Austrian Glacier Starting Season On Friday After Heavy Snowfall
Austrian Glacier Starting Season On Friday After Heavy Snowfall
Published : 16-Sep-2024 03:16
The heavy snowfall in the Alps, which appears to have been particularly intense over Austria, has led to the Stubai Glacier announcing it plans to start its 24-25 season this coming Friday, September 20th.
Although Austrian glaciers opened in early-mid September until a few years ago, the rapid advance of climate change has led most to postpone their planned start dates to October, or the final weekend of September and the Stubai had not been expected to open for 3 or 4 weeks, but it reports that it has received 50cm of fresh snowfall, hence the decision.
There's nowhere currently open in Austria although the previously year-round Hintertux Glacier is officially only temporarily closed after warm July and august temperatures at altitude melted its snow cover. It has however had at least 25cm of snowfall from the recent storms so it remains to be seen how soon it will re-open.
The Piztal and Solden glaciers had previously announced they'd open on the final weekend of September, the Kaunteral on the first weekend of October and the Kitzsteinhorn and Molltal in subsequent weeks next month, so it remains to be seen if any others will push their planned opening dates forward too.
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