Before the end of the holidays – now the ski slopes are running away from us

As positively as the winter season had started, it quickly developed into a nail biter for the local tourist industry. Within a few days the snow melted even in the higher ski areas and in many places only white bands cut through the grey-green landscape.

Not a single state escaped the thaw, according to a current overview. In short: from the Semmering to the Arlberg there is, with a few exceptions, an acute lack of snow. Small ski areas are partly completely shut down, many facilities are also closed in the larger ones.

For example, in Lackenhof am Ötscher (Lower Austria) four of the eight lifts (including two magic carpets) and only two of the 16 kilometers of slopes were open on Monday. Things look a little better in Bad Kleinkirchheim (Carinthia), where one can hope for minus degrees at weekends at night. In Upper Austria, on the other hand, the slopes are visibly empty: For example, the Sternstein, Linz’s local mountain, had to announce a service interruption on New Year’s Day.

Many bookings during the Christmas holidays
At the same time, an optimistic spirit still prevailed among the rural hoteliers and hut keepers. The booking situation in the Christmas holidays, according to Chamber of Commerce tourism president Robert Seeber, was “the guests, especially families, looking for alternatives such as wellness or carriage rides.” still waiting to take bookings. Seeber: “Of course we hope that the snow will come back.”

Interview: “The long-awaited snow is nowhere to be seen until the end of the holidays”
Ubimet meteorologist Konstantin Brandes predicts that winter will last longer.

“crown”: Waldviertel, ie in the very north of Lower Austria, and elsewhere the brimstone butterflies are already fluttering around. Daisies also bloom. Isn’t that normal for this time of year?
Brands: The start in 2023 was far from normal. We had 18.4 degrees Celsius in Bludenz on Monday afternoon – that’s a new January record. The old one dates from 1960 on 18.1.

And the journey continues, or is the long-awaited snow finally in sight? Because the current situation is driving tourism professionals to despair in view of the green slopes.
Unfortunately, I have to temper this hope. It will not be so extremely mild in the coming days, but we will remain at a temperature level that is much too high for the time of year. In any case, a massive winter with cold and falling flakes is not yet in sight.

So the weather will spin until Sunday and deny us white splendor for the foreseeable future?
As for the next seven to nine days, definitely yes. On Thursday and Friday there are also gusts of up to 70 km/h from the Innviertel to Burgenland.

What else do the weather maps tell us?
This is of course still very uncertain.

Okay, then we’ll just stay this week.
A weaker cold front will pass us on Tuesday. However, from a meteorological point of view, it has hardly any precipitation in its baggage. And in the east, paradoxically, despite the cold front, it becomes even milder, as the cool misty air is displaced.

So no glimmer of hope?
The little productive snow line is located at 1500 meters above sea level. In addition, there is a maximum of three to four centimeters.

The average highlights?
During the weekend, these are a maximum of 14 degrees. Even then it should remain mild and changeable. In Vienna it can be 15 degrees warm until Sunday.

Can we at least do something like an early spring walk, or even something like a winter sunbath?
In any case, it will often remain gray in the lowlands on Wednesday. Unfortunately, on the north side of the Alps we have to expect clouds and rain.