We have already seen powdered sugar on peaks and hillsides in Setesdalen. But from the night of Wednesday until Thursday afternoon, 20–40 cm of snow can fall. Strong winds and snow flurries are also expected
The Meteorological Institute has therefore sent out a yellow danger warning for snow in the mountain regions of southern Norway.
The alpine center at Hovden in Bykle has invested in snow production so that they can make more snow in larger parts of the facility. Picture is from the unusually quiet Easter in 2020.
Photo: Per-Kåre Sandbakk / NRK Aerial photo
Looking forward to winter
At the Hovden alpine center at the top of Setesdal, there is great joy over the snow forecast:
– We are looking forward to winter, says Ann-Torill Briksdal, who is the day-to-day manager of the Hovden Alpin Resort AS group.
– We had the very first snowfall on the mountain tops a few days ago. Now we notice that expectations are building among our guests, she says.
The autumn holidays are a good indication of how the season can turn out.
– There have been many people at the cabins. We notice that people are ready to start the winter season. People buy annual passes and many hand in their skis for preparation.
Ann-Torill Briksdal is the day-to-day manager of the Hovden Alpin Resort AS group.
Photo: private
Briksdal says the signal is that many people who previously would have taken a skiing holiday abroad – rather prefer to holiday in Norway this season.
– It is expensive to go to the Alps – it is cheaper to holiday in your own country. There will also not be any big increase in the prices of day passes in the alpine centre, says Briksdal.
Even if there is not so much snow that one can take up skiing this week, it could lead to locally difficult driving conditions.
It is only five months since this photo was taken by DNT SØR Rustfjell 1055 m west of Ose and north of Reiårsvatn in Setesdal.
Photo: DNT SØR
Difficult driving conditions
Reduced visibility and the possibility of convoy driving or closed roads can be consequences of the weather.
The advice from the meteorologists is to allow some extra time for transport and driving. Use the right tires and drive according to the conditions.
The alpine center at Hovden has carried out work during the summer which will be able to extend the ski season.
– We have done a lot of invisible work on the ski lift – which the guests will notice in terms of operational reliability, says Briksdal.
– We have also invested a lot in the snow system, which means that we can more quickly produce enough snow in larger parts of the hill.
The yellow warning applies from Wednesday at 4 a.m. to Thursday at 2 p.m. and covers, in addition to Hovden, Bjorli, Lærdal, Voss and Odda, among others.
In 2020, the season’s first “proper” snowfall came on 20 October.
Photo: Hans Erik Weiby / NRK
2023-10-09 15:46:27
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