit by severe flooding earlier in the summer.
The railway line is now set to re-open after repair work has been carried out.
The weather forecast predicts similar conditions to continue in the Alps with temperatures reaching +10°C at 3,000m and +5°C at 4,000m.
