Last winter there was record snow. But now there are reports of record snow and challenging conditions for skiing on the mountain.
– In 48 hours there was almost 90 centimeters of fresh, dry powder snow, what we skiers call “Japan-dry” snow. It’s super soft and nice, absolutely wild to ride. It’s the hardest skiing I can remember, says Destinasjon Hemsedal and Hemsedal Tourist Office general manager Richard Taraldsen.
He’s sitting in his car driving down from the Alpine resort on Monday night talking to VG.
– It keeps pouring with snow. In the next 48 hours we expect between 25 and 35 centimeters. Now the temperature is around zero degrees, but it will be colder and I think there will still be dry snow.
After a deplorable winter, record-breaking snow tastes extra good, she admits.
– There was a record amount of snow in many locations in Norway last year. We must also not forget that we had corona restrictions until February 12, 2022.
The open magazine Free movement he wrote earlier on Monday that there are many indications that conditions in, among other places, Hemsedal are going straight into the history books.
– People who have been in Hemsedal longer than me say that this is the hardest thing they have ever experienced, Hemsedal free rider Ole Kristian Strøm tells Free movement.
In Hemsedal, a 100-year-old record was broken over the weekend, says Richard Taraldsen of the tourist office.
– On Hølto measuring station at Hemsedal, 655 meters above sea level, measurements have been taken since 1879. It has been more than 100 years since there has been so much snow at this time of year. Measurements from Sunday 8 January show a snow depth of 115 centimetres. On the same date in 1977, 117 cm were measured. It was in Lykkja, which is 300 meters higher than Hølto in Hemsedal, he says.
– Dust alarm
The dust alarm is also sounding in Hafjell and Kvitfjell.
– Now it’s absolutely crazy. I don’t remember those amounts. In Kvitfjell we achieved between 70 and 90 centimeters last week, says Alpinco’s communications manager Veslemøy Eineteig Wedum.
He writes to VG that on Monday there are more degrees at the bottom of the slopes, but that snow is falling in the mountains. Cold degrees are expected for the rest of the week.
Alpinco reminds us of the dangers of lots of snow.
– Now the danger rating is three and the avalanche risk is significantly off the beaten track throughout the mountain here. Do not drive on steep, avalanche-prone terrain and do not drive alone outside prepared slopes, Alpinco managing director Odd Stensrud said in a message.
Over a meter in Trysil
In Trysil there is more than a meter of snow in the mountains and almost 80 centimeters further down the slope.
– Conditions are generally good throughout the ski area. There is a lack of snow on some slopes, especially where there is only natural snow, says destination manager for SkiStar Trysil Gudrun Sanaker Lohne.
– More than usual
The meteorologist on duty at the Meteorological Institute, Siri Wiberg, says there has been much more snow than normal east of the watershed.
– There is more snow than normal in many locations in eastern and southern Norway, even in the lower-lying areas. It seems that ski resorts like Uvdal, Rjukan, Tokke, Drangedal, Hemsedal, Kvitfjell and Hafjell have a lot of snow. West of Geilo, however, is normal, he says and points to an available snow depth map senor. no.
The map shows large dark blue fields in Agder and much of eastern Norway. The color indicates that there is more than 300% more snow than the average for the years 1991 to 2020.
Meteorologist Wiberg points out that they do not take physical measurements everywhere and that the map is a calculation from various factual measurements that are reported at seven o’clock each day. On the basis of these, among other things, the snow depths are estimated.
– More snow
– Will the powder conditions last?
– Some rounds of wind and precipitation are expected in the next few days. We expect rainfall in the lowlands, probably below 500 meters, with a limit slightly above this in eastern and southern Norway and northern eastern Norway, says Siri Wiberg.
He says there will be a replenishment of snow at high altitude.
– But there won’t be any new snow chaos. We issued a snow forecast in the mountains from Tuesday evening to Wednesday morning, says the meteorologist.
