Anecdotal for certain, but these keep piling up. This from the UK Snowboard Club. – Anthony
Early snowfalls in Europe hit Historic Levels
Posted Wednesday 3rd December 2008, 2:15 pm by Dunx
- 20 year record snowfall in Dolomites enough to last all season
- Some Swiss train services cancelled due to excess snow
- Still more heavy snow in the Pyrenees
- More snow for Scotland
www.Skiinfo.com is following still more heavy snowfalls across Europe over the past 48 hours, with much more snow in other parts of Europe and many areas of North America too.
The snowfall has been so great that it has closed roads, brought down power lines and even led to the cancellation of some Swiss rail services this week.
One of the greatest beneficiaries are the Italian Dolomites where 150cm (five feet) has fallen at Cortina in a 48 hour period up to Monday, with snow still falling.
Alessandro Fregni of Skiinfo.com’s Italian office commented, “In three days ski areas have seen almost as much snowfall as for the whole winter last year.”
The snow has arrived with perfect timing for the ski resorts who are seeing a boom in ticket sales at a time of economic uncertainty. Alessandro believes the snow is enough to last all season and will also mean resorts can save money by not needing to use snow making equipment.
However the snow is causing practical problems for both locals and those wanting to reach the snow with almost every pass in to the Dolomites closed on Monday and many villages without electricity. However the situation will be resolved quickly once the snow stops falling.
It was a similar if slightly less dramatic picture to the north where competitors at the annual season opening Santa Claus World Championships in Samnaun had difficulty getting to and from the event as Swiss public transport in the area struggled to cope with heavy snowfall there.
On Monday rail services were cancelled in the area of Eastern Switzerland due to the snow. “We should have used their magic sleighs.” joked a bemused competitor after missing his flight home as a result.
Most other Swiss resorts have great cover and more new snow. Skiinfo issued powder alarms in the past week for Skiinfo with 70cm (28 inches) and Davos 53cm (17 inches) of fresh snow each. Many major resorts now have snow depths of 2-3 metres (7 – 10 feet).
In Austria the snow cover is also superb with Heiligenblut the biggest recipient of the week’s latest dump, receiving a metre (40 inches) of powder in the past seven days.
Many of the open French ski areas have reported at least a foot of new snow in the past week. Several have much more including Les Arcs, with 80cm (32 inches). New openings this weekend include Les Orres, Chamrousse, L e Grand Bornand, Isola 2000 and Montgenevre. Alpe D’Huez and Courchevel will be fully open and Megève partly open.
It looks like the ski areas in the Pyrenees and elsewhere in Spain which dominated snowfall news in November with record pre-season accumulations leading top early openings of ski areas in the region will continue in to December, as the snow keeps falling.
Baqueria Beret in the Pyranees.
A new cold front has brought still more fresh powder to Spain (Formigal and Sierra Nevada have both received 70 cm/28 inches more powder in the past week) all the ski resorts in Spain will open for a three day holiday weekend. For Spanish skiers and boarders the Purísima Feast on December 8 is a must every year and represents the official opening of the winter season.
On the French side of the range Cauterets opened last weekend with 80% of runs available on opening day and up to 150cm (five feet) of snow.
Elsewhere in Europe conditions continue to be very good in Scandinavian countries too. Norway’s Hemsedal currently has 65cm (over two feet) of snow on its slopes, with Bjorli registering the greatest snow depth at present with 100 cm (40 inches). The country’s ski areas have received up to 38cm (15 inches) of new snow in the last week with Skiimnfo.com issuing a powder alarm for Trysil, the largest resort in Norway. The snowfall makes it possible for Trysil to open more slopes and lifts for the upcoming weekend, said Jan Linstad, Trysil ski area’s manager.
In Eastern Europe it’s a more mixed picture with some warm temperatures limiting cover. However Slovenian areas are open and Bansko has opened in Bulgaria with largely machine made snow.
In Scotland The Lecht re-opened last week before closing for a second time in November as the snow thawed. However more snow fell yesterday (Tuesday, December 2), temperatures remain well below freezing and heavy snow is forecast for tomorrow, Thursday (December 4), raising hopes of a weekend re-opening.
In North America the picture has improved dramatically in Colorado, just as it did this time last year before a meteoric snowfall season in which several resorts set record snowfall figures after a warm November 2007. One of the best reports is from Vail which has had 63cm (25 inches) of snow in the past week. Nearby Copper Mountain has also been able to open its Superpipe, the first on the continent this season. Conditions are generally less good on the country’s West coast however with delayed openings or limited cover at many ski areas.
Further north it’s a mixed picture in Western Canada with Mount Washington announcing it will delay its opening due, planned for this Friday, December 5, due to lack of snow.
“We have patchy snow on the ground right now after some rainfall last weekend,” explains resort spokesperson Brent Curtain. “We need to see approximately one metre of snow on the ground before we can begin slope preparations for our opening day.”
Further north still however Alyeska in Alaska has opened with a huge five metre (200 inch) base, although temperatures were reported to be as low as a seriously chilly 8F at the ski area summit on Monday.
On the other side of the region one of the early openers, Marmot Basin in Alberta, which has already seen 89cm (three feet) of snow this winter, opening another five runs.
On North America’s East Coast most resorts are open and in the case of resorts in states like Maine and Vermont reporting “The best start to the season for years.” with a foot (30cm) or more of natural snowfall at most, topped up by the extensive snowmaking systems common in the area.
Further afield Japan has had its first taste of winter too. Grand Hirafu in Niseko opened on 22nd November with things not looking promising and very little snow in the village and just a light cover of snow on the top of the resort. True to its self-proclaimed status of “powder capital of the world” however, over a metre (40 inches) of snow then fell in just three days.
Visit www.skiinfo.com to sign up for powder alarms from your favourite resorts, check current snow conditions and projected snowfalls with snow finder as well as exchange news and views in the Skier’ Lounge.
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carbonkiss:
If this snow was falling as rain would we be so enthusiastic?
No, silly – you couldn’t ski then, could you?
What will result if it melts too fast?
Why would it? Global warming? Even if it did, and some flooding occurred, what would that prove?
Many people still suffer from the delusion that global warming will result in hot weather and long sunny days.
Many people (like you, apparently) still suffer from the delusion that the entirely normal global warming of about 1C last century is not only alarming, but man-made as well. Alarmists want people to believe that global warming aka climate change will cause every kind of “extreme weather” imaginable, from droughts to floods, from extreme heat to extreme cold, from ice melting to ice forming, and from heavy snow to a dearth of snow. Sorry, not buying it.
Warmer seas = more evaporation = more turbulence in the atmosphere = extreme weather. Ask yourself is this the norm?
You seem to believe that warmth (which we aren’t responsible for) is bad, and causes weather to be “extreme”. Sorry, wrong on both counts. The modern warm period, coming out of the LIA has been a boon to mankind, and to the planet, as has been the rise in C02 (most of that due to outgassing). There is no evidence our weather is more extreme now than in the past. In fact, it is cooling which leads to more weather extremes.
“I’m not sure what the European forecasts are for this winter,”
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/seasonal/winter2008_9/
“Winter temperatures are more likely to be above 1971-2000 averages over northern Europe and parts of southern and eastern Europe. However, over northern Europe, this winter is likely to be less mild than last winter. In other regions the chances for above or below average are evenly balanced.
For the winter as a whole, UK mean temperatures are more likely to be near or above average. However, we are likely to have a cold start to the winter with temperatures below average in December.”
The earlier forecasts made no mention of a “cold start” in the UK that has come after the fact.
My associate in the office spent the second straight weekend in Bavaria at a ski resort. This guy has been a ski-junkie for a dozen years here in Europe….and he says the snow is more than he has ever seen this early in the season. Almost everyday, there is fresh snow coming in. The use of the artificial snow machines? None! The sloop guys are admitting that they are shocked at the current trend and wonder just how long this will last. It’ll be an all-time record on profit….if the trends holds.
So much for warm European weather!
Booger Yanker
No snow in Houston, yet. Sorry.
mark (06:34:52)
Regarding # of new daily max vs. # of new daily min, your link led to a one day examination — December 1 — and one day could be easily be influenced by weather patterns that day. I look at the whole month of October 2008 and found more than four new minimum temperatures for every three new maximums. Also, IF the national climate is largely driven by the PDO, we have not remotely returned to the depths of the PDO that we had in the 60s & 70s; therefore, we would expect many more new maximums rather than new minimums at this phase of the oscillation. A final note: the maximum annual temperature records reached at rural stations have stood for many decades. And that is even more surprising when one notes that new thermometers have been placed in locations where higher temperature readings would be expected.
And still not have a nearly long enough period.
Anecdotal evidence can only be accepted when it supports global warming.
Remember the “serious scientists” who reported on polar bears that needed water wings in august. Headlines that said Sea Ice Melting Faster than Ever. That was a clear sign of global warming.
Now that sea ice extent has exceeded the last several years and the media somehow missed the fastest expansion of sea ice in history, it becomes unscientific evidence presented by denialists with little understanding of climatology.
I just read a report where they said arctic warming was a local phenomena by a weather pattern change so therefore indicative of global warming. Talk about having your cake and eating it too. These guys have no shame.
The sun came up, I blame that.
December 8, 2008 (OWSweather.com)
Rare 50 year Arctic Blast Sets Sights On Southern California.
We are in a pre-1950 type pattern, “said Martin. “We know we are due for a winter storm sometime this year. The type we may be dealing with will be ranked up there with the known years before 1950, which set record low daytime temperatures into the forecast region. With this, may come low elevation snow.” …
http://www.owsweather.com/pr120808a.html
Richard Hegarty (08:29:22) :
Its not that cold in Poland but if its a bit of irony you are after, the bbc reporter Richard Black could not attend because his flight was canceled due to guess what? climate change protesters.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/richardblack/
“Runway protest strands passengers”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/essex/7771079.stm
I saw that on the news. Looking at the “Have Your Say” section on the BBC News website, the protesters Plain Stupid… sorry… Plane Stupid have successfully managed to alienate themselves with the British public.
Plain idiots!
Yes we have a mild winter forcast for the midwest from NOAA. It looks like if we break 20 C every day from now until the new year we can get the average back up to normal so they won’t look clueless. Forcast for the week; -15 C and snow, I think that NOAA prediction is in trouble.
So far it looks like a La Nina year where the big snow events track pretty far south, and Chicago gets blasted. Which is fine if you really like to see bad driving exhibitions, or really don’t like Chicago.
Am I wrong on that Anthony? Do storm tracks tend farther south in La Nina years?
On the idea of more warm records being set than cold, setting aside bad site bias issues that I think are now beyond question. I note that much of the upper midwest set all time snow fall records during the winter of 2007 and 2008. Though those may fall again this year. Anecdotal it may be, but it sure is a pretty bad indication of warming.
Isn’t the lake effect heightened by warmer air?
“However the snow is causing practical problems for both locals and those wanting to reach the snow with almost every pass in to the Dolomites closed on Monday and many villages without electricity.”
Gahhhh. Catastrophic Climate Change leaves Villagers in Freezing Cold – BAN CO2!!!!
On a more serious note has anyone noticed the following structural parallel.
1. CAP and Trade. Anyone who can afford to, can emit as much CO2 as they can afford to offset.
2. HYPOTHETICAL: Murder and Bloodmoney PayOff. Anyone who can afford to can murder anyone as long as they can afford to payoff a bloodprice. What if there was a law that allowed the wealthy to murder with impunity provided that they could pay a $$$ price to get away with it. Would murder by the wealthy become common place?
The Points I’m making are as follows.
1. The moral structure of CAP and Trade and paying a blood price to escape the consequences of murder are equivalent.
2. That CAP and Trade would allow for the untrammelled increase in CO2 emissions by those who are wealthy enough to afford them.
What has been the impact of the KYOTO Protocol on the CO2 emissions of the signatory countries and how much money was raised? CO2 emissions have gone up and Billions of $ have been “generated” (siphoned off the general economy).
It seems to me that any future CAP and Trade will simply encourage CO2 emissions while producing and increasing supply of $$$ for the CAP and traders, and as the $$$ increase so will the need (demand) to increase CO2 emissions to keep the $$$ flowing.
For anyone in the AGW camp who genuinely believes that human emissions of CO2 are the bane of the planet and must be reduced to save civilization I don’t see how they can maintain a moral stand in favour of CAP and Trade.
Even the True AGW Believer (James Hansen) has noted (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article5257602.ece) that CAP and Trade wont work to suppress CO2 emissions.
And CAP and Trade is beginning to get the artistic “criticism” here at http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/protesting_against_gassy_greens/ where someone is pointing out the inherent hypocrisy.
Of course, I see no evidence for man made emissions of CO2 leading to catastrophic warming. However I would like to suggest that the AGW Proponents who read this blog have a moral problem if they both believe that CO2 is “Bad” and that CAP and Trade id “Good.”
Another weather anecdote for the pile:
Brisbane Australia has been warm of late but not in a particularly noteworthy way.
@Wondering Aloud (13:30:23) :
What’s going to be hard to reconcile will be the following reports side by side. (Likely this NH Winter)
“Record snow storms, snow falls, etc…” (Based on observable, demonstrable facts)
“GISS – Hottest December on record…” (Based on Massaged data)
The Cognitive Dissonance (CD) will become more extreme and promote more extreme behaviour on those who suffer CD re http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/essex/7771079.stm
Frankly – how long before this devolves into violence and people start getting hurt by the AGW extremists?
Ed Darrell (14:55:03)
Here in Western NY we’re quite familiar with lake effect.
During summer months as hot humid air moves over Lake Erie, the cooler lake waters tend to dampen thunderstorm activity, an action that’s frequently overlooked when considering the more famous aspect of lake effect precipitation during early winter months.
From November through January, as cold air moves over the still unfrozen lake it picks up water from the lake and deposits it as snow in the region, many times to depths measured in feet. {There’s also lake effect rain when cold, but above freezing, air moves across the warmer lake waters, but there’s only a brief window of opportunity for that to happen before the real event starts.} Exactly where in the region all that snow falls depends on wind direction. Famous Buffalo snowfalls have resulted from cold SW winds traveling the length of Lake Erie and dumping all that snow on the city. Most times, with W winds, snow falls happen well south of the city in an area referred to as the snow belt. During the latter part of the winter, as the lake freezes, lake effect precip diminishes. When the lake completely freezes over near the end of the winter the only snow the region experiences are from actual storm systems.
In short, during summer, lake effect dampens warmer air precip {rain} and during the winter it heightens cold air precip {snow}.
An Inquirer, thanks, you make some good points, particularly the one about the PDO…..
I swear I had read that Switzerland basically had given up on skiing due to no snow. Now, this may have been a few years ago but people were blaming global warming. The planet truly is beyond our comprehension.
I wish we’d get some of that snow up in Washington, but definitely not too much! It’s just not December without snow, at least not for me
Is Al Gore in my neck of the woods? Its -20 deg C, and with the windchill its -30.
And this weekend, its supposed to get COLD.
From chemist Peter (02:35:05) :
Relax, it is only but weather. No trend here, move on, the world is warming.
-end quote
Hahaha HOHoho… Boy, you sure got me rolling with that one… but didn’t Leif say you ought to mark sarcasm?
From JP (04:40:40) :
In Northern Indiana we’ve seen enough cold and snow this autumn .
-end quote
(Emphasis added…) Just wait until winter gets here 😉
ROFLMAO… WHO added the snowflake effect to the page? Now I’ve got another shirt to wash (Resolved, never to drink while reading web pages again 😉
Whoever it is, I own you a beer (or three)…
So CG, you’re the one. You wished for snow in our general neck of the woods. Gee. Thanks.
Leon Brozyna (16:08:29) :
It’s important to note that the terrain slopes up from the lake shore. Duh? Yeah, but a couple of figures – Lake Erie is some 576 feet above sea level, Little Mountain (east of Cleveland) tops out at 1266 feet. (40 year old memories, the planet may have settled since then.) I was just looking at a western NY ski area of sorts this morning, it topped out around 2000 feet I think.
Sometimes the lake effect precip is just rain or nothing right by the lake and rapidly increases as you get away from it.