March 4-5, 2017

Well, I think we can all agree that the past few weeks won't go down in history as the best February we've had. The earlier part of the month was promising, with close to 50 cm of snow falling in a single week. The weather turned abruptly, however, with over 10 days of above-freezing weather and a multiple days of rain. While I'm sure most of us appreciated the dry streets and not having to wear boots or a heavy parka outside, this weather wasn't a treat for ski hills. In my neighbourhood, we went from 4-foot-tall snow banks to patches of bare grass in a matter of a week. So where does this leave skiing?

After Wednesday's torrential rains, temperatures plummeted to well below freezing.The past few nights have been very cold, and tomorrow, Saturday, the temperature is expected to reach a high of -11. Sunday should be a bit warmer, but you won't be looking for your spring jacket - it will be -5. Fortunately, it will be sunny, which should provide a bit of warmth.

It goes without saying, don't expect powder on your favourite mogul or glade trail this weekend - the best conditions will be on groomed runs. Temperatures fell on Wednesday night, meaning ski hills will have groomed the trails at least 3 times by the weekend. This is enough for a lot of the ice and granular blocks to have been broken up, and conditions should be at least acceptable. The snow will be very firm though, and is likely to get icy quickly, so start early to enjoy the best conditions of the day.

Also, if you ski frequently and haven't had your equipment tuned since the beginning of the season, this weekend would be the perfect time. For optimal performance, experts recommend having your skis sharpened and waxed every 10-12 uses, and doing so will allow your skis to cut into the snow better and slide easier.

In an unprecedented move, Ski Bromont and Mont Sutton are restarting snowmaking operations! Snowmaking in March is very rare, since Hydro-Quebec's price structure make this type of operation extremely expensive. The last time in recent memory ski hills made snow in March was back in 2012, after the famous week where it was +20 every day. By making new snow,hills will ensure sufficient snow coverage until the end of the season, and also a new layer of snow will help refresh conditions and make the base softer.

This coming week is Spring Break for schools on the island of Montreal, and next week is Ontario Spring Break. Are you trying to decide where to go skiing one day? Don't forget to read our latest article to find out about some great March Break deals!