Having fun in the snow.
photo: www.goski.sk
FEBRUARY has just showed how unpredictable it can be. New snow put an end to the freezing but sunny weather Slovakia had been experiencing over the last few days. Over the next week, expect rain, snow, frost and wind, as a warm front pushes this cold continental convection away.
Snow will continue in the mountains, over 1,500 metres above sea level. But while the snow cover will grow fast in ski centres, the temperatures will vary, depending on cloudiness, and climb above zero during the day.
Wind will also add to the weather's mix, making for unsuitable skiing conditions.
Some ski centres will continue celebrating St Valentine's Day. The Grand Hotel in Jasná, Low Tatras, will hold a Be My Valentine disco show from 21:00. The Slovak Championships in Boarder Cross Snowboarding competition will take place in Veľká Rača (near Žilina) on February 16.
In Park Snow Donovaly, you can have fun using a land mine detector to search for a bottle of Becherovka, watch a bartenders' freestyle show, or take part in a snow sculpture contest. Hopefully, the above-mentioned warm weather will not melt the sculptures right away.
This week, the Valčianska dolina (valley) ski centre introduces its new 4-person chairlift to make its slope with a 300-metre incline attractive to more demanding skiers.
Expect the start of another cableway in Meander Park Oravice any day now. We will certainly inform you when it happens.
As the Spectator went to print, more snow was in the weather forecast.
To have exact information on the situation in ski centres, check the current situation at www.ski.sk. Any change, though, means only good news.
Ski resort - snow depth - price of daily ski pass
Štrbské Pleso
180 cm
Sk650
Skalnaté Pleso
180 cm
Sk640
Skipark Ružomberok
100 cm
Sk650
Snow Paradise Veľká Rača Oščadnica
120 cm
Sk680
Vrátna
60-160 cm
Sk620
Martinské hole
180 cm
Sk550
Jasná - Chopok
100-200 cm
Sk690
Plejsy
80 cm
Sk500
Donovaly
120 cm
Sk640
Zverovka / Spálená
100 cm
Sk580
Chopok - Juh
200-250 cm
Sk500
