Snow Report, June 27 | Welove2ski
Snow Report

Snow Report, June 27

Our latest snow report looks back on a fabulous week of snow in the southern hemisphere - and yet more of the white stuff in the Alps.

You want snow? We’ve got snow…

In fact, since our last snow report it’s been snowing almost everywhere.

There’s been a big polar storm in New Zealand…

Snow Report, June 27 | Welove2ski
Starting the big dig at Roundhill, on New Zealand’s South Island on June 22 – in the wake of 250cm of snow: the biggest dump the resort has seen since 1973. Photo: Roundhill Ski Area/Facebook

 

Which has brought the best early-season conditions for years…

Snow Report, June 27 | Welove2ski
Opening day at Treble Cone, near Wanaka, NZ – today, June 27. Photo: Treble Cone/Facebook

 

And a few headaches, too…

New Zealand Ski Area Gets Record-Breaking Snowfall | Welove2ski
The triple chair at Mount Hutt, NZ – which was damaged by an avalanche at the start of the week. Photo: Mount Hutt/Facebook

As anyone who saw our snow report update on Monday will know, the winter storm that lashed the South Island at the end of last week was one of the biggest for years. The resorts on the eastern edge of the mountains got the most snow – but all the same, there’s a deep mantle of snow almost everywhere. Mount Hutt currently has up to 340cm of settled snow across its slopes, and Treble Cone over two metres in the vaunted off-piste terrain of Saddle Basin.

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Here’s the opening-day video from Treble Cone. “The best opening day I’ve seen…ever!” was one comment.

 

In Chile, there’s been heavy snow, too…

Snow Report, June 27 | Welove2ski
Portillo, near Santiago in Chile, which had 60cm of snow at the weekend. As a result the resort has pulled forward its opening day to June 29. Photo: Portillo/Facebook

 

With more to come this week.

Snow Report, June 27 | Welove2ski
The Meteoblue forecast for South America later today. Note the heavy snow around Santiago in Chile…

After promising pre-season snowfalls in May, skiers were dreaming of a cracking start to the ski season in the Andes. Now – at last – they’ve got it. There was snowfall in several Chilean resorts at the weekend, although the goods were not evenly distributed. Portillo’s snow report reckoned on 60cm of the white suff at the weekend, while Valle Nevado, further south, reported 20cm. What’s even more exciting is the prospect of the storm that’s coming over the next two days, which looks much more powerful…

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In Australia, half a metre of snow has saved the start of the season.

Snow Report, June 27 | Welove2ski
Photo: Perisher/Facebook
The season is picking up in Australia too – although not as spectacularly as in NZ or the Andes. Perisher, in the Snowy Mountains, has seen 45cm of snow in the last seven days, and reports a settled snow depth of 30cm, with 20 out 47 lifts running. That’s a big improvement on its opening day, when it was offering scenic chairlift rides to visitors.

 

In the Alps, it’s still snowing

Snow Report, June 27 | Welove2ski
The Japanese ski team soak up the snow on the Hintertux Glacier on Monday. Photo: Hintertuxer Gletscher/Facebook

 

And it’s not over yet…

Snow Report, June 27 | Welove2ski
Another dusting of snow is expected across the Alps today, according to the Welove2ski snow forecast.

 

Which is great news if you want to ski on a glacier.

Snow Report, June 27 | Welove2ski
Les Deux Alpes’ enormous glacier terrain park yesterday. Photo: 2alpes-snowpark.com

 
It must be tough trying to sell summer holidays in the Alps right now. Wave after wave of snowy weather has marked the late spring and early summer – most memorably at the end of May. The latest falls came on Sunday and Monday, and were heaviest around Innsbruck. Up on the Hintertux Glacier they had 40cm of new snow, which played havoc with the training schedules of the ski teams currently based there. Still, at least it means the cover will stay better for longer: in fact, we could be in for the best summer skiing season in the Alps since 2007.

So: where’s the best snow right now?

This week, no question, the South Island of New Zealand has been the place to ski. But the forecast suggests the weather is going to warm up over the weekend, and the winds strengthen. Snow is likely to fall at altitude on the Queenstown/Wanaka resorts, but there could be some rain lower down.

Meanwhile, in South America, all eyes are on the Andes where the next storm is moving in. If it delivers, then we could see the first big powder day of the season in places like Portillo and Valle Nevado.

Snow Report, June 27 | Welove2ski
This is what a powder day in Portillo looks like. The skier is Chris Davenport. Photo: © Adam Clark.

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France flag France: the summer skiing season is in full swing on the Pisaillas glacier above Val d’Isere, as it is in Tignes and Les Deux Alpes.
Switzerland flag Switzerland: You can still ski on the glacier above Zermatt, and links over to Cervinia are now open too. Saas Fee’s glacier will be open from July 27.
Austria flag Austria: Austria has now flipped to summer-skiing with all resorts now closed apart from the glaciers. These include the Hintertux, the Stubai glacier. The Kitzsteinhorn glacier is currently closed but will reopen on June 28.
Italy flag Italy: access to high-altitude skiing above Cervinia is now possible.
Andorra flag Andorra: Andorra’s ski resorts are now closed for the summer.
Western USA flag Western USA: all the mainstream ski resorts are now closed, but you can still make turns at Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood in Oregon.
Western Canada flag Western Canada:  The ski season is now done and dusted in Canada – although the glacier on Blackcomb mountain, above Whistler is open until July 28 for summer skiing. Check out our guide to the best resorts for summer skiing for more information.

 

About the author

Sean Newsom

As well as founding Welove2ski in June 2007, Sean has written about skiing and snowboarding in the British press for 28 years. For the last 20 of them, he’s also been the ski travel editor at The Sunday Times.

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