March was far too warm

Summer day ends the domestic winter season

The bees are already busy again: here an apricot blossom is being pollinated.(Bild: Dostal Harald)

This March was more than three degrees warmer than the long-term average. The Easter weekend will be over 20 degrees, and on Holy Saturday it is even expected to be up to 26 degrees. The ski resorts are preparing for the last weekend of the winter season - find out from the "Krone" where you can still ski.

Spring is really getting going now! Warm temperatures and foehn weather dominate the Easter weekend. Saturday will even be summery with up to 26 degrees! Only from Monday onwards will a cold front bring more unsettled weather, rain and possibly even the first thunderstorms to the country. "But it will remain mild for the time being," says Christian Resch from GeoSphere Austria. "But March has already been far too warm so far."

Three degrees above average
As of Thursday, climate monitoring at the Linz weather station showed a monthly average of 8.8 degrees, which is more than three degrees above the long-term average. Only last Sunday was the temperature below the average from 1991 to 2020. Precipitation was only half the average: 35 instead of 69 millimetres.

Last chance for passionate skiers
What delights sun worshippers plagues the ski resorts: Most of the valley runs in the country have to be completed by gondola. In Dachstein-West, for example, only just under half of the lifts are open. On the neighboring Krippenstein, almost all ski slopes are still in operation - on the Feuerkogel, on the other hand, it is better to use snowshoes.

Until when you can ski where
Although the valley runs on the Wurzeralm are closed, it is still almost full operation at the top. The other lifts in these four ski areas are still in operation until Easter Monday. 

In Hinterstoder, apart from one closed lift and the valley runs, everything is still open - the only local ski area to remain open until April 7! On Kasberg, you can still ski on Saturday and Sunday before "Bass Mountain" brings the season to a loud close. The Hochficht has been quiet again since March 16 due to the lack of snow.