Since Christmas, double-digit temperatures with rain and strong winds had caused the snow to melt quickly. Most recently, skiing and snowboarding in the Sauerland was only possible in Winterberg on a few narrow artificial snow tracks in the otherwise green landscape. That is now set to change again.

So far, mainly ski resorts with snowmaking systems planned to open on the weekend. "If the predicted snowfall comes, a few slopes could also open at high altitudes with natural snow alone," a spokeswoman said. "Conditions on the slopes are very good. At least the pistes with natural snow should have good conditions."

Some skating trails will be groomed for cross-country skiers. "If the predicted amount of snow comes, there could even be a few classically groomed trails," the spokeswoman said. Several toboggan lifts are also expected to run again. In the Neuastenberg ski area, winter sports with floodlights are planned for Saturday evening for the first time this season.

The weather could be nice for winter sports enthusiasts this weekend: Saturday it should remain mostly dry, new snowfall is expected on Sunday. The German Weather Service in Essen expects continued freezing temperatures at high altitudes.

Also in the Eifel, the landscape is again covered with snow. In Hellenthal, according to the municipality, two snow hiking trails are prepared and three cross-country ski trails are groomed - even if the layer of snow for cross-country skiers is still quite thin in places. The only existing ski lift in the northern Eifel, the White Stone in Hellenthal, however, has been out of operation since the Covid pandemic. The municipality failed to find someone willing to operate the facility.

On Hesse's highest mountain, the Wasserkuppe in the Rhön, skiing operations were to resume at noon on Friday (January 20), according to the operations manager of the ski and toboggan arena, Florian Heitmann. Shortly before the Christmas holidays, the operators had to close the slopes due to mild weather.

Winter has so far put quite a damper in the season for many lift operators. At first December was cold and the lifts went into operation, then it became rainy and warm right during the Christmas vacation period. In the middle of the winter season, some summer toboggan runs were reopened to offer at least something to tourists.

Despite this, the crowds at the few ski lifts that were still able to open were huge. "People want to get out in the fresh air during the holidays, get some exercise and experience something - and in winter they want to go skiing and tobogganing," said Florian Leber, lift operator in Winterberg.

The Wintersport Arena Sauerland is an association of ski resorts in the districts of Hochsauerland, Siegen-Wittgenstein, Olpe and the Hessian municipality of Willingen. It includes 34 ski resorts with 126 lifts.

After the return of snow and frost, ski fans can indulge in winter sports again this weekend in the Thuringian Forest. Then the lifts in Steinach, Schmiedefeld, Heubach and probably also in the Oberhof Snowpark will be fired up, announced the Regional Association Thuringian Forest. In Steinach, it was already set to open on Friday (20 January) for night skiing. According to the information, 35 winter hiking trails in the Thuringian Forest are groomed and three toboggan slopes are open.

While artificial snow is being added to the ski slopes, the natural snow in the region is barely enough for cross-country skiing so far. However, more new snow is expected over the weekend, so that the winter sports resorts are preparing to groom the cross-country trails at the beginning of next week. For cross-country skiers, only the sports field trail in Schmiedefeld and the multifunctional trail in Masserberg are currently groomed.

For lift operators, the season got off to an early start in December, but was initially short-lived. Christmas and New Year's business was completely cancelled. Since then, they have been eagerly awaiting winter weather.

With the first snowfall this week, winter has returned to the Harz Mountains. "It's finally back," said the operations manager of the Wurmberg cable car in Braunlage, Fabian Brockschmidt, on Thursday. He plans to have the lifts running again on Lower Saxony's highest mountain on the border with Saxony-Anhalt starting Saturday.

At least the Hexenritt area should be opened. "Here we have everything: a large parking lot, the ski school and restaurants," said Brockschmmidt. The gondola lift on the Wurmberg is also scheduled to run again this weekend. From the valley station directly in the town of Braunlage, it should be bringing tobogganers to the summit starting on Saturday, said Brockschmidt. As quickly as possible, all lifts and slopes for skiers and snowboarders should then be put into operation.

There have been ten centimeters of natural snow, said the operations manager. He has also put the snow cannons into operation to produce additional snow. Snow cannons are also in operation at Matthias Schmidt Mountain, as webcam footage showed. It should be possible to ski there again from Saturday.

The goal is to produce as much snow as possible. The cold temperatures of the coming days should then ensure that it does not melt away again. After all, school vacations in Lower Saxony are coming up at the end of the month. Then the Harz ski resorts hope for many visitors.

On the weekend, it is expected to snow once again in the Harz. "Two to five centimeters are possible there," said a meteorologist from the German Weather Service. Over the weekend and also at the beginning of next week, temperatures across Lower Saxony are not expected to climb above zero degrees Celsius. On Wednesday, two degrees are possible, he said. "In high-altitude areas, continued freezing temperatures are to be expected," the meteorologist said. There will be no precipitation in the new week, he added.

(Orig. text: dpa / Translation: Carol Kloeppel)