Snowpack and deep new snow

Most factors raise or lower a score a little. Two work differently: when there isn't enough snow, or for skate and classic too much new snow, they hold the whole score down, because no amount of sunshine makes up for them.

Snowpack

Snowpace reads the forecast model's snow depth for the place. When it's thin, the score is held down; when it's bare, the score is 0, however good the weather. Downhill needs a deeper base than a groomed nordic track or a snowshoe trail.

While the snowpack is holding the score down, a banner leads Why?: "Snowpack: thin" or "Snowpack: bare". On a bare day there's nothing else to list, so below the banner is just the day's weather. If the forecast has no snow depth for a place, the snowpack doesn't hold its score down at all.

The snowpack is modelled, not measured. It's a weather model's estimate for that spot, and the model doesn't know about snowmaking or grooming. Early and late in the season, a hill making snow can show as bare or thin while its runs are open. That's why Snowpace says bare or thin rather than a depth. Check the place's web site, or its webcam.

Deep new snow

For skate and classic only. A lot of unpacked new snow makes a skate lane soft and slow until it has been packed, and fills classic tracks until they have been reset, however good the rest of the day is. So after a big snowfall, beyond what you said you'll put up with, their scores are held down, and the more snow, the more they're held down. Skate feels it sooner than classic.

While it's holding the score down, a Deep new snow banner leads the detail, with the day's new snow.