Dresden (dpa/sn)
The ski season on the Fichtelberg was short in December thanks to the weather. The lifts in Saxony’s largest alpine ski area are now back in operation.
The ski lifts on the Fichtelberg are back in operation. “It started at nine o’clock,” said the manager of the Fichtelberg suspension railway, René Lötzsch, on Wednesday. He was satisfied with the crowd. “There are some school classes and vacationers who take advantage of the good conditions,” said Lötzsch. In the past few days, the slopes have been snowed.
In December, frosty temperatures initially offered good conditions for preparing the slopes, not only in Oberwiesenthal, Saxony’s largest alpine ski area. As a result, the season was opened there on December 16th. However, that was short-lived and the last lift was closed again on December 24th after the thaw and rain.
Snow cover currently about 20 centimeters thick
Now the weather on the Fichtelberg will probably remain suitable for skiing for the time being. Sunny weather and temperatures around freezing are expected on Wednesday and Thursday, said a spokesman for the German Weather Service (DWD). The snow cover is currently about 20 centimeters thick. From Thursday to Saturday another five to seven centimeters of fresh snow could be added.
However, the clouds would probably become more compact again from Thursday afternoon, said the DWD spokesman. “Best ski weather” is therefore not to be expected. It will probably get colder by the weekend. For Friday and Saturday, minus five degrees is to be expected. At night, the temperature can drop to minus eight degrees.