SNOWFALL ANALYSIS
Snow Forecasting
Although snowfall is unpredictable at long range, regular patterns do emerge over a number of seasons.
Using this data, you can tell if your preferred travel dates correspond with previous good snow conditions.
Pal-Arinsal-La Massana
Snow cover during Christmas and New Year has generally secured the launch straight into high season, with the February school holiday period also having good conditions. The charts also confirm the sound predictability of late spring snowfalls, often resulting in the best conditions of the season.
The seasonal pattern is fairly robust: mid- to late-March is always a good bet, with the bonus of cheaper holiday packages at that time of the season too.
SNOWFALL RECORDS
Snow-Depth Statistics
The graphs below illustrate snow depth in centimetres, as measured at set points on the lower and upper slopes; figures are taken from official station communiqués.
The magic figure is 100 cm (39 in): once snow depth exceeds that mark, conditions will generally be good throughout the ski area and will usually remain so for an extended period of time.
Fig. 1 Combined average snow depth recorded over the past 3 seasons:
Figs. 2, 3 & 4 The following graphs detail the snowfall history for each of the past three winter seasons (the combined data from these records was used to compile the seasonal averages graph in Fig. 1):
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