Industry News
Swiss ski resorts saw some early season snowfalls this week after a ‘dynamic fall weather’ front moved through the south side of the Swiss Alps. Up to 90mm of precipitation came down in the canton of Graubünden/Grischa, home to ski resorts like Corvatsch, Corviglia, and Diavolezza near St. Moritz, as well as Davos/Klosters, and Arosa/Lenzerheide.
The snowline fell from 2,500m (8,200ft) to 1,300m (4,265ft) throughout the weather front and several mountain passes had to be closed temporarily, including the Flüela and the Gotthard pass. Many Swiss mountain passes have been closed for the winter now, such as the Susten Pass, Klausen Pass, and Furka Pass. It is the earliest season closure in three years for these passes by about two to three weeks.
The storms brought heavy rainfall to Italy, especially around the Italian lakes region, with flood warnings issued for Lago di Maggiore and Lago di Lugano. Up to 100mm of rain was recorded in some regions. Streets in Milan and Venice were flooded, with pictures emerging of kayaks paddling past Italian cafes and cars stuck in water on the roads.
Snow accumulations from this weather front in the region vary from around 20-50cm (8-20 inches), but measurements are currently highly inaccurate as many ski areas are still closed and snowstakes are not commonly used in Switzerland. Currently open for skiing is Diavolezza near St. Moritz which opened to the public on October 28, 2023. Race teams had been training on snow preserved through snow farming prior to that.
The ski area Corviglia in St. Moritz will host the FIS Alpine World Cup from December 9-10. The Corviglia ski area will open on November 25 as will Corvatsch. At that time, Diavolezza will halt operations for a month and reopen at the end of December again, when skier visits pick up. These ski areas are all on the same ski pass and alternate operating hours in the pre-season period.
Arosa/Lenzerheide will start weekend operations this coming weekend, November 4-5, and will open fully from early December.
Davos/Klosters will start weekend operations on November 10 and will operate fully from November 17.
If you are looking to ski in Switzerland, this coming weekend should be a great weekend as about half a meter (20 inches) of snow is forecast over the next 48 hours.
