Snow report Monte Rosa / Zermatt, 12/20/2016

Snow condition

The snow conditions before the snowfall were not bad at all and all the slopes were open. Away from the slopes, 2 weeks of sun, wind and low temperatures meant that the snow could be found in all its skiable and non-skiable variations. Except for powder. That changed abruptly today. On Monday the snow started slowly and brought about 10 cm over the day. Another 20 cm came down on Tuesday and it continued to snow heavily. By Wednesday, a total of around 40 cm had fallen on the summit, certainly more but unfortunately with a lot of wind. The snow line was around 1500 m

Snow quality

The fresh snow is light and fluffy, even at lower altitudes. For the most part, it's a visual treat and in many places it's not yet enough for unbridled powder fun as you can still get through the hard layers of the previous weeks. However, powder skiing is excellent and you avoid any nasty surprises.

At the top, the snow fell under the influence of quite strong winds. A lot of drifts had formed, which could be observed both on and directly next to the slopes. Unfortunately, visibility was too poor for big off-piste adventures. Things will certainly get more interesting from Thursday onwards. Beware of the build-up transformation in many places. There are many slopes where previously there was a lot of surface frost. All in all, you should certainly proceed with caution over the next few days and wait to see how the new snowfall will affect you.

Overall impression

Deserted ski resort, a small load of fresh snow and espresso for 80 ct. Thanks also to the carabinieri for the jump start after 3 cold nights