What are the Best Weather Conditions For Skiing?

Sunshine.

It’s ice-cold outside, and you want to remain physically active. The thought suddenly pops into your head: you could go skiing! But with the wind chill making weather conditions more severe, is that really such a great idea? In fact, what exactly is the best kind of weather to go skiing in exactly? You’re about to find out.

Unsurprisingly, you’ll want to ski in “moderate” conditions. Of course, when it comes to a sport that involves snow, the definition of “moderate” is quite different from the “moderate” temperatures of, say, Jamaica. Let’s consider a few factors that play into skiing weather: temperature, snow fall, wind, and potential ice.

In terms of temperature, “moderate” skiing weather might be somewhere around 20-25 degrees Fahrenheit. You don’t want the mercury to climb too close to the melting point of ice (32 degrees Fahrenheit). It’s better to have snow that has been relatively uninterrupted by any melting or excessive cold, as this is generally easier on your skis and will provide a consistent ski resistance. Also, if the temperature gets close to 32 and comes back down, it’s possible that some snow melts into water and re-freezes as ice, which is not a good situation.

For snowfall, it helps that there’s little to no snow falling in general – depending on the snow fall itself, generally snow is harmless, but it can cause a few problems like getting on your goggles and generally disrupting your visibility even without goggles.

Wind is always a special factor when winter rolls around, for a number of reasons. First, wind influences the wind chill, which makes the temperature feel colder than it really is – people who are unprepared for wind chill can find themselves getting frost bite relatively quickly. Wind can also blow snow around, including on the roads you travel to get to the ski hill! If it’s too windy to do much in the snow except maybe play around a little in your own yard, it’s probably best to avoid skiing. In low-temperature cases you’ll want to stay indoors as much as possible.

Lastly, consider the possibility of potential ice, as mentioned before. Ice can come from snow melting into water and re-freezing as ice. Be aware of ice and avoid it as much as possible – if the roads are icy, simply stay at home. If the slopes are icy, avoid them as well.

Photo Credits: Thomas Kirkevåg

Originally posted 2009-12-10 03:53:17.

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