Abstract
In this study, the snow conditions of South-Central Slovakia (Inner Western Carpathians; temperate zone) were analyzed to assess the suitability for ski slope operations without snow production under 1000 m a.s.l. For the study site of the Košútka Ski Centre, meteorological conditions for snowmaking, snowpack characteristics, and snow water equivalent (SWE) compared with seasonal precipitation were identified. To identify the months suitable for snowmaking, the number of potential snowmaking days (PSD) and the required number of snowmaking days (RNSD) were calculated for six winter seasons from 2010–2011 to 2015–2016. The results showed that the conditions of natural snow cover were not appropriate for ski slope operation because of a low natural snow depth. For the Košútka Ski Centre, it was concluded that the essential base layer snowmaking for ski slope operation is possible only for a few days in the winter season because of the increasing mean value of the mean average daily temperature and the consequently higher occurrence of liquid precipitation in the winter season. Essential high snow production results in the heterogeneous distribution of snow on the ski slope, and in high snow depth, density, and SWE of the ski slope snowpack, and in prolonged melting.
Highlights
Snowfall and snow cover have a significant impact on different human activities and, on the entire society and environment
In the six-season average, the mean monthly depth of natural snow cover in South-Central Slovakia was sufficient for ski slope operation for, maximally, two months snow cover in South-Central Slovakia was sufficient for ski slope operation for, maximally, two
Hríbik et al [33] identified three of six winter seasons in which the monthly average snow depth was lower than 30 cm
Summary
Snowfall and snow cover have a significant impact on different human activities and, on the entire society and environment. This impact is obvious mainly in mountainous regions of the world with an abundance of natural snow [1]. In Central Europe (above 500 m a.s.l., but mainly above 1000 m a.s.l.), such regions are, the Alpine and Carpathian regions. In these parts of Europe, the amount of snow and the duration of snow cover are of great social and economic importance. Winter tourism depends on good snow conditions and is very
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