White Christmas in danger? The snow conditions in Bavaria's ski areas!

White Christmas in danger? The snow conditions in Bavaria's ski areas!

What's going on in the Alps? The holidays are just around the corner and the ski areas in Bavaria are looking forward to a challenging winter season. Last weekend, mild temperatures and cloudless skies meant little joy for winter sports enthusiasts. The zero degree limit was almost 3,000 meters, and the southern slopes of most ski areas remained snow-free until further notice BR.de reported.

In the Bavarian Alps, however, the higher altitudes show a different side. There is 75 cm of snow on the Zugspitze, while the Nebelhorn summit near Oberstdorf has an impressive 1 meter of snow. But in the lower and middle registers? Unfortunately it looks rather poor there. A white Christmas is currently not in sight. However, weather forecasts indicate the possibility of snowfall on Christmas Eve, albeit only in areas.

Opening times of the slopes and lifts

In the higher ski areas of the Allgäu you can look back on a solid snow cover of 23 to 82 cm on the slopes. Seven out of ten lifts are open on the Zugspitze, and 13 out of 18 lifts in the Garmisch-Classic ski area are also open with around 60 cm of artificial snow on the mountain. In Upper Bavaria, however, natural snow is rare. But don't panic: most of the lifts in the ski areas are running despite the difficult conditions. At low altitudes, the slopes are often green, but this does not dampen the skiers' mood Tagesschau.de noticed.

• Garmisch-Partenkirchen: 17 von 42 Skipisten geöffnet, 60 cm Schneedecke auf 2.000 m.
• Sudelfeld: 15 km Pisten und neun Lifte in Betrieb mit 45 cm Schnee am Berg.
• Spitzingsee-Tegernsee: Fünf km Pisten und vier Lifte laufen.
• Am Brauneck: Etwa die Hälfte der Pisten ist geöffnet, aber die Talabfahrt bleibt geschlossen.

Cross-country skiing and other winter sports options

Cross-country skiing enthusiasts will find their happiness in Ettal with a 1.2 km long lap, while in Bayrischzell around five km of classic and six km of skating are prepared every day. However, in the Allgäu, most of the cross-country ski trails are closed. A small ray of hope: nothing stands in the way of the toboggan run at Kolbensattel in Oberammergau.

What's next with the snow? Forecasts show that the Christmas period is usually a high season for the ski slopes in Bavaria. However, the current lack of snow cover is proving to be a serious problem for lift operators. In Berchtesgaden the stations measure just 15 cm and are in operation on 3 of the 19 pistes. Historical data shows that winters are becoming increasingly less snowy - the number of snow days has almost halved since the 1940s, which is dampening the enjoyment of winter sports for many.

Climatic challenges for winter sports

The weather situation not only causes frustrated skiers, but also has economic consequences for the operators. How MeteoSwiss As noted, climate researchers have pointed out the long-term trends in position papers: In the last few decades, the average temperature in Germany has risen by 2.5 °C, which has resulted in a significantly reduced natural snow cover. A decline in the number of ski areas in Bavaria is predicted by 2050. As a result, the future of winter sports in the region could be in jeopardy.

Overall, the current situation in winter sports areas remains challenging. It remains to be seen whether the announced cold weather on Christmas Eve will bring a snowy new beginning. One thing is certain: winter sports enthusiasts have to prepare for unstable conditions and can only hope that there will be a positive turnaround.