Where is Good to Ski or Board Right Now?

The question everyone is asking, Where is Good to Ski or Board Right Now?

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**** Updated Sunday, 2 December, 2023 ****

It’s been a  slightly up-and-down week for weather in the Alps but in most respects, the dream start continues with still more early base-building snowfalls. For full disclosure, the only real ‘blip’ was a period of rain to high altitude as temperatures suddenly spiked, but this appears to have been short-lived and actually helped stabilise the snowpack.  Stormy weather also closed some centres at times. The week ahead looks predominantly cold and frequently snowy again. So it’s looking good.

Outside the Alps, the first resorts have opened in the Czech and Slovak Republics but the start of the season seems to have stalled slightly in the Pyrenees.  Nearly everywhere has opened now in Scandinavia however.

Across the Atlantic, the season start still lacks the big snowfalls that marked the start of last winter 22-23, but there has been more snowfall and most of the continent’s well-known resorts are now open, just without much terrain available yet …but then it is just the start of December.

Austria

A great week for Austria with cold temperatures and snowfall down to low levels. More than 50 of the country’s ski areas are now open and those that have been open a while continue to lead the world in terms of terrain open. The Saalbach and Arlberg regions, including Lech and St Anton, are among the latest big-name centres to open this weekend. Kitzbuhel, Saalbach, The Arlberg, Obergurgl, Solden and Obertauern all have at least 50km of slopes open, with Ischgl leading the world with nearly 200km of slopes open already.  Year-round Hintertux has the highest percentage of its runs open already, 52km of its 60km area.  Snow falling in Fieberbrunn this week above.

France

It’s mostly good news from France, with still more snowfall and more resorts opening, but not quite all good with a brief spell of rain up to 2,800m altitude reported a few days ago. However that’s actually good news overall, avalanche experts report, as it will stabilise a snowpack that was rather unstable off-piste due to the heavy snowfall and strong winds at times. Newly opened ski areas include Alpe d’Huez, La Clusaz, Les 2 Alpes, Montgenevre and Chamonix Valley (Argentiere) – opening with over 3 metres of snow reported lying, the most in the world for anywhere open to date. They join Val Thorens (pictured above last week) and Tignes, already open a fortnight. The 3 Valleys has also had an early opening of some of its other sectors.

Italy

More Italian centres have opened meaning about a third of the country’s resorts now have at least some runs open. But it’s been a mixed week for weather with more snowfall for most but some suffering from dry, sunny conditions, leading to the temporary closure of some slopes at Madonna di Campiglio (although it looked good when this picture was taken above earlier last week). Val Gardena is one of those newly opened, several days ahead of schedule, initially with just a few runs but planning to fully open from the middle of next week when it will have one of the largest areas open in the world at present.

Switzerland

There’s been a big jump in the number of Swiss areas opening for the season, so now more than 50, or about half of the country’s leading centres have opened. Here too it has been a mixed week for weather with an overall positive picture but with some spells of warm weather bringing rain to quite high levels against periods of snowfall down to low levels. This dynamic pattern, which has also included strong winds at altitude has led to temporary lift and slope closures at times and a moderate to high avalanche risk off-piste.  The Samnaun-Ischgl area has just under 200km of slopes open, the most in the country to date, while Glacier 3000 has the deepest snow at 2.4 metres (8 feet) up top.  Verbier, pictured above last week, has had nearly a metre of fresh snow but warns the avalanche danger is high. Murren is pictured top last week.

Pyrenees

There seems to be a bit of a delay on the season kick-off in Andorra, with centres saying they’ll open at the start of next week – a key one on the Spanish side of the mountains with a plethora of public holidays making resorts really, really want to have slopes open to attract early-season overnight stays. For now though, there’s not much change on a week ago when Baqueira Beret opened the first runs on the Spanish side and Porte Puymorens the first on the French side. This weekend it’s Font Romeu open instead on the French side. Bases are thin at this early point though, with just 10-30cm of snow lying.  Conditions are a little marginal still, with overnight lows of -10C and some snowfall but daytime highs of +10C and some rain at times.

Scandinavia

Another cold week in Scandinavia where all of the region’s big resorts are now open for the season, including the largest, Sweden’s Are and Salen, as well as Norway’s Hemsedal and Trysil (pictured above last week) and Levi,  Ruka and Yllas up in Lapland where we’re now early at 24-hours without the sun coming up above the horizon. Although we have again seen the minus 10s and even minus 20s, temperatures did climb up and ut even managed to sleet a little briefly early in the week at more southerly locations, but most have seen clear days with the odd light snow shower. As a result, most lonely have thin bases and 10-20% of their terrain open so far.

Scotland

Scotland has enjoyed a very cold, sometimes snowy week, but there’s not yet enough snowfall to open, despite one newspaper claiming centres were opening early.  To be fair all five centres have all-weather snowmaking systems so could open a small amount of terrain if they wished, but most are saying they’ll aim for Christmas week for that when demand is there. Glencoe has though got its access chairlift running to take ski tourers up to the snowline for some early season off-piste.

Eastern Europe

The first ski areas outside the Alps, Pyrenees and Scandinavia have opened in Europe this weekend with centres in the Czech and Slovak Republics now open.  They include Czechia’s Špindlerův Mlýn but the region’s largest resort, Jasna in Slovakia, reports the most terrain open, about half of its 45km of slopes,  and decent snow cover, particularly on higher slopes. It has been a snowy week with another one forecast ahead. Bulgaria’s ski season is set to kick off in the middle of the month.

USA

Most of America’s leading ski areas are now open and a foot or so of snowfall has been reported both in the Rockies in the west and in New England in the East over the past few days. But it has been a mixed bag with a lot of dry and sometimes warm weather as well as periods of low visibility, so it still feels like winter proper has not really got underway. Most resorts still have thin bases and limited terrain open, although more significant snowfall is now in the forecast.  Colorado’s Vail is reporting the most terrain open in the country – but still only about 10% of its full area. Alaska’s Alyeska has opened with the deepest snow in America as that’s the part of the continent that did see a lot of November snowfall.

Canada

Like the US, Canada is also still waiting for a really good snowfall to get the season moving but nonetheless, more areas have been opening. Fernie has opened about 20% of its slopes on opening for the season and currently has the most terrain open in the country.  Whistler is just behind with about 10% of its slopes open. Conditions remain challenging in the East with warm weather for December limiting snowmaking operations. Those watching the women’s World Cup GS races at Tremblant at the weekend, unfortunately, saw racers battle on springlike slush and mountain fog in the limited open terrain.  The forecast is looking good though with cold, snowy weather expected for the week ahead.  Cypress Mountain in BC pictured top.

 

**** Updated Saturday, 25 November, 2023 ****

We’re into triple figures for the number of ski areas already open in Europe and North America and pre-season conditions remain promising in most areas. There’s been more snowfall to low levels in the Alps and temperatures have remained mostly low while over in the Pyrenees, new snow has allowed ski areas to start opening here for the season.

More resorts are now open in the Dolomites too, the largest opening with 50km of slopes open from day one. Over in North America, most of the continent’s big resorts are now open, including the biggest, Park City and Whistler Blackcomb. For US resorts many wanted to be open for the current Thanksgiving holiday weekend. There’s been less snowfall here than in the Alps so far but reported falls of up to about a foot more snow in the Rockies have improved things and it’s been cold enough for snowmaking systems to run at full pelt.

Austria

Austria, and particularly the Tirol region, continues to lead the world when it comes to the amount of terrain open at its resorts so far. Ischgl jumped to the world’s number one spot with 112km of slopes open from day one when it opened on Thursday. It overtook Solden which had reached 100km of slopes open itself, the first in the world this season to get to triple figures. Nearby Obergurgl is in third place with 70km open already.  Often needing snowmaking to open its terrain in November, this year Ischgl says it has had up to 60cm (two feet) of natural snowfall, and there’s been more falling across the country down to low levels over the past few days.  The Stubai Glacier pictured this week.

France

The French ski season was due to have begun this weekend at Tignes (lift opening day at Tignes last weekend pictured above) and Val Thorens but because of the heavy snowfall in the French Alps in the first half of this month, is already a week old, after those two centres opened early. That said dlown in the Pyrenees Porte Puymorens reported some ski slopes open this weekend. Most other French resorts plan to open over the first three weekends of December with resorts like Chamonix, Montgenevre and Les 2 Alpes lined up to open next weekend. It has been another week of mostly promising weather in the French mountains with the snowline dropping again with lower temperatures and more snowfall.

Italy

Another good very early season week in Italy with cool temperatures and some fresh snowfall and the number of centres open here is now up into double figures. Big name centres already open include Cortina d’Ampezzo, Madonna di Campiglio (above this week), Livigno and Kronplatz. The latter has opened with the most terrain open in the country so far – 50km of slopes. However, less well-known Sulden has the deepest reported snow in the country at 1.2 metres.

Switzerland

Switzerland now leads Europe in terms of the number of ski centres open, reaching almost 20 ski areas with at least some runs open this weekend. There are also more runs available at centres that are open, with Zermatt/Cervinia nearly doubling up from 30km a week ago to 60km this and the newly opened Corviglia area at St Moritz posing even more. However, the Samnaun/Ischgl area has taken the top spot with 120km (75 miles) of runs open this weekend. There’s more and more terrain open and in further good news, temperatures have been very low, hardly getting above freezing, with more snow falling too. Glacier 3000 is pictured above.

Pyrenees

The Pyrenees have had a positive change in the weather since the start of this week with temperatures dropping and a decent amount of fresh snow falling too. Snowmaking systems have also fired up with many of the region’s larger centres due to begin opening for the season from next weekend. Baqueira Beret (pictured above this week) announced it was opening a week earlier than expected, this weekend, thanks to snowfall there.

Scandinavia

Another great week for Scandinavian ski areas as temperatures appear to dip ever colder and daylight hours start to disappear altogether, until January, up in the Arctic Circle. -25C has been spotted up in Levi and Ruka in Lapland which are already nearly two months into their 23-24 seasons. The region’s big-name resorts including Are (pictured above) and Salen in Sweden and Hemsedal, Trysil and Geilo in Norway are all open now too. There have been some good 20-40cm snowfalls reported by some Norwegian areas including Roldal.

Scotland

Scotland has had slightly warmer weather on some days over this past week but also continued to see overnight lows dipping well below freezing most nights on ski slopes. Not much fresh natural snowfall to report this week but Glencoe has had a test firing of its all-weather snowmaking system and said it hopes to open sledging in a fortnight and its access chairlift for ski tourers wanting a lift up, at the start of December.

Eastern Europe

It continues to look promising for the start of the season for most ski centres in Eastern Europe. Slovakia’s largest, Jasna, has been posting images of snow lying a foot deep on higher slopes (above) and Bansko, the biggest in Bulgaria, has had more snowfall too. Most Eastern European centres aim to open over the first three weekends of December.

USA

An improving picture in the US with resorts in the Rockies posting up to a foot of snowfall at the start of the week. Then midweek there was a decent dump on the East Coast too (Sugarloaf in Mazine pictured this week above). Both were much needed, especially as resorts battled to open for the big Thanksgiving holiday. Lots of the country’s big resorts are indeed now open right across the country.  However, there’s still not much open at most resorts with most only having a foot or less of snow cover and limited terrain open so far.

Canada

The season is starting to find its rhythm in Western Canada with a decent 30-40cm dump in Alberta which Banff’s Norquay declared was “the snowfall we’ve been waiting for”.  Lake Louise is pictured top and above – about to open new terrain this weekend.  The country and continent’s biggest resort, Whistler Blackcomb, has started its season and reports about 10% of its vast terrain open so far. The season is also getting underway in the east of the country too, mostly thanks to snowmaking but with some natural snow too. The biggest area here, Tremblant, has a few runs open and another big player Mont Ste Anne opens this weekend.

**** Updated Saturday, 18 November, 2023 ****

The number of ski areas open worldwide continues to grow rapidly, passing the 60 mark this weekend, with about a 60%/40% split Europe to North America.  We’re set to reach triple figures before next weekend.

A lot of ski areas in the alps are opening a week or more earlier than planned with Crans Montana, Laax, Livigno, Madonna di Campiglio and Passo Tonale among those doing so this weekend.  So too did Tignes and Val Thorens, starting the French ski season.

The Alps have seen more snowfall, down to low levels in Austria over the last few days, although there has also been thawing and rain on some lower slopes after the big falls in the first half of the month, pretty normal as things settle down to winter in the latter half of autumn. It has remained cold up in Scandinavia where big name resorts like Are and Trysil are now open..

Over in the US it remains a mixed picture with more East Coast resorts opening (including Sunday River pictured top) and the biggest in the US, Park City (pictured above), but some including Telluride have delayed opening due to too little snowfall there.

Austria

Austrian ski areas have seen some of the best snowfall of the past few days with Lech and St Anton both posting images of heavy snowfall down to street level on  Saturday. There are about a dozen ski areas open with Obergurgl the latest non-glacier area to join, opening with over 50km of runs open while its Otztal neighbour in Tirol, Solden, has jumped to over 90km of slopes open, up 50% on a week ago and remaining the most in the world at present. In fact there two have the most open on the planet at present, followed by two more Tirol areas, Hintertux and Stubai, each with nearly 40km open. They’re perhaps all preparing for next Thursday which sees Ischgl opening and its currently reporting great snow conditions ahead of opening day. It often manages to have over 100km of slopes open from day one, even in poor snow autumns.

France

The French ski season is due to get underway this weekend with both Tignes and Val Thorens (pictured above a few days before opening), which had planned to be the first in the country to open at the end of next week, bringing their opening dates forward by a week after receiving more than a metre of snowfall above 2,000m. The past week has, unfortunately, seen a bit of a set back as you might expect for mid-November with some fast thawing on lower slopes as well as rain and gales at times but Tignes still aims to open with 1300m of skiable vertical this weekend.

Italy

The choice of ski areas open in Italy has jumped this week with Livigno (above), Madonna di Campiglio and the Presena glacier by Passo Tonale all opening early and doubling the choice of resorts open already here. The move follows more than a metre of snowfall on higher slopes in the first half of November creating great early-season conditions on higher runs. You can now also ski on the Italian side of the border down from the glacier at Zermatt-Cervinia.

Switzerland

Swiss ski centres have seen another week of snowfall, if not so much as the previous fortnight, but things still remain good and more than a dozen areas are open this weekend (18-19 November), the most for any single country in Europe. Andermatt, Crans Montana, Grimentz and Laax were among the areas newly opening, joining the likes of Arosa, Davos, Engelberg, Gstaad, Murren, Saas Fee,  St Moritz and Zermatt.  Andermatt (pictured above) reported 80cm of fresh snowfall lying for its opening day.

Pyrenees

There’s been some snowfall on higher slopes in the Pyrenees but no ski areas are known to have opened for the season there yet and most targeting the first weekend in December in a fortnight’s time.

Scandinavia

It continues to be very cold in Scandinavia and daylight hours are dropping away quickly too with more northerly areas due to start a month or so without the sun appearing above the horizon in just a few weeks’ time. Big name resorts including Are in Sweden, which has the largest ski area in the region as well as Trysil in Norway are now open, but none of the dozen or so areas now open have much terrain available yet. The most, 7km of slopes, is on offer at Finland’s largest resort, Levi, where temperatures have been down to the -15 to -25C range this week. It’s Lapland neighbour Ruka is pictured above.

Scotland

Scotland’s season is edging nearer with another week of low temperatures and more snowfall on higher peaks in the Highlands. Nowhere’s open yet but centres have started to announce opening plans. Cairngorm say they’ll wait to Christmas week, by which time they hope the funicular, out of action once more, will be fixed. Glencoe will run their access chairlift and start making snow with their all-weather Snow-factory from the start of December.

Eastern Europe

There’s been more snowfall on high slopes in many mountain ranges of Eastern Europe. It’s currently looking particularly good at Slovakia’s largest resort, Jasna. There has also been snowfall reported for Bansko, the largest resort in Bulgaria. However most areas won’t be aiming to open until early December or later, although that’s now just a fortnight away.

USA

The US ski season continues to come to life but we’re yet to see the big snowfalls in either East or Western US that we’ve seen in the Alps and the last big snowfalls (1 foot plus) were recorded back in late October for most areas. Instead there’s been a lot of sunshine, some rain and not much snow yet. But resorts are opening with small amounts of terrain available, including the largest, Park City, as Utah’s season gets underway. On the East coast more centres have opened too, joining Killington, including Maine’s largest Sugarloaf (pictured above this week) and Sunday River, both offering top-to-bottom runs.

Canada

There’s still not a whole lot open for the 23-24 season yet in Canada, either in the number of resorts or the amount of terrain available at those centres that are open, and we’re really still waiting a big, prolonged, snowfall, but it is a gradually improving picture, especially in the west where about half a dozen resorts are now open with Sun Peaks (above)the first in BC to d so, pictured above, and due to be joined by the biggest in the country and North America, Whistler Blackcomb, in just a few days’ time.

 

**** Updated Saturday, 11 November, 2023 ****

The main snow news this week continues to be from the Alps where some centres have reported another 30-60cm of snowfall following similar accumulations at the end of last week, so a growing number have now had over a  metre of snow on high slopes and it’s looking good for the start of the season. With that in mind, more resorts including big names like Cortina d’Ambezzo, Davos, Kitzbuhel and Verbier have now opened for 23-24 while the first French centres, Tignes and Val d’Isere will open next weekend, a week earlier than originally planned, thanks to the snow. Scandinavia continues to look good too and there’s been more snowfall, though nothing open yet, in other mountain ranges.

Across the Atlantic the US there’s not been much fresh snow but the country has leapt to first place for most areas open, the first to reach double-figures for the 23-24 season. Seven of these are in Colorado where Breckenridge and Vail just opened. California’s season is also underway with Mammoth among the first to open only 3 months after its 22-23 season ended in August.

Austria

Austria will most likely be the first European nation to have 10 centres open next weekend when Obergurgl (pictured above) is scheduled to open. It also has the ski areas with the most terrain open, topped by Solden, which has staged its winter opening this weekend and expanded its available slopes beyond its glacier to 60km of runs – far more than the less than 10km most of the 40 or so areas open worldwide can offer. Hintertux and Stubai have the 2^nd and 3^rd most in the world with over 30km of runs open each.  Kitzbuhel and Schladming opened at the weekend joining the seven glacier areas already open..

France

The snow keeps falling on the French Alps and to some extent, the Pyrenees with many resorts now posting over a metre accumulated in the past week above about 2,500m, but with snow down to around 1,400m in places. There remains nowhere open as yet but Tignes has now broken ranks and says it will open a week earlier than planned, next weekend (18^th) with skiing over 1300 vertical metres from day one, down from the glacier.

“We have snow down to Croisette at 1800m and temperatures are low. This is a great start to the season so far. There is more snow in the forecast for next week alongside these cool air temperatures and we are excited for our opening date of 9th December,” said Marlene Giacometti, Les Menuires Tourist Office Director.

Italy

Italian resorts have also seen plenty more snowfall in both the Alps in the west and the Dolomites. Cortina d’Ampezzo’s Col Galina area has opened joining already open Sulden. Madonna di Campiglio and the Presena Glacier are both expected to open early, next weekend, and Cervinia (pictured above), which now provides year-round access to the glacier skiing above Zermatt and is currently on the world ski racing stage as successive weekends of World Cup downhill racing are underway there, has announced that some runs on its side of the border will open this week.

Christina Demetz from Val Gardena Tourist Office comments, ” We have winter storms hitting Val Gardena this week and already we have 30cm of snow on the mountains. We are due to open on the 5th December and this cold weather and early snow is great to see.”

Switzerland

We have up to nine ski areas open in Switzerland now, although about half of these are only opening at weekends in November. Newly opened for 23-24 this weekend are Arosa (pictured top), Davos and Verbier (pictured above) with Adelboden opening some cross-country tracks but not downhill runs. They join already open Gstaad (Glacier 3000), Murren, St Moritz (Diavolezza Glacier), Saas Fee and Zermatt. All report great conditions thanks to abundant snowfall over the past week. Davos has skiing accessed by the  Parsenn funicular railway is taking skiers and boarders up to the ski area with the “Totalp”, “Rapid”, “Furka” and “Kreuzweg” lifts and their associated pistes all open. The summit lift is also in operation for freeriders, with the East summit having no groomed piste.

Pyrenees

There’s been more snowfall in the Pyrenees over the past week, particularly on higher slopes, but there remains nowhere open as yet.  Most centres plan to open on the first weekend of December.

Scandinavia

Scandinavia’s ski season is really starting to take off with more small centres opening across the region and big names like Are and Trysil set to open next weekend. It’s also stayed cold with more snow falling. Levi in Lapland (above) is already into the second month of its season and has been staging World Cup racing this weekend with the first women’s slalom races of winter.

Scotland

Scotland saw cold weather this week with overnight lows down to -8C in the Highlands. There has been precipitation too but not at the same time so that’s been fain at low levels. However Glencoe (above, cam pic credit Winter Highland) did hit the sweet spot and saw its slopes turn white down to quite low levels, others saw snow up high. Nowhere open yet although the all-weather snowmaking systems could really be fired up as soon as the centres like now.

Eastern Europe

There’s nowhere open in Eastern Europe yet but early signs are promising with more snowfalls. Serbia’s Kopaonik was among the latest to post fresh snow images on social media.

USA

A mostly dry and sunny week across the US but it has been getting colder again allowing snowmaking systems to fire up and there have been some snow flurries. California’s ski season got underway on Friday after a  couple of inches of snowfall there with Mammoth (pictured above) and Mt Rose opening. However Colorado is dominating with seven resorts already open, including Breckenridge, Loveland and Vail which opened Friday, Copper will be the eighth on Monday. Dozens more ski areas including the largest Park City in Utah, are scheduled to open later this week.

Canada

There’s been more light snowfall in western Canada where it’s a gradually improving picture but there’s not a great deal of change on a week ago. The third of Banff’s ‘Big 3’ ski areas, Sunshine, has opened joining Norquay and Lake Louise but Jasper’s Marmot Basin has delayed opening by a week. There are a handful of other areas open, each with just a few kilometres of runs so far, including one small centre in Quebec in the east thanks to snowmaking.

**** Updated Sunday, 5 November, 2023 ****

We’re back with our winter 23-24 reports and it’s great to be able to report heavy snowfall in the Alps for the start of November. We’re seeing up to 60cm (two feet) in 48 hours up on glaciers and snow falling right down to the valley floor for the first time this autumn. Against that we have to report another warm, dry early half of the autumn means there’s lost ground to catch up, but there are now more than a dozen glacier areas open, most in Austria or Switzerland. It’s been more consistently cold and snowy for longer in Scandinavia where half a dozen resorts are already open and there’s also snow falling, but no lifts spinning yet, in the Pyrenees and in Eastern Europe.

Across the pond North America’s 23-24 season is now underway with the first half dozen areas open in the Rockies, both in Colorado and up in Alberta, Canada. A few centres have also used snowmaking to open in Vermont, Quebec and the Midwest for a total of 10 resorts open so far, but that number is likely to double by next weekend.

Austria

We’ve seen some heavy snowfalls in Austria over the last few days, stepping up a transformation that began about a fortnight ago now as temperatures dropped after a warm first half of autumn.  Glacier areas reported up to 60cm of snowfall in just 48 hours at the end of the week and there was also the first snowfall down to valley floors. Seven glacier resorts are already open, mostly in Tirol and the most areas open in the world at present. They include Hintertux (above), Kaunertal, Pitztal, Solden and the Stubai, which have been open since October or before and the Kitzsteinhorn above Kaprun and the Molltal which opened this weekend.

France

French ski resorts saw snowfall down to the valley floor at the end of last week with a healthy covering of snow for resorts like Châtel (pictured above on Friday) and Megeve, up on high slopes there’s been much with the snow looking to be 20-50cm deep up above 2500m for resorts like Les arcs and Val d’Isere. But with Tignes deciding not to open until the end of this month this year, there remains nowhere open in France. Val Thorens and Chamonix also plan to open in the final days of November.

Italy

The Sulden ski area (above on Friday) opens on Monday, 6^th November, and from webcam images is in good shape for the season ahead.  Italy has also had a lot of snowfall on higher slopes over the last few days, with Livigno reporting 50cm there. You can also access the glacier skiing above Zermatt from Cervini and the two resorts will be hosting the first cross-border FIS World Cup Downhill races over the coming two weekends, weather permitting.

Switzerland

Swiss centres have seen some big snowfalls over the past week, so much so that the Glacier 3000 ski area near Gstaad announced it was delaying its planned season opening on Sunday until next Friday by which time it hopes to have fully prepped the slopes and dug out after several feet of snowfall. However, Mürren did manage to open some runs on the Schilthorn, joining already open Saas Fee, Zermatt and St Moritz (Diavolezza Glacier). Verbier says it will announce its season start imminently and has been prepping its slopes with groomers after the fresh snow, the first runs above Davos are also expected to open next weekend.

Pyrenees

The ski season in the Pyrenees doesn’t usually start until the final weekend of November with Andorra’s ski areas targeting December 1^st for opening day this winter. However, we have had snowfall on high slopes over the past few days. For many this is the second or third snowfall of the autumn to date, but for some the first and down to lower elevations too. If it continues to be cold with more snow some areas may open early as has happened in the past November, but a lot more snow is needed at this point.  Spain’s Baqueira Beret pictured above on Friday.

Scandinavia

Half a dozen ski areas are already open for the 23-24 season in Finland, Norway and Sweden.  The region has seen wintery conditions over the past month when it was much warmer in the Alps, and now northern areas are seeing snow showers and staying below-freezing days and nights. Open areas include Kvitfjell in Norway and Idre Fjall in Sweden (above). Finland’s Levi and Ruka which used snow farming to open runs a month ago are now in full winter mode with natural snowfall turning the surrounding mountainscape from brown to white.

Scotland

Scotland’s ski areas saw snowfall down as low as 300m above sea level this week and subzero temperatures. There’s nowhere planning to open until early December but several centres could open earlier if there’s a good autumn snowfall.

Eastern Europe

Most Eastern European ski areas won’t aim to open until the very end of this month or more likely the start of December but there has been some snowfall in the last few days on higher slopes up in the Czech and Slovak Republics and further east.

USA

The US ski season got underway in the final few days of October and more ski areas are opening by the day. Colorado’s Arapahoe Basin (above), Eldora and Keystone have all opened and more areas, including Loveland, Breckenridge and Vail are expected to open in the coming week. The first ski area on the West Coast, Mammoth, is also expected to open only three months after its 22-23 season ended last August. There are several centres open in the Midwest too. Killington opened at the weekend, the first in the east. It has been a sunny period in the west over the last few days after big snowfalls a week ago. In the East and Midwest, it is snowmaking that has allowed centres to open thanks to a temperature drop although there has been a little fresh snowfall too.

Canada

Canada’s 23-24 season got underway on Thursday, but unexpectedly it was Mont St Sauveiur ski area in Quebec that opened a run thanks to snowmaking as temperatures dipped. The first planned opening, Mt Norquay near Banff, had already been brought forward from Saturday to Friday and it was joined by Lake Louise opening a week early, then Nakiska opened on Saturday (initially weekends only), so we have four Canadian ski areas open so far, with Jasper and a fifth Albertan ski area, Sunshine, expected to join them later this week. They’re all opening as full winter conditions dominate in the west of Canada thanks to a quick transition from fall to winter. There’s been some snow in the east too but here there’s more of a reliance on snowmaking.

 

**** Updated Saturday, 22 April, 2023 ****

Where is Good to Ski Right Now?

Around 95% of ski areas in the northern hemisphere have now closed and by Monday we’ll be at 97%, but it has kept snowing, at least on higher slopes in the Alps, The Rockies and various other mountain ranges around the world.

The snowfall on high slopes in the Alps has been going on for about a fortnight now, with temperatures staying close to freezing. Remarkably, for this far into Spring, bases are still increasing, including the deepest in Europe at Tignes, up to 462cm now.  The season is over, or almost in Eastern Europe and the Pyrenees with all ski areas in Andorra, Bulgaria and Spain now closed.

In North America, it has been very warm in the east and most ski areas are closed, though half-a-dozen battle on. In the west, the great thaw, bringing with it fears of flooding, is underway and more areas have closed, but dozens have extended their seasons into May and there have been more significant snow showers on higher slopes here too.

Austria

It’s the final week of the season for some of Austria’s best-known resorts, including Ischgl, Obertauern and Obergurgl – each aiming to stay open to May 1^st and clock up their regular 5-month plus ski seasons. They’ve had more fresh snowfall on higher slopes in the last week so it should be a good final bash. The Arlberg region including St Anton closes this weekend but half-dozen Austrian glacier areas will stay open into May.  They include the Kaunertal, open another 5 weeks and pictured above with fresh snow this week.

France

French resorts have not seen the snowfalls reported further east in the last week, although a few light showers have registered. But Tignes continues to post the deepest base in Europe at over 4.5 metres (15 feet) up on its glaciers, and along with neighbouring Val d’Isere as well as Val Thorens, has plans to stay open for another fortnight. Les 2 Alpes closes this weekend but plans to re-open in just a week’s time for two months of glacier skiing, meaning there’ll be no end to the French ski season next month.  La Plagne is pictured above this week.

Italy

We are down to single figures for the number of Italian ski centres still open for the 22-23 ski season, but the snow keeps falling with ski areas in the Dolomites reporting snowfall to low levels on Thursday/Friday (Val di Fassa pictured above) and high-altitude Italian slopes above 2,500m seeing several snowfalls this week. Five Italian centres expect to stay open until May 1^st, or later, Cortina, the Presena Glacier above Passo Tonale and Livigno (which reported 26cm of snowfall in the previous 24 hours on Friday morning) remain open daily with Macugnaga opening for weekends.  Cervinia will be the last area still open a week later.

Switzerland

The centre is of course winding down in Switzerland as everywhere north of the equator and there are just over a dozen Swiss ski areas open this weekend, a number which will halve as we enter May in a week’s time. Davos and Verbier are among the areas where it’s closing weekend. As with the rest of the Alps, we’ve seen fresh snowfall on Swiss slopes above about 2,000m, with resorts like Zermatt posting up to 30cm of fresh in a 24-hour period. Swiss resorts open to May 1^st include Andermatt’s Gemsstock freeride area and Samnaun with its cross-border link to Ischgl. Then a week later on the 7^th, it’s Adelboden, the Diavolezza glacier near St Moritz, Engelberg and Glacier 3000 near Gstaad/Les Diablerets.  That will leave just Zermatt aiming to keep its glacier area, Europe’s highest, open all year round. Murren, pictured above and open to the 30th April, has been hosting the Swatch Nines event.

Pyrenees

The ski season in the Pyrenees is more or less over. All the ski areas in Andorra and Spain are believed to have ended their seasons, leaving Cauterets in France the only area still open – and its season end is expected to be this coming Sunday.

Scandinavia

Scandinavia comes into its own for spring skiing and while it has been a rather warmer week than usual in most of the region’s ski areas, most of the big resorts continue to have almost all their slopes open and most plan to stay open into May. For Lapland Ruka (pictured above) and Levi will continue a week into next month and Sweden’s “Spring skiing capital” Riksgransen will be open most of the month with 24-hour daylight arriving in just over a fortnight’s time. More than half of the region’s ski areas remain open (its less than 10% in most other countries), with the biggest, Sweden’s Are, still having 90% of its slopes open.

Scotland

Scotland’s ski season ended last weekend when Cairngorm gave up on its last few runs still open in the Ptarmigan basin. It had been the only centre with lift=p-accessed in-bounds terrain open. Glencoe, on the other hand, has been offering chairlift access to ski-touring terrain outside its borders. Even that high-altitude snow has suffered with a week of very warm, sunny weather in the Highlands. Next week should see a return to winter with fresh snowfall forecast.

Eastern Europe

Most ski areas in Eastern Europe have now closed, including all centres in Bulgaria. However several centres are planning to make it to the start of May, including Slovakia’s largest resort, Jasna, as well as Kanin on the Slovenian/Italian border which is famed for its late-season spring skiing into May.

USA

The US continues to see snow falling on high slopes in the Rockies and on the Pacific coast, although at the same time, the spring thaw is gathering pace with Utah declaring a state of emergency over flooding fears as a result. More ski areas have closed for the season but several dozen are staying open into May thanks to the huge snowpack, lying typically double its normal thickness for late April. Solitude in Utah (pictured above) is one of those with a month of the season remaining there, having already just made it to their longest season ever, passing the previous record of 160 days on Thursday.

Canada

Canada’s season is winding down but here too ski areas in the west have been reporting more late-season snowfall up high. The continent’s biggest, Whistler, has now closed Whistler Mountain for the season but will continue snow sports on Blackcomb until 22^nd May, which will probably be the last day of Canada’s 22-23 season, with Sunshine ski area near Banff also planning to close then Grouse Mountain, Mt Norquay and Marmot Basin at Jasper (pictured top) all planning to stay open another week to May 1^st and Lake Louise another week after that  The season is more or less over in the East only Sommet St Sauveur may keep a terrain park open at weekends into May, as it often does. It’s Tremblant’s (pictured above) closing weekend this weekend.

**** Updated Saturday, 15 April, 2023 ****

It’s been a remarkably snowy week on high slopes in the Alps with up to three feet (90cm) of snowfall over the latter half of this week and real midwinter conditions. Of course, all the snowfall is arriving just as most ski areas have already closed for the season, or will after this Sunday. But for those still operating their higher terrain, and there are still hundreds of resorts open, it’s been a fantastic late-season bonus.  There’s been fresh snowfall in Scandinavia too, where most resorts are still open, and in Scotland, where sadly they’re not, for skiing at least. Further south a few snow flurries up high for the final few areas still open in the Balkans and Pyrenees.

Over in North America, it is feeling springlike across the continent although there’s been some snowfall reported, lighter than it has been for the past six months, in the Rockies. Here too many ski areas have closed or will be closed this coming Monday. But more ski areas have been extending their seasons later into May too.

Austria

It’s slightly ironic that high slopes in the Austrian Alps have seen some of the snowiest weather of the season so far just as most of the country’s ski areas have closed for the season. It’s good news too though for those centres that are planning to stay open into May or beyond though of course.  Solden, which has been posting the country’s deepest snow for more than six months now has over 3 metres./10 feet lying after receiving more than two feet (60cm) of snow up above 3,000m over the past 72 hours.  The Molltal glacier, open to late May, posted a similar snowfall total but was closed Friday due to strong winds.  The year-round Hintertux glacier topped the snowfall table though with nearly a metre of snowfall since Tuesday on its highest runs.  Lech is pictured top this week.

France

It’s been a snowy week on higher French slopes just as more resorts wind down their seasons.  Initially, la Clusaz was posting the most snowfall with 30-40cm on its higher slopes just as it closed most down after the easter weekend, leaving the main Balme area open.  But the Chamonix Valley then posted a slightly higher 50cm total for its highest runs, eventually overtaken by Les 2 Alpes with nearly 60cm (2 feet) up above 3,000m altitude over 72 hours. The cold and snowy weather is continuing through the weekend and looks to be good news for those booked to ski areas open into May like Tignes (pictured above this week) , Val d’Isere and Val Thorens.

Italy

Most of Italy’s ski areas have now closed with more joining them this weekend, but like the rest of the Alps, and in Italy’s case the Dolomites too, there’s been fresh snowfall on the country’s slopes over the last few days – whether they’re still open or not.  The country’s deepest base has gone over 3 metres – 10 feet, for the first time this season thanks to the snowfall at La Thuile on the French border. It’s open for one more week. The Cervinia-Zermatt ski area, which stays open for the first week of May, is posting the most still-open terrain in the country though, albeit with some in Switzerland – around 130km (80 miles) of slopes.  Val di Fassa is pictured above on Friday.

Switzerland

Swiss centres have seen their share of snowfall too, just as more resorts there end their 22-23 seasons. Engelberg, which often has one of the deepest snowpacks in the Alps although not this year, has seen one of its biggest snowfalls of the year up on its Titlis glacier, getting more than 60cm (2 feet) of snow. It’s open well into May.  Davos (pictured above on April 14th), another ski area with high slopes and a long season, has had more than 45cm (18”).

Pyrenees

We are down to just three ski areas still open in the Pyrenees and that number will probably drop to just one from Monday.  The biggest – Andorra’s Grandvalira is among those into their final weekend, both with much-reduced terrain left open, Grandvalira having closed its Soldeu-El Tarter sector last weekend. It has actually been colder this last week with snow reported on the highest slopes. The only centre currently expected to stay open next week is Cauterets, on the French side of the ski area.

Scandinavia

Scandinavia continues to stand out as the destination where most ski areas remain open, and in most cases fully open. The largest centre in Scandinavia, Sweden’s Are, remains 90% open and Norway’s Trysil reported 30cm (A foot) of fresh snowfall on Thursday.  Hemsedal is pictured above.

Scotland

Scotland’s ski slopes have turned white over the past few days with some cold overnight temperatures and fresh snow. It’s not enough for terrain to reopen, and the coming week is set to be warm and sunny, but Nevis Range (pictured above on Friday) and Glencoe both offered sledging and the latter also highlighted their access to refreshed high-altitude ski touring terrain via chairlift. The only runs still open are a couple of trails on soft snow in the Ptarmigan Bowl above Cairngorm near Aviemore.

Eastern Europe

It’s the final weekend of the season for most ski areas in the Balkans that are still open, with the biggest, Bansko (pictured above on Friday), closing after Sunday. Further north in the Czech and Slovak Republics, some centres plan to continue for another week or so, with that plan boosted by cold temperatures and fresh snowfall.  Jasna has announced that it intends to stay open until May 1^st and still has nearly half its runs open and a nearly 2m base up top.

USA

Spring has sprung in the US and there’s been plenty of sunshine and warm weather right across the country and much less snowfall. The huge snowpacks that have built up in the west through five months of snowfall are finally starting to diminish. At the same time, more and more centres have been ending their regular seasons. Some though have announced they’re staying open longer.  The country’s biggest ski area, Park  City, now says it will stay open until 1^st May, making it the fourth Utah ski area to stay open until next month and joining five in Colorado also planning to make it into May along with a dozen or so more across other western US states.   Cannon, in the East, where temperatures are reported to have been reaching 80F, is pictured above.

Canada

About half of Canada’s ski areas are closed with more closing after Sunday but it has kept snowing with resorts in the Canadian Rockies posting up to 15cm (5″) of fresh snowfall in the past few days. Ski areas including Sunshine (above), Marmot Basin, Lake Louise and Whistler are all staying open into May. Over in the East, it’s been getting warmer but some centres are still open using their diminishing snowpack as a base. Massif du Sud reports it still has 100% of its terrain open for its final weekend.

**** Updated Saturday, 8 April, 2023 ****

We may have reached Easter weekend but Mother Nature doesn’t seem to want to let up on winter, in some cases perhaps realising she dropped the ball when it was supposed to be wintery …back in wintertime and now trying to cram the cold and snow into April. It’s obviously good news for still open centres and those skiers and boarders lucky enough to be out there for Easter week.

It is snowing again on higher slopes for the third weekend in a row in the Alps, further improving conditions at centres still open, particularly up high. It’s been snowing again too in North America, where some resorts would actually like it to stop so they can just enjoy a few weeks without having to once again dig our lifts and make slopes avalanche-safe and actually get to enjoy it all before closing day. More have been extending their seasons later into April or even May to increase the chance of that.

Elsewhere it’s a bit warmer in Scandinavia but conditions are still good with long daylight hours now.  Eastern Europe has had fresh snowfall this week. The Pyrenees have too but there’s a definite end-of-the-season feel there and in Scotland, unfortunately, almost everything is now closed.

Overall most ski areas will be closed after the easter week concludes but several hundred will be continuing on into the latter half of April and some beyond.

Austria

It’s a cold and often snowy weekend in the Austrian Alps, with many ski areas reporting 5-10cm of fresh snowfall on their higher slopes to start the Easter weekend. Most will be closing either from Monday or at the end of this week but a few dozen centres with higher altitude slopes including glacier centres will stay open into the latter half of April and even into May. Among them are Ischgl and St Anton, each open to May 1^st, which still both have hundreds of kilometres of slopes open for the final weeks of the season. Kitzbuhel is pictured above.

France

It’s a cold and snowy weekend in the French Alps too, with lots of centres posting some nice 5-15cm fresh snow top-ups for their higher slopes on Good Friday, perfectly timed. Most of the major French centres remain open with most still having 70-90% of their terrain open, but they’ll begin closing over the next few weekends, the last Tignes, Val d’Isere and Val Thorens in early May, although Les 2 Alpes currently plans to re-open for summer skiing in May and June after a brief closure at the end of April. French resorts continue to post the deepest snow in Europe with Les Arcs and Tignes both with snow lying more than  4 metres deep on higher runs.  Snow falling at Chamonix in France on Friday is pictured above.

Italy

Italy saw some snowfall at the end of the week too, with up to 15cm reported in the northwest, closer to 5cm in the dolomites, but everywhere seeing something. The next few days will be sunnier but remain fairly cold, especially above 2,000m.  Many Italian areas will close either on Easter Monday or at the end of the coming week, but a number plan to stay open into May including Cervinia and Passo Tonale.  Val di Fassa above,

Switzerland

Swiss ski areas saw a snowy start to the weekend as well, with plenty of fresh snowfall across the country, once again heaviest in the west and on higher slopes Gstaad’s local Glacier 3000 area (pictured above on Saturday) and another glacier at Saas-Fee both reported 7cm accumulations ahead of the weekend, for most other areas with slopes above 2000m it was just an inch or two. About half of the Swiss areas, mostly low-lying compared to the big-name areas, have already closed and here too many more will close after the easter weekend or the end of the coming week. But resorts including Andermatt, Zermatt and St Moritz will have at least some terrain open into May.

Pyrenees

There’s a definite end-of-the-season feel in the Pyrenees with most ski areas due to close after the Easter weekend. Baqueira Beret (pictured above), the largest in Spain, has a 20-60cm base and about a third of its terrain, mostly the highest runs of course, is still open and it’s a similar story at other areas that are still operating. Conditions did improve a little with a fresh snowfall on higher slopes earlier this week.

Scandinavia

The past few days have been predominantly sunny and dry across Scandinavia. It’s been a little warmer than it has been but with long daylight hours now and the snow still in good shape, conditions are generally excellent for the final three or four weeks of the season. Most Scandinavian ski areas are still open, with all lifts and runs accessible and many expect to stay so until the start of May. The coming week looks like a change to more wintery weather is coming with cold and snowy weather forecast.  Roldal pictured above and top.

Scotland

There’s very little open for the Easter weekend in Scotland unfortunately. The Lecht and Glenshee had both hoped to make snow with their all-weather machines for some nursery or snow fun slopes but have admitted defeat with temperatures too warm for it to be viable. Glencoe has chairlift access to ski touring terrain while Nevis range has hardly opened this season and is now in full mountain biking mode. So it’s just Cairngorm above Aviemore, with just a couple of runs still open at the time of writing.

Eastern Europe

It’s been a good week for Bulgaria with ski areas reporting up to 50cm of fresh snowfall at the start of the week on their higher slopes and temperatures cooler than they have been. For many, the upcoming Easter weekend is the final one of the season. Further north there’s been snowfall more recently up in the northeast of Europe with the remaining areas still open in Slovakia (including Jasna, above), the Czech Republic and Poland all reporting 5-20cm Good Friday snowfalls on higher slopes so again things are looking good for what’s for most here the final weekend of the season too.

Canada

Still fairly good conditions across Canada, where most ski resorts are still open, at least for Easter weekend. The main issue in the west this weekend is reported to be very strong winds which have raised avalanche danger levels and forced resorts like Whistler to limit the number of lifts open.  In the East of the country, there’s been fresh snow in Quebec but also some warm weather so it’s a mixed picture for snow quality in the final few weeks of the season. Some centres including Lake Louise, Sunshine, Whistler and Jasper’s Marmot Basin are open into May.

USA

The exceptional snowfall in the Rockies shows no real sign of ending even as ski areas begin to close for the season. There’s been plenty more fresh snowfall in Colorado and Utah over the last week, with some Utah centres posting over five feet of fresh snow and Alta and Snowbird now both having had more than 800″ (20 metres) of snowfall this winter, both at record levels. But all the snowfall continues to cause practical issues with both closed for several days midweek due to high avalanche danger.  Elsewhere the snow remains deep in California and along the West Coast and East Coast resorts have had more fresh snowfall up high, though rain at times on lower runs. Ski areas are now closing across the country but a  growing number have also announced season extensions into May.

 

**** Updated Saturday, 8 April, 2023 ****

It’s April and we’re coming up to Easter so it is no surprise that we’re seeing full springlike conditions across the skiing world. In the Alps, we had very mild temperatures again Midweek after snowfall to start the week, but it’s now got cold and snowy once more, with more significant falls expected over the next few days on higher slopes.

Springtime usually means heavier, wetter snow to higher elevations, however, is the norm and this year is no different in both the Alps and the Rockies. For lower altitude centres it can also mean the natural end of the season and again some of these centres will close this weekend, others after the Easter weekend and around 90% of resorts by the middle of the month.

(Park City, 1 April)

It has kept snowing with more snowfall records being broken in Western North America however and while many centres will still close with the snow lying deep and still falling over the next few weekends, ever more have extended their seasons to later this month, into May or later in the spring and some even into summer.

Austria

The warm weather that has been plaguing Austrian ski areas for much of March was finally banished at the start of this week when cold weather arrived at last, temperatures getting down to freezing right down to valley floors and there was plenty of fresh snow to low elevations too. St Anton posted pictures of snow lying quite thick on resort streets while higher altitude slopes up on the country’s glaciers posted 30-60cm (1-2 feet) of snowfall on higher slopes. This is all good news for the Easter fortnight, which will also see many of the country’s ski areas closing this weekend or next. Centres with higher runs like Ischgl and St Anton will then come into their own for the rest of April, along with the Austrian glacier resorts.

France

Some great snowfalls for French ski areas this week, the heaviest on Sunday-Monday when temperatures also dropped down to freezing right down to low valley floors. The base at Tignes, the deepest in Europe, has passed 4.5 metres, and Les Arcs has posted a metre increase in its upper slope base depth in just over a week. It’s one of a number posting 3m+ upper slope base depths and so looking good for the final weeks of the season. After the midwinter conditions to start the week temperatures did rise and the low-lying areas that have been suffering all season just got a brief respite, but it is now cooler and snowier again with more big snowfall totals forecast for the coming weekend.  Val d’Isere pictured on Saturday April 1 top.

Italy

There’s heavy snowfall in Italy to start April, at least on the country’s higher slopes and in the west of the country. Cervinia posted pictures of a full-on snowstorm on Saturday morning and La Thuile and Courmayeur both posted 25cm of fresh snow at the same time.  Lower Italian areas have seen rain in recent days and have begun closing but it is cold and snowy up high where most of the big destinations resorts offer their skiing so it’s looking good for easter for many.

Switzerland

Swiss ski areas are seeing some big snowfalls on their higher slopes. Saas Fee posted 70cm in 24 hours up high at the start of the weekend, Crans Montana got 35cm. It was a similar story across the country with temperatures dipping wat back down below freezing and more snow forecast through the weekend and temperatures expected to remain low next week.

Pyrenees

There was some snowfall at the weekend to end the weeks of fairly non-stop warm sunny weather, but it wasn’t really enough to stop the relentless thaw and end-of-season feeling. The region’s largest area Grandvalira (Pas de la Casa, ​Soldeu -​El Tarter) reports less than half of its terrain is now open for Easter and many smaller areas have closed for the 22-23 season.  Piau engaly in France says conditions are still good up high (pictured)

Scandinavia

Things are finally turning more springlike in Scandinavia with temperatures climbing to +5 or so at some resorts in the region, although overnight lows on higher slopes are still getting down to -10 to -20C. Conditions are really the best in Europe for the start of spring with most resorts still fully open and many planning to keep operating into May.  Ruka is pictured top.

Scotland

There’s not much open in Scotland for Easter alas. The past week has seen some low temperatures and fresh snowfall but, as has been the case since mid-January, warm periods too which have stopped much improvement in the limited areas available. The most, but still not a lot, is at Cairngorm with Glenshee having a few short runs created with all-weather snowmaking (although this weekend they’re saying just sledging on them). Glencoe has lift access to touring terrain but no in-bounds runs, Nevis range remains closed to skiers and The Lecht says it will use its all-weather snowmaking machine to make snow for an Easter nursery slope.

Eastern Europe

It’s been quite a warm and sunny week in the Balkans after a little snowfall earlier on. The warmth isn’t great news for snow cover down to low elevations and Bansko’s home run is reported closed at present. Further north in Slovakia, there’s been some fresh snowfall reported at Jasna where everything remains open. The forecast for Bulgaria is more promising with temperatures dropping back towards freezing and plenty of snowfall forecast for the new week.

USA

More snowfall records have been passed in the western US over the past week and ever more centres, particularly on the West Coast or in the Rockies, have announced extended ski seasons.  Mammoth has the most impressive numbers, passing its previous all-time seasonal snowfall to date earlier this week and reaching 700″ for the first time in a season in its history. It was already posting the deepest base in the world at over 8 metres and has extended its season at least into July. The past week has seen more snowfall across the west with multiple resorts reporting several feet more snow, but it has been getting warmer so the storms have had rain mixed in and even up high the snow is getting heavier to ski, particularly later in the day. More resorts have begun closing for the season too.

Canada

Another generally good week across Canada with snow showers reported at ski areas on both the east and west sides of the country. Tremblant in Quebec, the largest in the East, says the 6.6 metres (22 feet) of snowfall it has had this season is the most it has ever recorded and it has extended its season by a week to April 23^rd as a result. Most ski areas in Alberta and BC in the west are fully open although this is the time of year when most go from fully open to closing weekend over the next few weekends. Banff, Jasper and Whistler ski areas are staying open into May though.

**** Updated Saturday, 25 March, 2023 ****

It’s been a largely dry, sunny and once again warm week in the Alps. We are coming up to April and the Easter holidays of course, so it feels less unusual than it did earlier in the season. The warmth means that snow cover has been melting fast below about 1800 metres altitude and a growing number of resorts are giving up on trying to keep slopes open down to the valley. Up high though most ski areas are in good shape and as that’s where much of the terrain is for the best known resorts and the added good news is that high slopes are likely to get several feet more snowfall over the next few days.

Elsewhere in Europe conditions are good in Scandinavia and not bad at all in much of eastern Europe, but unfortunately almost all slopes are closed in Scotland now and there’s a battle for all but the biggest centres to remain open in the Pyrenees as the warm temperatures take their toll.

Austria

Austrian ski areas have seen warm weather this week, impacting snow cover on lower slopes. We are though into the final fortnight of the season for many of the country’s lower lying resorts. The country will see cooler temperatures and snowfall over the next few days, but lower centres may see rain and higher perhaps not so much new snow as further west. But higher resorts, famous for their spring skiing, like Obertauern, Obergurgl and St Anton still have great conditions up high. The country’s glacier resorts are also starting to come into their own, with Solden posting the country’s deepest base.

France

There’s a higher/lower slopes divide in France with things looking increasingly patchy below around 1800-2000 metres, but pretty god at higher elevations, which had some light fresh snowfall earlier in the week and after a few sunny days are now being dumped on with up to a metre more snowfall expected above 3000m by Monday/Tuesday.  That will fall as rain some of the time on those lower slopes though, speeding the thaw.  Up high though France is posting the deepest bases in the Alps and luckily most of the big ski regions like the 3 Valleys have most of their terrain up above 1800m.  Tignes pictured above.

Italy

The snowfall is arriving in Italy too, with western areas like the Aosta Valley expected to see the most over the next few days, then the snowfall continuing east and arriving in the Dolomites on Sunday/Monday.  As with other countries in the region, the snowfall is expected to be heaviest in the west and on higher ground, with rain possible in valleys. La Thuile, linked over the French border to La Rosière is currently posting the deepest base in Italy at 2.6m and it seems that might get above 3 metres up high this weekend.  It also reports more than 90% of its terrain still open.

Switzerland

Swiss centres have had the same warm week as the rest of the Alps and the lack of snow down to resort level in valleys is getting ever more pronounced – well we are at the end of March. But there’s snow starting to fall across the country through the weekend, expected to be heaviest in the west at resorts ,like Verbier, which may see the best part of a metre of fresh up on its glacier by early next week. However the downside is probably rain on any remaining snow lying below about 1600m. Most of the well-known Swiss resorts still have 70-90% of their slopes open and conditions above 2000m in particular remain good.  Andermatt above.

Pyrenees

It’s been mostly sunny in the Pyrenees which has impacted what terrain remains open increasing severely. A growing number of the less well known smaller areas have called it a day on their 22-23 ski seasons while the amount of terrain open at the better known, bigger, higher areas is typically down to 50-60% with bases at 20-60cm. The biggest, Andorra’s Grandvalira which includes Pas de la Casa, Soldeu and others, still reports 130 of its 210km of slopes open but describes the snow quality as ‘slush’. Spain’s Masella which reports its still 100% open is pictured above.

Scandinavia

Scandinavia continues to be the place skiers looking for fresher snow conditions should consider for spring skiing, thanks to colder temperatures here. There have been snow showers across the region with resorts including Trysil and Hemsedal in Norway posting 20-40cm of fresh in the last few days. The days are starting to get very long too so there’s plenty of daylight hours to enjoy it all.

Scotland

Alas the battle to keep slopes open in the Scottish Highlands is mostly a losing one at the moment. It’s turning more wintery over the next few days but the warm weather of the past week has removed a lot of what had been left of the winter snowpack on all but the highest slopes (and that hadn’t been enough to support any lift-served runs, except at Cairngorm which still has half a dozen trails open). Elsewhere there’s very limited skiing on all-weather machine made snow at Glenshee (Pictured above) while Glencoe provides chairlift access to ski touring terrain and lessons on its sledging snow slope at its base. Nevis Range has nothing open at present and The Lecht has closed down until the easter holidays or a return of enough natural snow.

Eastern Europe

It’s looking fairly good for late-March across Eastern European ski slopes.  The best conditions are to be found in the north where Jasna in Slovakia has enjoyed cooler temperatures than the Alps over the last week and reports its slopes still 100% open with the snow lying up to two metres deep.  Further south its warmer in Bulgaria but there have been some light snowfalls during cold spells and  Bansko (pictured above and top) still reports having its long descent back to its resort from the base of the lifts open, if only a few centimetres deep at the bottom.

USA

Resorts in western America continue to break their old records for snowfall totals and snow depths after the incredible winter of seemingly non-stop storms. Mammoth and The Palisades in California have both announced they’ll be staying open at least to July. Other have extended their seasons too, if not quite so dramatically. Haven’t has gone for 3 extra weeks through into May though.  The snow has kept falling the past week hasn’t been quite so heavy, with the upside of less blocked roads, buried lifts and resort closures. On the east coast things remain pretty good but warm weather has returned bringing unwelcome rain showers at times.  Crested Butte in Colorado pictured above.

Canada

There’s been fairly good weather across Canada and snow showers reported on ski slopes from coast to coast.  The only real negative has been some warm weather and rain at lower levels on the east coast which has led to a reduction of terrain available in Quebec, conditions best up high. Over in the west though most areas remain 100% open for a week or two more, with ski areas at Banff, Jasper and Whistler aiming to continue into May.  Marmot Basin above.

**** Updated Saturday, 18 March, 2023 ****

It’s been quite a week in the Alps after the largely snowless previous two months. The heavy snowfall that was accumulating as we posted last week’s report just kept falling with some areas clocking up 1.5 metres (five feet) of fresh up high by the end of the weekend. But there have also been yoyoing temperatures with highs getting to +17C in some resorts, leading to fast thawing of some of the snow that has fallen, and contributing to avalanche danger levels staying up at 3 or 4 on the scale to 5.

Elsewhere in Europe, there’s been more fresh snowfall in Scandinavia and Scottish ski centres continue to see promising conditions, if not quite enough cold weather and snow for much to reopen. The Pyrenees have been warm and springlike, Eastern Europe is a bit more mixed.

Austria

A mixed picture across Austria in terms of snowfall with ski areas in the west and north initially seeing big snowfalls at the weekend, then there was snowfall for much of the rest of the country (and more for the west) on Tuesday. In between, plenty of sunshine and some rather warm temperatures.  So there’s been several feet of snowfall in the Arlberg region, including St Anton (pictured top) with the Valluga slopes at the top the first in the country to post a 3m (10 feet) base up high.  Elsewhere more like 10-40cm for most areas, some of the lowest seeing rain at times.  Hintertux this week above.

France

It’s been a remarkable week for French ski areas considering how little snowfall there’s been over the previous two months. Up to 1.5-metre accumulations were reported in the first half of this week, with Europe’s deepest snowpack at Tignes jumping more than four feet (1.2m) in four days up on the glacier to 3.9 metres – great news for spring skiing and hopefully summer snow surviving this year too.

But snow depths jumped by a metre 0r so at many other big areas including Flaine, La Rosiere and La Plagne as well. Avalanche danger is of course up and the snow was heavy and wet down low but all in all, a much-improved picture as we start spring.  Avoriaz above.

Italy

Italy has had a good week for snowfall. Things were very snowy in the northwest last weekend with Cervinia posting a 1.5m (five foot) snowfall and several other areas, including La Thuile in the Aosta Valley also reporting more than a metre of snowfall.  The rest of the country was fairly dry however and the new week started warm, but then another front, this time covering a wider swathe of northern Italy, passed through on Tuesday.  Bormio was among the centres posting 30cm+ of fresh snowfall from that. Since then Italian areas have seen predominantly warm, dry and sunny spring weather, similar to other parts of the Alps.

Switzerland

A week of fluctuating conditions in Switzerland.  Saas Fee, for example, saw an incredible jump of 1.2m (4 feet) in its upper slope base depth and hit 3 m (10 feet) on its glacier, but then saw it drop back 20cm. Even more extreme perhaps, Zermatt went from no snow in the resort for months, to 50cm falling at the weekend, and then that stat dropping back to 15cm after temperatures of 16C were recorded at low elevations midweek. It’s sunnier and drier now and staying mild, although everywhere remains open, pretty much, for now.

Pyrenees

Springtime is definitely taking hold now in the Pyrenees with some very warm temperatures over the last week, reaching +15C at resort basses and +10C near the top of the slopes on some afternoons.  The conditions are particularly impacting the smaller, tower centres with a number deciding to end their seasons over the last few days.  The bigger centres – including Andorra’s  Soldeu where the World Cup Finals are currently underway – are still managing to keep quite a lot of terrain open.

Scandinavia

Scandinavian ski areas continue to report some of the best conditions in Europe right now. There’s been more fresh snowfall reported across the region with Norwegian areas doing well again, Hemsedal posting 20cm of fresh (pictured above). Temperatures remain close to freezing keeping the snow in good condition too, daylight hours are longer and most areas still have at least six weeks of the season to run.

Scotland

Scotland saw some very cold weather this week and snowfall too but not really enough of either to dramatically increase the amount of open terrain. Cairngorm continues to lead the way with more than a dozen runs open, towards half of what can open when conditions are good.  There’s just a handful still at Glenshee and The Lecht with Nevis Range still closed to skiers. Glencoe is hoping to reopen some terrain at the weekend.

Eastern Europe

There’s been some snowfall in northern parts of Eastern Europe at resorts like Jasna in Slovakia, although there have also been problems here with strong winds closing lifts. It’s back to sunny skies here now, however. That’s also the pattern further south with ski areas in Bulgaria reporting sunny skies and increasingly warm temperatures, making it tougher for Bansko to maintain its long thin run back to the resort from the base of the slopes. It’s currently reported to be down to a 5cm depth.

USA

The western US continues to be the main focus of extreme weather news beyond just excited ski news stories. Snowfall totals are now up around 7 metres (23+ feet) for the season at the snowiest centres and resorts in California have been posting pictures of channels cut through the drifts to allow chairlift chairs to move through (Kirkwood pictured above).  Deer Valley in Utah is the first to say it has now had an all-time record quantity of snowfall and is extending its season later into April as a result. On the East Coast, there have been more late-season snowfalls as another ‘Nor’easter’ moves in off the Atlantic, with some ski areas now reporting three feet (90cm) of snowfall in the last seven days – the most this season.

Canada

Good conditions across Canada as we near the start of springtime, when the northerly latitude of its ski centres helps to keep the snow in good shape. It has kept falling in both the east (Quebec) and west (Alberta and BC) with resorts reporting 7-day totals in the 20-40cm bracket and ever deeper bases. There are still two months of the season to go at resorts like Whistler Blackcomb and Banff Sunshine (above) and both are fully open and reporting great conditions.

 

**** Updated Saturday, 11 March, 2023 ****

Where is Good to Ski or Board Right Now?

It has been the snowiest week of the season so far in parts of the Alps with some huge weekend accumulations on higher slopes. The snow is falling across the mountains and some resorts could see 2-metre accumulations in 7 days by the latter half of this week.

Alas, the snowfall has not just floated down as light fluffy stuff, but has been accompanied by gale force winds and turned to rain at lower levels, the results have included slope closure while the worst of the weather blew through and the avalanche danger level rising to 3 or 4 on the scale to 5 (considerable to high). But on the plus side depths are greatly improved up high at those resorts that stay open to late April, May or beyond setting us up for a great spring skiing season.

Elsewhere in Europe the good snow conditions continue in Scandinavia and Scottish skiing is finally getting a bit of a boost with very cold weather and some snowfall, although more is needed still to really allow resorts to reopen terrain. On the southern side of the continent, the Pyrenees and Balkans have seen less fresh snowfall than further north but remain in generally good shape

Western North America has seen still more “Atmospheric rivers” off the Pacific bringing feet more snowfall although the latest deluge has a lot of moisture mixed in so has caused snow quality issues. Most centres remain fully open over on the eastern side of the continent, at least in the north.

Austria

It’s mixed news for Austrian ski areas as the storm develops, with most seeing a boost to their snow depths and just the good news of fresh cover, but also some including Kitzbuhel reporting rain in resort and on lower slopes. Up high though it’s looking good, Sölden, which has been posting the deepest snow in the country all season is now up to a 222cm base on its glacier, with another Tirolean glacier, Kaunertal, joining it in the 2m+ club.  Sportgastein in Salzburger Land is also now at 2m, with St. Anton on 190cm and about 80% of its slopes open.  Zillertal Arena pictured on Thursday above.

France

After missing out on snow showers for the best part of two months, northern French resorts have seen some huge accumulations over the past 48 hours and it’s still dumping. All the snow has seen road closures, lift closures (although that is more for high winds at times) and avalanche danger levels up to 4 on the scale …as well as a boost to snow depths. Tignes was the first to post a base of more than 3 metres (10 feet) up high in more than two months, the deepest in Europe. 24 hours later on Saturday that had leapt to 3.7 metres – a 70cm increase in 24 hours. The boost to bases is definitely good news for the final month or two of the French ski season, the only outstanding question is whether rain at lower levels will cause premature problems to low-lying resorts and slopes. That will become clear over the next few days but probably there’ll be a workaround, whatever the aftermath.  Bonneval is pictured above.

Italy

Western Italy has seen some of the biggest snowfalls of the past 72 hours with Cervinia (pictured above and top) reporting it has had 150cm (five feet) of snowfall from the storm so far.  It has another two months of the season to run there and aims to re-open for summer skiing so that’s a big boost at this stage in the year.  Less snow so far further east in the Dolomites but with less stormy weather, everything is open.

Switzerland

A big improvement in snow cover in Switzerland. Zermatt posted a video of deep snow on its resort streets on Saturday morning, which had been snowless for months. Higher up snow depth on the glacier there is finally improving which may be a step towards its managing to return to 365-day operations depending on how hot this summer is. For the remainder of the main spring season though it looks to be all good news with resorts like Verbier (pictured on Friday before even heavier snowfall, above) posting big jumps in snow depths.

Pyrenees

The Pyrenees got the best of the snowfall in mainland Europe in late February and early March but has seen more springlike weather and fewer snowfalls (although some have been reported on the French side) over the last week. Strong winds have been an issue at times though, closing higher slopes. Soldeu hosts the big World Cup Finals racing season close out and the Grandvalira region of which it is part, the biggest in the Pyrenees, reports 95% of its slopes are open.

Scandinavia

A mixed picture across Scandinavia with some resorts like Roldal posting powder conditions after 30cm in 24 hours midweek, while other Norwegian resorts like Geilo have posted little or no fresh snowfall in the last seven days. Another Norwegian resort, Trysil, posted 15cm of fresh midweek though, as pictured above. Conditions though, across Scandinavia remain, as they have been all season, generally good with much more of a winter feel than we’ve had for much of the season in the Alps. That said, the daylight hours continue to rapidly increase and temperatures are rising to positive numbers.

Scotland

Scotland has had its best week for a couple of months in terms of cold temperatures (very cold in fact, as low as -16C overnight recorded) and there has been some snowfall to turn slopes that had thawed to green and brown back to white. There has though not been enough natural snowfall yet for a big reopening of slopes, although some centres have opened more thanks to snowmaking being possible. Cairngorm has the most runs open, about a third of its terrain, with Glenshee (above) and The Lecht in the East having a few runs open each too.

Eastern Europe

It’s a mixed picture with ski areas in the north of the region, including Spindleruv Mlyn (pictured below) in the Czech Republic and Jasna in Slovakia both reporting 20-40cm of fresh snow this week and wintery conditions. Down in the Balkans, it has been much drier and more springlike but so far Bulgaria’s biggest resort, Bansko, has managed to keep its long home run back down to the resort open, albeit now with wafer-thin snow cover.

USA

The big snow news in the US this week has once more seen huge snowstorms moving in off the Pacific, as they have, generally several times a week, for over three months now.  On the one hand, they lead to impressive snow depth stats (more resorts are passing 500″/12.5m and approaching 600″/15m season-to-date snowfall totals) and amazing images of buried chairlifts (eg at Heavenly, pictured above), on the other they cause if anything greater problems than those ski areas in the eastern US that suffered from too little snow, by blocking roads and shutting down ski resorts. Further inland, snow in the Rockies has been drier and more like powder, Park City has announced a two-week extension to its season. Conditions continue to be among the best they’ve been all in winter in the North-eastern US with more snow falling and everything open now at most centres there.

Canada

Good conditions persist across Canada with generally good snow conditions dominating right across the country. There’s been more snowfall, mostly light to moderate showers but still a good slope cover refresh, from BC to Quebec. The season still has over two months left to run at big-name resorts like Banff and Whistler and conditions currently look good at both for skiing beyond mid-May.

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**** Updated Saturday, 4 March, 2023 ****

It’s been another week when the Western US has made the headlines for some incredible snowfalls. Some ski areas have had over 3 metres (10 feet) of snowfall there in the last week alone and the world’s deepest base, also found here this season, has topped 7.5 metres.

In Europe ski areas in the Alps and Dolomites have had some snowfall, mostly in the 5-10cm bracket but a little more in the southwest on the French/Italian border and northeast in Austria, here 20-40cm have been recorded. There’s been snow too in Bulgaria and the most in the Pyrenees – up to 60cm here, with temperatures down across Europe – so March has started cooler than February ended.

Elsewhere in Europe Scottish ski centres still have just very limited terrain available but things are looking good in most of Scandinavia with fresh snowfall across the region, longer daylight hours and temperatures remaining well below freezing in most areas keeping the snow in good shape.

Austria

It has been an unsettled week of weather across Austria with sunny periods interspersed with cloud and snow. The country’s ski resorts have seen cumulative snow totals of up to around 50cm, much of it falling at the start of the week. Temperatures have been up around +5 to +12C at lower elevations so some of the snow has fallen as rain at times in the valets, while up high, some of the best snow conditions for a month.  Most major ski areas remain 80-100% open. The Arlberg pictured earlier this week above.

France

At last, there’s been some snowfall in the French Alps, and a second week of snow showers in the French Pyrenees, where ski areas have seen some of Europe’s biggest snowfalls over the last few weeks, some reporting 50cm or more. Further north the most snowfall has been in the southern Alps with Serre Chevalier posting a 12cm increase in its upper slope base depth.  Reflecting the trend across the Alps though, its snow cover on its lower runs is down by about the same amount, reflecting warmer weather at low elevations. That said it is actually a little cooler at present than it was in the final fortnight of February. Most French ski areas have around 90% of their slopes open. La Tania this week above.

Italy

Most ski centres across Italy have also seen snowfall, but the amount has varied a good deal. The heaviest falls were reported along the north-western side of the country. Close to the French and Swiss borders, with Cervinia posting the biggest accumulations – 25cm in 24 hours into Tuesday. Further east and in the dolomites it was more like 5-10cm accumulations, except down in the Apennines where 20-30cm falls were reported.  Here too it has been cooler and also most of the country’s well-known resorts continue to have most of their slopes open.

Switzerland

One of the best weeks in a while on Swiss ski slopes with most areas seeing some snowfall and temperatures dropping back down to seasonal norms having been a little too warm of late. Verbier was among the areas posting fresh snow cover, getting about 10cm, while higher slopes at Zermatt got double that and the much-thinner-than-usual snow levels on the glacier grew a little for the first time in over a month. Most of the well-known ski areas in Switzerland continue to have most of their runs open, although snow cover at lower, more exposed resorts continues to diminish down at the base. Zermatt gained up top but according to its stats lost at the village level, for example.

Pyrenees

The Pyrenees have had some of the heaviest snowfall in Europe over the last few weeks with totals of more than half a metre for some areas from repeat falls. So it’s looking much better here than it did in mid-February, with bases deeper and maximum terrain open.  In fact, more and more centres have announced they’re back to 100% of their terrain open in the region.  This is all obviously good news for skiers booked for visits during the final months of the season. Baqueira Beret this week above.

Scandinavia

Scandinavian ski centres are generally in good shape with more snowfall reported right across the region. There’s a huge variation in temperatures with highs reaching +5C in more southerly resorts while still dipping down to -30C up in Lapland. Ski areas in Western Norway are posting the most fresh snowfall of the past few months in Europe, another 50cm or so this week. There are still two months of the season to go here and conditions are good with low temperatures and daylight hours lengthening.

Scotland

Unfortunately, there’s not much open in Scotland at present. Temperatures have dropped but warm weather for periods over the last month or so has thawed away much of the cover. At the time of writing, there was nothing really open at Nevis Range or Glencoe on the west and Glencoe has had to cancel its annual snow fest, although lifts can be used to access high ski touring terrain beyond the centre’s own slopes. Cairngorm has a little natural snow skiable on its upper slopes, otherwise, The Lecht and Glenshee have nursery slopes maintained by all-weather snowmakers. Snow and cold weather are forecast for the next few days so we may see some improvement.

Eastern Europe

It’s been a better week than expected in eastern Europe with temperatures lower than forecast and 20cm of fresh snowfall on higher slopes to start March at Bansko. As with most of Europe, snow depths are nothing to write home about but most ski areas in the Balkans now have the majority of their runs open and further north in the Czech and Slovak republics and Poland the bigger resorts like Jasna report they’re currently 100% open.

USA

The US has had another snowy week from coast-to-coast with some exceptional snowfalls reported on the Pacific Coast.  Many ski areas here have now passed the 500-inches-snowfall-total-to-date mark (that’s over 12.5 metres since last October) and The Palisades report it has had the most since the winter of 1969-70 over 50 years ago. Base depths at Mammoth, the deepest in the world this season, have passed 7.5 metres and snowfall totals in the last week have been up to 12 feet, with some areas posting up to 3 feet in 24 hours at the height of the storms!  There’s been a lot of digging out but the sun is now out again.  Lots more snow in the Rockies too (if not quite so much) and New England in the east has had a foot or so giving powder conditions there as well.

Canada

Canada has had a quieter week than its neighbour south of the border, but most ski areas across the country have seen some fresh snowfall and conditions are good almost everywhere. The Banff region has had more than 50cm of snowfall in the last seven days, the season still has nearly three months left to run here. Temperatures have mostly been in the range of -20C up to freezing. Most ski areas remain fully open including Tremblant, the largest in the East, and Whistler, the largest in the west and indeed the whole North American continent.

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*** Update 26 February 2023 ***

Where is Good to Ski or Board Right Now?

Hoorah! The snow is back in the Alps, and just as important, a return to cold wintery weather …just as springtime arrives, how typically ironic of Mother Nature!  The Pyrenees were the first in western Europe to see the return of the snow around Wednesday/Thursday but with fronts moving north and east from the southwest and south and west from the northeast, most ski areas are set to see snowfall soon, if they haven’t already. Scandinavia is the exception in all this, it has just kept snowing here throughout, particularly in western Norway.

Across in North America, the snow has been falling from coast to coast, and we’ve seen some huge accumulations, as well as blizzard conditions in places. There’s also a vast 100-degree range in temperature across the continents with some ski areas closing because it’s 30+ degrees below freezing, and other (non-ski) parts in the south are very hot despite it still being winter.

Roldal in Norway is pictured top on 25 February.

Austria

The hoped-for snow last week in Austria did not really materialise beyond a few flurries, but a new front, from the northeast again, is making inroads, bringing in some cloud and cooler temperatures and even some light snow flurries.  Despite the challenges of recent warm temperatures and the lack of much off-piste powder remaining, on-piste conditions remain fairly good across Austria and most slopes are open at the destination resorts, but cold and fresh snow will definitely improve things. Wildschonau after fresh snow on Saturday pictured above.

France

French ski areas are being approached by two fronts, one coming from the north, and the other from the south, which hopefully means most areas will see snowfall over the coming week. How much remains uncertain and the forecast changes daily from optimistic looking 20-30cm falls, to less inspiring but better than nothing 3-6cm falls. In any case, the other good news is falling temperatures – not quite back to the well-below-zero, 24-7, top to bottom temps of late January and early February, but getting that way and into double digits below up high. Down at the resort level, especially at lower levels, temperatures will continue to get into positive numbers in the afternoons, but not so high as they have been. Most of the country’s best-known ski areas continue to have most slopes open.

Italy

Italian ski areas are seeing or should soon see a slope refresh with snow clouds arriving from both the south and west and north and east through the weekend and the final few days of February. Temperatures are also cooling back towards freezing. It’s clearly good news although most of the country’s bigger ski areas were 70-100% open anyway, including the largest, Dolomiti Superski, which is running at 97% despite the fairly thin cover. Sunshine returning and slightly warmer weather from the start of March on Wednesday.

Switzerland

There’s some change in the air for Swiss snow centres with a front moving into the East and west sides of the country. These are bringing much colder temperatures than we’ve seen for the last fortnight or so as well as snow showers to refresh slope cover, along with less welcome weather factors at times including fog and gales. Snow showers have already been reported bringing 5-20cm of snowfall in the East of the country into the weekend and they’re expected to become more widespread. The cold and snowy weather should continue at least to the start of March but temperatures look like they’ll climb back up above freezing, although hopefully not get as warm as they have been. Despite the recent warm weather though and thin bases at valley level, most larger Swiss areas remain fully open, or more or less so.

Pyrenees

The Pyrenees actually had some snowfall a fortnight ago when parts of the northern Alps had already gone several weeks (and until now more than a month), since last seeing snow. But these were the first mountains in  Western Europe to really see fresh snowfall this week, with around 5cm on Thursday morning, then another 15cm on Friday on the Spanish and Andorran side of the range, with resorts on the French side reporting up to 40cm ready for the weekend. It’s a great refresh on thin bases, although most slopes had stayed open anyway through the warmer temperatures. It should stay cold with snow showers for the week ahead.  Action at Boi Taull in Spain pictured above.

Scandinavia

Scandinavia – particularly Norway – continues to post good snowfall figures. Up to 50cm of fresh in the last week and some of the deepest bases. Riksgransen up in the Swedish Arctic opened for its 2023 season this weekend.  Roldal pictured above.

Scotland

It’s been colder in Scotland over the last few days and is due to remain so into the start of March, but unfortunately, much of the natural snow cover has gone from the mountains and recent snow flurries have not yet been enough to replace it. So there are currently not really any runs open above Glencoe or Nevis Range in the west unless you count ski touring terrain and across further east Glenshee (pictured above this weekend), The Lecht and Cairngorm have just nursery slopes open, using snow made by their all-weather snowmaking machines.

Eastern Europe

It’s pretty good at the major resorts across Eastern Europe at present although the region’s smaller, lower-lying areas continue to battle warm weather and there was rain reported again for many which fell as snow higher up. But Slovakia’s largest resort, Jasna, reports a lot of fresh snow and its slopes are 100% open and most runs remain open at Bulgarian ski centres.

Canada

Great conditions across Canada with fresh snowfall reported on ski slopes in both the East and West of the country thanks to storms blowing in from both the Pacific and the Atlantic simultaneously. The only real weather issue has been a return of severe cold – down to -30C at times – reported again on both sides of the country, with Sunshine in Alverta delaying opening to 10 am some mornings until things go a little warmer.  Whistler pictured above on Saturday 25 February.

USA

The US is once again where much of the snow action of the past week has been taking place. Almost every ski area in the country has seen a good snowfall in the last seven days ranging from a foot or two on the East Coast and Midwest through to a metre or more for some resorts in the Rockies and on the Pacific Coast where major snow storms have been blowing in and resorts are battling to open access roads and dig out lifts.  Heavenly is pictured above on Saturday. The world’s deepest base at Mammoth is back up from 5.9 to 6.6 metres and it is still dumping. The news isn’t quite all good though, ski areas in the Southeast (Blue Ridge mountains) have seen two weeks of record warm temperatures and some have been forced to end their seasons early, in February. But over in the west, by contrast, resorts have been posting record snowfalls.

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Update 19 February, 2023

It’s been another sunny week for much of the Alps with conditions feeling ever more springlike. Some ski areas in the west of the region – particularly in parts of France and Switzerland – have now not had any fresh snowfall for over a month. There has been more snow for parts of Austria in the last day or two though, where there had been heavy snowfall just a fortnight ago.

The warm, dry weather has been dominant in much of the rest of Europe too, including the Pyrenees and the Balkans, although there’s been more snowfall in Scandinavia as well as in Scotland, although here warm fronts between snowfalls have stopped much fresh snow building up.

The big snowfalls of the last seven das have been further afield, over in North America, particularly up in the Pacific Northwest corner of the continent, and in the Rockies, where resorts already posting the snowiest conditions in the world this winter have had several feet more snowfall.

Austria

In a small repeat of a fortnight ago, Austria is the only country of the Alpine big four to see some snowfall in the past week, with clouds moving in on Thursday/Friday while the rest of Western Europe has stayed sunny …other than Eastern Switzerland and north-eastern Italy. “Small” because the snowfalls so far haven’t been great, a few centimetres for most areas although some in regions like Salzburgerland have reported 10cmm or more. It is looking more changeable here though with much more cloud than further west, light snow showers possible and heavier falls expected later this week.  Obergurgl is pictured above this week.

France

It’s been wall-to-wall sunshine for most French ski slopes over the past week with temperatures rising to +10C at resort bases as the freezing point rises to 3000m during the day. This has not seriously impacted snow cover however with most resorts maintaining 85-95% of their slopes open during the busy French February half term period, but bases, particularly on lower slopes, are quite thin and have diminished further this week. Some areas in the northern French Alps including the Portes du Soleil have not now seen any real snowfall for five weeks.

Italy

Italian ski areas are posting similar conditions to ski areas to the north – warm daytime temperatures, particularly on lower slopes, as the afternoon arrives then back to overnkight freezing lows down to the valley floor. There has been a little thawing as a result but for the majority it is just a few centimetres over the last week and while that’s not great news with bases thin in the first place, most centres remain 70-95% open here as well. Val Gardena is posting 98% of its slopes open so is one of the best by that measure. The deepest snow continues to be right over on the Slovenian border at Sella Nevea where it’s over two metres deep.  Cervinia is pictured above, this week.

Switzerland

Switzerland has had a small division over the past few days with the dominant sunny weather of the Western Alps covering much of the country, but some ski areas in the east like Arosa and Davos seeing cloudier skies and some light snowfall.  Otherwise things are similar to the rest of the Alps with freeze-thaw conditions impacting low-lying slopes, but not enough for any cut in the amount of terrain open so far. The coming week should see more widespread cloud, lowering temperatures and more snow showers across the country.  Davos is pictured top.

Pyrenees

The Pyrenees have had similar weather to the Alps over the last seven days with lots of sunshine. There was snowfall here the week before though, unlike many parts of the Alps, so the snow that’s there is more recent. But bases aren’t huge in the Pyrenees this year so warm weather in February may not be good news for later in the season, unless we see a return to cold and snowfall. The good news is that so far Pyrenean ski centres have been able to keep most of their slopes open and there is indeed a return to cold and snowy weather forecast for the latter half of the week.

Scandinavia

A real mix of conditions in Scandinavia over the last week with sunny spells, wild winds when Storm Otto blew through on Friday and some more fresh snow – resorts in Norway posting up to 30cm of fresh just in time for the weekend. Myrkdalen ski area near Voss on the Norwegian Coast is posting Europe’s second deepest base at present at 2.4m (8 feet), and that snow is much fresher than that lying at the deepest – Tignes, which has 2.7m (9 feet) up on the glacier.

Scotland

Scottish centres continue to see big weather changes, heavy snowfall on Wednesday night, violent gales on Thursday night, temperatures fluctuating between -5C and +10C, so it’s an ongoing battle to open. Glencoe has terrain suited to advanced and intermediate level skiers available on its upper slopes.  Cairngorm also has similar terrain and some runs suited to beginners. For Glenshee and The Lecht its beginners only and Nevis Range is currently closed for snow-sports.

Eastern Europe

The cold and snowy weather of the last few weeks in the Balkans has ended but all the snowfall and snowmaking has left the slopes in good shape. Most resorts in Bulgaria and Romania are now 80-90% open. Further north in the Czech and Slovak Republics and Poland things are looking great with everything open at resorts like Jasna in Slovakia., the region’s biggest, which is also expexcting fresh snowfall.

USA

US ski areas, particularly in the Rockies, have been posting the biggest snowfalls of the past week with some receiving up to three feet (90cm) of fresh snowfall in 72 hours, so plenty of powder at present. Mammoth on the West Coast hasn’t had so much fresh snowfall but continues to post the world’s deepest snowpack at around  20 feet (6 metres).  Jackson Hole is pictured above this week. It’s not been so good on the East coast though with a return of the warm temperature and rain that dogged the region earlier this winter, leading some smaller, more southerly areas in states like New Hampshire to temporarily close down until colder weather returns.

Canada

Pretty good conditions across Canada, in the west the Freeride world tour was in Kicking Horse at the end of last week and there were more snowfalls on ski slopes across Alberta and BC. Big White is pictured above this week. In the east ski areas seem to have escaped the too-warm temperatures reported to the south in the Eastern US and instead posted 30-60cm (1-2 feet) more snowfall leading to several reporting they had sold out of lift tickets at the weekend.

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Where is Good to Ski or Board Right Now?

Update 11 February, 2023

It’s a sunny half-term week for much of the Alps with temperatures also rising a little from the very cold temperatures of the past month. At low valley resorts, we may see the mercury hit +10C in the afternoons although it should stay cooler higher up. In the Eastern Alps, the big snowfalls of just over a week ago remain fairly fresh but in the west, some areas have seen little or no fresh snowfall for a month. But, in terms of prepared pistes, there’s more terrain open than there has been all season with most of the big areas like the 3 Vallees and 4 Valleys close to fully open. The weather in the Pyrenees is similarly sunny but here there was a little fresh snowfall in many areas last week. In the Balkans, it’s an improving picture still and it is staying cold so far. Scotland continues to face challenges from warm, windy weather and Scandinavia keeps getting dumped on and maybe posting the deepest snow in Europe by this time next week as it’s set to carry on there.

Across the Atlantic, the very cold weather in the Northeast has eased and it is just 10 below freezing with fresh snow falling. It keeps snowing in the west too where the snowpack is the deepest in the world this winter.

Austria

After all the snowfall in the week up to a week ago, things have turned sunny and a little warmer across Austria. Really the conditions are among the best in the Alps here at present, with the snow only a week old, compared to nearly 4 weeks old in some parts of the western Alps. The avalanche danger has dropped a little in most areas too, from 3 or 4 to 2 or 3 – still considerable but not so bad.  Most Austrian ski areas remain fully open and after a metre of snow for some a week ago, bases on higher runs are now among the best in Europe, with Solden among those posting over 2 metres.

France

France has seen a sunny week again and the week ahead, one of the busiest of the season as half-term weeks get underway, looks largely sunny again. However the cold weather of the past month, which saw food and hot drinks go cold within minutes for anyone sitting outside on a terrace to soak up the rays, has finally ended, for now at least, and we’re seeing resort-level temperature highs in the afternoons of +5 to +10C. That’s not impacting the snowpack much though and most of the big ski regions have 85-95% of their slopes open for the peak February Half term weeks ahead with the 3 Valleys having the added excitement of the Alpine skiing World Championships at present.

Italy

Sunny weather for Italy too and some of the warmest temperatures forecast at resort level for some lower Italian ski villages too – potentially seeing +15C in the afternoons by Wednesday! But most will see highs staying in single figures and lows remaining below freezing. Anyway, most Italian slopes are open and most people skiing them are happy to be doing so in the sunshine.  The giant Dolomiti Superski region has more than 90% of its slopes open, for the Milky Way on the French border it’s more like 75%.

Switzerland

Swiss slopes are sharing in the sunshine that is currently shining across the Alps. Most of the country’s ski areas are running at 80-90% open, the 4 Valleys around Verbier at the higher end of that./ It’s just a week since ski areas in the east of Switzerland, in particular, saw good snowfalls, but some in the west have not had fresh snow for nearly a month and the surface is getting pretty tired and in need of a refresh,  though unfortunately there’s nothing really in the forecast.  It’s getting a little warmer too, again like the rest of the Alps, with temperatures getting to 5 or 10 degrees above freezing in resorts in the afternoon and a degree or two into positive numbers higher on the mountain too.

Pyrenees

There was some snowfall – about 15cm – reported in Grandvalira (Soldeu, Pas de la Casa) in Andorra in the middle and latter half of last week giving a nice refresh to the slopes. Otherwise, it has been similar to the Alps with plenty of sunshine and warming temperatures. Ski areas remain 75-90% open so far, however, although bases are not that deep.

Scandinavia

With the snowfall largely ending in the Alps, Scandinavia, and particularly western and northern Norway, is once again where the snow has been dumping over the past week. It looks like ski areas around Voss could be posting the first 3 metres (10 feet) base in Europe this winter by next weekend if it keeps falling as forecast over the next seven days. Myrkdalen currently has 2.4m (8 feet) lying.

Scotland

Scottish ski centres are battling to open terrain for the February half term but while one day there’s fresh snowfall, the next temperatures spike and gales blow in wiping away a lot of the gains. Glencoe still has some high terrain open at the time of writing, with most other areas operating a handful of runs using their all-weather snowmaking machines.

Eastern Europe

It’s an ever better picture in Eastern Europe where temperatures have stayed low and not climbed in the way they have this weekend in the west. So it is still mostly sub-zero. In the north of the region, Slovakia’s Jasna has hit a 1.8m Base depth and is 100% open. In Bulgaria, which had a terrible warm and no snow start to the season, it continues to get better with Bansko now about 80% open. Strong winds have been a problem this past week but are reported to have eased off

USA

Fairly good conditions across the US following the very low temperatures, particularly in New England in the east, a week ago. It has kept snowing in the Rockies, where ski areas in Utah continue to post the best conditions, and in the east and ski resorts on the West Coast continue to post the deepest snowpacks in the world, led by Mammoth Mountain with the snow lying 6.2 metres (nearly 21 feet) deep up top.

Canada

After the ultra-cold temperatures just over a week ago, which saw temperatures as low as -50C and centres closing for safety reasons, Canada has “warmed up” to a more acceptable freezing down to -15C range. There’s also been more fresh snowfall across the country. Conditions are probably the best they’ve been all season, particularly in the East where everything is now fully open, or nearly so, after a problematic first half of the season. The cold and snowy weather has been more reliable in the west and Whistler now has north America’s biggest ski area 100% open.

 

 

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Where is Good to Ski or Board Right Now?

Update 6 February, 2023

It’s been an interesting week in the Alps with heavy snowfall all week in Austria – some ski areas seeing more than a metre of snowfall over the last 7 days – but most of the rest of The Alps getting nothing, staying dry and sunny. Along with snow Austria got strong winds and resulting high avalanche danger leading, sadly, to multiple incidents and a number of deaths among off-piste skiers and boarders. The danger level remains very high away from opened, prepared runs.

Like the western Alps, the Pyrenees have also been mostly dry but here, as in France, Italy and Western Switzerland conditions do remain largely very good, on the groomed runs at least, thanks to earlier snowfalls leaving almost everything open.  Cortina in Italy is pictured above.

In Bulgaria and south-eastern Europe, there was more catching up to do after a poor season start there but they have now had more and more snow and ever-improving conditions. Something of the reverse in Scotland alas where rain, wind and warm weather have severely damaged the snowpacks, although the past few days have seen some recovery. Scandinavia, meanwhile, remains cold and snowy as it has been all winter.

Across in the US, the big issue was ultra-low temperatures in the northwest of the continent over the end of last week which shut down ski areas in Quebec and New England for safety reasons as lows got into the -40s C/F, but since then conditions have stabilised and it has been snowing again from coast to coast.

Austria

Austria has been the place to be for fresh snowfall over the past week, it has been dumping here while the rest of the Alps have remained largely dry. Up to a metre of snowfall has been reported in some areas, though for most it’s more like 1-2 feet. The news isn’t all great in the short term though, there were strong winds that closed lifts at times and some regions including the Arlberg around Lech and St Anton hit very high avalanche danger levels due to the mix of conditions. This led to a high number of deaths among off-piste skiers at the weekend in multiple incidents.  Pitztal glacier pictured above.

France

(Bonneval pictured above)

France has had another largely dry and sunny week with temperatures a little warmer though, getting back into plus temperatures at bases.  Some areas have just reported a few centimetres of snowfall up high.  So it’s a bit of a holding pattern, bases are dropping slightly and slowly as it settles with a bit of thawing at low elevations but basically everything remains fully open (or nearly so). Avalanche danger has dropped but sadly so has the chance of finding much fresh powder left.

Italy

Italy has had a mostly dry week, like France, although light snowfall was reported in some northern areas and in the Dolomites. Actually, though some of the last heavy snowfall in the Western Alps took place just under a fortnight ago at resorts like Sestriere so some of the conditions remain at the best in the country here. But really, things are pretty good almost everywhere with most runs open and on-piste conditions fine. It’s just off-piste powder that’s hard to find.

Switzerland

Eastern and central Switzerland saw some of the snowfall that covered neighbouring Austria over the past week and sadly some of the off-piste avalanche deaths as well. The west of the country, other than an occasional snow flurry, stayed largely dry, however. Glacier 3000 near Gstaad is now posting the country’s deepest snow at 1.8 metres (6 feet) but base depths are well down on the highs of 4-6 metres we’d normally see on high slopes across the Alps by February. Most swiss resorts have almost all of their terrain open though.

Pyrenees

It has been back to dry, mostly sunny weather over the past week in the Pyrenees, but the late-January snowfall and cold have re-set the season to some extent and most ski areas remain 80-95% open, although bases are rather thin for the time of year. The Freeride World Tour was in Andorra at the weekend.

Scandinavia

It has continued to be cold and snowy in Scandinavia even as temperatures rise a little from the -20s and -30s in recent weeks and daylight hours lengthen. Some Norwegian ski areas have reported up to90cm (three feet) of snowfall in the past week and Myrkdalen (140/240cm / 56/96”) near the west coast has put on more than half-a-metre of snow depths in the last seven days to take the ‘deepest reported snow depth in Scandinavia this week’ title.  Norway’s Trysil pictured above.

Scotland

Unfortunately, mild weather in the Highlands has severely impacted the snow cover on Scottish slopes. Most centres still have a few runs open but they vary a good deal. Glenshee has lower runs open maintained with all-weather snow, at Glencoe it’s more intermediate/advanced terrain left. Things have turned a little colder and snowier since the weekend.

Eastern Europe

It’s been another good week in Eastern Europe for skiers, with snowfall reported across the region bringing ever-improving conditions. Things were already fairly good in the Czech and Slovak Republics but they’ve shared in the snowfall from the north that impacted Austria and now everything is open with fresh snow. Ever more snowfall in Bulgaria too and improving conditions there with lower runs to Bansko now open.

USA

The Northeastern US largely shut down at the end of last week and the start of the weekend as temperatures dropped down to the -40s Fahrenheit, unsafe for machinery to operate and for humans to be outdoors for long. It’s since warmed up and started snowing again giving some of the best conditions of the season so far in the east and continuing to be excellent in the west.  Copper Mountain pictured above.

Canada

(Massif du Sud, Quebec, on Sunday)

Good conditions were reported on ski slopes across Canada with almost everything open. The only downsides have been a very high avalanche danger in the BC backcountry and extreme cold,  at the weekend, in Quebec in the East, which closed down most areas due to dangerous levels of cold – getting into the -40s, which can result in frostbite in minutes.  Things have warmed up a little since then though and we’re seeing plenty of snowfall on slopes across the country.

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Where is Good to Ski or Board Right Now?

Update 29 January, 2023

It’s been another largely cold and sunny week in the Alps, at least after fresh snowfall in southern France and along the Austrian/Italian border eased in the middle of last week. But things are starting to change, at least in the north and east initially, with more snowfall arriving in Austria and Eastern Switzerland from the north.  Elsewhere in Europe, there’s been cold weather and some fresh snowfall in the Pyrenees and down in Bulgaria too, so it’s an improving picture there also.

Across in North America, the weather extremes seem to have settled a little in North America. The last few days have seen healthy snowfalls on both the east and west sides of the continent, but the warm weather spikes that have plagued the east and the violent gales in the west have been much less.

In the wider world ski areas in Japan have been reporting the return of “Japow” there after a fairly average start to the season with some centres reporting a metre of powder dumping in just 48 hours at the weekend. Myoko Kogen, below, one of them.

Austria

The cold temperatures that have dominated in Austria for the past fortnight are continuing into February, but after a week that saw quite a lot of sunshine and the odd snow shower, snowfall is now back as Arctic Air moves down from the north and it’s a wintery-looking week ahead. Most of the country’s leading ski areas were already operating 80-90% of their slopes but conditions continue to improve with Kitzbuhel announcing that more valley runs were opening for the weekend.

France

French ski areas have been enjoying some sunny days for much of the past week but the weather is starting to change with fresh snowfall expected this week. It has been cold – generally below freezing and getting as low as -25C up high – for a fortnight now and that’s enabled most of the lower ski areas that had problems opening some of their runs to open most of their terrain now, while higher areas like the 3 Valleys are up to about 95% open, the most of the season so far. Avoriaz is posting the deepest snow in Europe at over 3 metres (10 feet) up high.

Italy

Italy has also had another cold week with heavy snowfall in the west that’s greatly improved conditions along the French border, the Milky Way (Sauze d’Oulx, Sestriere) doubling its base depths and now about 2/3 open. There was snow for the Dolomites too but it’s now back to cold, sunny weather and that’s the pattern here for the week ahead. Further north and west though, the snowfall moving in from northern Europe looks set to make an impact with some significant accumulations through the latter half of this week.  Livigno pictured above.

Switzerland

Swiss ski slopes are, on the whole, in great shape. Parts of the country, and some famous resorts including St Moritz and Zermatt, have not had a great season for snowfall so far, but they’ve still got most of their terrain open and the good news is that fresh snow is now expected across a wide area over the coming week. The snowfall will most likely be heaviest in the eastern half of the country with some ski areas expected to receive more than 60cm (two feet) by the weekend if things play out as per the current forecast. In the meantime, it remains cold and most Swiss ski areas are mostly open. The 4 Valleys has about 90% of its runs open now.

Pyrenees

An improving picture for the Pyrenees too thanks to cold weather and fresh snowfall.  A growing number of resorts in France and Spain are reporting their ski areas are 100% open at last with fresh snow. Baqueira Beret has been staging Freeride world tour events over the past few days.

Scandinavia

Scandinavia is where winter was hiding earlier this month and it is still there, even though the days are getting longer and temperatures warming just a little on the -20s and even -30s Celsius some areas have been posting over the last few weeks.  The most snow continues to be in Western Norway where bases are nearing 2 metres at the snowiest spots near Hemsedal and Voss. Less snow but everything is open further east in Sweden and north in Finland and Lapland.  Idre Fjall pictured above.

Scotland

Scottish centres have had to deal with the usual ups and downs of the weather with temperatures too warm over the past week to maintain much of the lower terrain at the five Highland centres in skiable shape, other than areas where the machine-made snow has been piled high. Most do still have some higher runs open however and the forecast is for colder conditions over the coming week.

Eastern Europe

It’s been another much more positive week for snow in Eastern Europe after the terrible start to the season in countries like Bulgaria, Romania, Bosnia and Greece. It’s stayed cold and many resorts like Bansko have reported periods of heavy snowfall.  As a result most ski areas in the region now have at least half of their slopes open from next to nothing at the start of January. Further north it’s been cold and snowy too with the largest centre Jasna, which had been about 2/3 open already, now fully open.

USA

There have been some decent snowfalls right across America over the past week as the extremes of weather that saw too much snowfall (if such a thing is possible!) and violent gales in the west and too little snowfall and warm, wet weather in the East both settled down to something more reliable and cold on each side of the country. So Jay  Peak in Vermont and Discovery in Montana both posted about two feet (60cm) of fresh snowfall at the weekend and they were typical of what’s been happening over a wide area.  Sunday River pictured above, Windham top.

Canada

Fairly good conditions across Canada, with resorts including Panorama in BC (pictured below) reporting powder days at the weekend while on the East Coast ski areas across Quebec reported cold and snowy conditions, with base depths continuing to grow there.  Whistler Blackcomb is into its second full week of being fully open having the most terrain in North America currently skiable.

 

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Where is Good to Ski or Board Right Now?

Update 24 January, 2023

It’s the best week of the season so far almost everywhere across the skiing world thanks to different factors in different places.

For much of Europe – the Alps, Dolomites, Pyrenees and Balkans – the big improvement is consistently low temperatures (below freezing) following fresh snowfall, allowing lower slopes to open and creating great snow conditions on higher runs.  Conditions had already been good in Scandinavia.

In North America where the western side of the continent has seen the best of the world’s snowfall over the first half of this season, it’s actually good news that the seemingly endless cycle of violent storms that piled snow up to 6 metres (20 feet) deep on the mountains of California have eased and resorts there can take a breather, dig out and open more terrain under sunny skies. It’s also an improving picture on the east Coast which has faced similar issues to lower resorts in the alps – warm and wet – in the early winter. Here New England and Quebec have been more consistently cold and snowy.

Further afield a huge storm is currently hitting northern Japan bringing very low temperatures and heavy snowfall.  Here are the details.

Austria

The snow kept falling in Austria for longer than it did further west and another 20cm had landed (and was still coming down) by the time of the 83^rd running of the Hahnenkamm above Kitzbuhel on Saturday. But the time Dave Ryding scored his silver 24 hours later on Sunday though it was glorious blue skies. There are great conditions now with most of the country’s ski areas open, generally with 60-95% of slopes skiable and sharing in the low temperatures currently prevalent across the Alps.

(Skiwelt pictured above this week, Lech in Arlberg pictured top)

France

It’s been mostly dry and sunny in France since the big snowstorm that dumped up to a metre of snow there ended last Wednesday/Thursday. As a result of that most resorts are now almost fully open, including those that were reported closed or almost completely closed during the “no snow in the Alps” media storm earlier this month.  French resorts like Avoriaz and Flaine are posting the deepest snow in the Alps up at around the metres/10 feet mark up high.

Italy

Italy is on a bit of a dividing line for weather systems in the Alps at present with more northerly and westerly resorts in the country sharing in the dry and sunny weather following the snowfall, but more southerly and easterly areas in Trentino and the Dolomites enjoying a snowy start to the week with 20-40cm accumulation totals expected by Friday. Conditions are good across most of the country either with recent snow and sunshine or fresh snowfall daily though and most slopes in The Dolomites are open.

Switzerland

Great conditions across Switzerland following all the snowfall last week, it’s now mostly sunny but as with the rest of mainland Europe, remaining cold, getting to the minus 20s up high, closer to freezing in resort. Big regions like the 4 Valleys are 80-90” open and snow depths – while still below average below 2000m altitude as they are across the Alps, are nearing two metres at resorts like Glacier 3000, Andermatt and Saas-Fee. Low-altitude areas like Gstaad and Villars that had been highlighted in media reports earlier in the month for limited snow slopes open in the warm weather are now in much better shape.

Pyrenees

There’s a big improvement in conditions in the Pyrenees which had been facing similar issues to the Alps on lower slopes with warm weather thawing thin cover and diminishing amounts of terrain open. That’s thankfully now all changed though with lots of fresh powder and consistently cold temperatures. Big resorts like Soldeu / Pas de la Casa (Grandvalira) and Spain’s Baqueira Beret have gone from having dropped to only half of their terrain able to open to 70-80% again now.

Scandinavia

Staying wintery in Scandinavia with the deepest snow reported in Norway at resorts like Hemsedal and Voss where it’s lying 1.5 – 2 metres deep.  The daylight hours and now increasing fairly rapidly and everything is open.

Scotland

After a promising start to the season and start to 2023 with last week cold and snowy,  the regular curse of Scottish snow sports is with us – mild and windy conditions coming in from the West this week.  The five centres had great conditions at the weekend and hopefully have snow cover to see them through until colder weather returns. Currently, it’s ‘soft snow’ though and the amount of terrain available is diminishing.

Eastern Europe

It’s a much-improved picture across Eastern European ski slopes with some big snowfalls reported over the past few days. The biggest improvement is in Bulgaria where there was little open due to the warm weather until a few weeks ago, Bansko and Borovets now have about a third to a half of their terrain open.  Further north it is still improving in the Czech and Slovak Republics with the largest area Jasna reporting ever better conditions.

USA

There’s been a lull in the series of huge snowstorms that have been hitting the Western side of the US, much to the relief of resorts there. They’re all sat on big snow depths now but have had difficulty opening much terrain often as every time they dig out from one storm the next moves in. So less snowfall is actually good news in the west now and the current drier conditions, sunny in California, are being welcomed. In the East, there’s also an improvement with lower temperatures and more snowfall. In New England, it has been too warm and wet up to now, but this week, colder, snowier weather has brought the best conditions of the season so far.

Canada

Fairly good conditions across Canada with consistently cold temperatures from coast to coast, if not much fresh snowfall recently. North America’s largest ski area Whistler Blackcomb is almost fully open and it’s been snowing heavily in the East in New England and Quebec which had previously been suffering similar warm temperature issues to the Alps across the ocean in Europe. Now though they’re enjoying the best conditions of the season so far.

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Update 19th January, 2023

It’s a much brighter picture in the Alps this week than it has been all season.

There’s been heavy snowfall in the Western Alps (France and Western  Italy and Switzerland) and good snowfall, if not so much, further east in Austria and Eastern Italy and Switzerland.

Some higher French resorts have reported their upper slope snow depths up by more than a metre on a week ago with a number, including Alpe d’Huez (above) and Avoriaz (below), now saying they have over 3m/10 feet of snow lying up high.

But the really good news is for low lying ski areas which have been at the centre of the frenzy of “no snow in the Alps” stories that have been filling world media, ignoring the fact that higher slopes have had average cover or better all winter.

Most low ski areas have had 30-60cm (1-2 feet) of snow leading to widespread and ongoing reopening of runs. The most dramatic change is probably at Les Gets which had been forced to fully close its ski area during the warm spell when most others managed to keep a sad run or two open.  It went from nothing to fully re-opened on Wednesday, including the Portes du Soleil links.

Perhaps a little ironically, or just how it is, it is also immediately posting a “high” (level 4 on the scale to 5) avalanche danger level which is an increasingly common danger rating, particularly of note to freeride off-piste skiers and boarders across the western Alps at present, with most areas posting level 3 (“considerable”) if not at 4.

Regardless of the amount of snow that’s fallen a common and welcome change across the Alps , and indeed much of Europe, is a big temperature drop to something more normal for winter in the mountains. That means the freezing point dropping well below resort level for most areas and temperatures getting as low as -20C up at about 3000m.

Although the forecast is for the snowfall to ease off in most areas, and it already has in most parts with the sun breaking through for the weekend in the west, temperatures should stay low and overall conditions ae excellent, the best they’ve been all season so far.

Elsewhere in Europe

There have been similar improvements in the Pyrenees, not so much snowfall but some at least and lower temperatures. Bigger resorts like Grandvalira and Baqueira Beret now have more than half of their terrain back open again. 20-30cm of fresh snowfall widely reported in the last few days.

There have also been improvements in the Balkans with cold weather and some fresh snow after resorts in Bulgaria could hardly open a run with no natural snow and temperatures too warm for much snowmaking.  It’s now improving, though still with a lot of catching up to do and Bansko is hoisting World Cup competition this weekend. Further north in resorts like Jasna conditions have not been so bad and are now much improved by fresh snowfall.

Scottish ski centres are also seeing their best conditions of the season so far after a cold and snowy week here. Glencoe is almost fully open, Cairngorm about 50% open, the rest reporting a third or so of  their runs open. Alas temperatures look to be warming from the weekend but hopefully not too much damage will be done.

In Scandinavia it remains cold and snowy as it has been all month.

North America

More amazing records being set on the North American West Coast and Rockies where more and more ski areas are passing the 10 metres (400 inches) of snowfall season-to-date total. Mammoth’s world deepest snowpack has now passed 6 metres (20 feet) and further north of the Pacific Coast Whistler has reached 2 metres on its highest runs.  The East Coast continues to lag behind for snow cover unfortunately and warm temperatures continue to be an issue in New England but it’s more consistently cold and snowy further north in Quebec.

Keystone, Colorado, pictured above and top.

 

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Where is Good to Ski or Board Right Now?

Update 10 January 2023

The snow is finally here across the Alps. It began falling in the west, in the French, Italian (Bardonecchia pictured top and below) and Swiss Alps on Sunday and has continued moving north and easterly over the past 48 hours, bringing snowfall to most areas.

Naturally the snowfall is heaviest up high, with 60cm (2 feet) accumulations reported up at 3,000m already at some areas and with the snow expected to continue through midweek before easing off, some may see a metre of snowfall by Thursday.  It should remain colder than it has been with more snow showers later in the week.

Of course areas above 2000m were already in pretty good shape with ski areas like Paradiski above la Plagne and Les Arcs and the 3 Valleys about 75% open due to all their high altitude terrain, so the focus id on lower altitude ski areas like Les Gets and Gstaad which have been hard hit by the warm and sometimes wet weather over Christmas and New Year. They have all been reporting snowfall down to low levels and from the pictures posted it looks like 10-30cm rather than the metre up high, as you’d expect. It’s also cold enough to fire up the snow cannons.

It’s too soon to know how much the new snow will improve things, that’ll become clear later this week, but it’s looking promising for at least some re-opening of terrain.

The avalanche danger levels are already creeping up however. Areas in the Western Alps have hit level 3 on the scale to 5, considered the most dangerous level in some respect as more skiers and boarders tend to ignore the danger, leading to accidents, at level 3 than at 4 or 5.

Elsewhere the Pyrenees, which have been facing similar problems to the Alps, have also had some fresh snowfall and a drop in temperatures, although not quite such a dramatic change as further north and east in the Alps.

It’s also good news in the Balkans where ski areas in Bulgaria too are at least seeing a temperature drop and snow showers hopefully enabling them to soon open more terrain too from the very limited amount that has so far been possible.  Bansko is pictured below on Tuesday.

Snowy weather in Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic is also improving the conditions there, allowing more resorts to open more terrain.

Further north Scandinavian ski centres continue to post the most ‘wintery’ conditions in Europe as they did through the warm spell further south. Norway has done particularly well with fresh snowfall in the past seven days heading towards the metre mark up high at resorts like Geilo and Hemsedal with more forecast.

Not quite such dramatic snowfalls but an improving picture in Scotland too where most centres have at least a few runs open and there’s more cold weather and snow forecast.

North America

In Western Canada still more huge storms have been moving in off the Pacific coast, where ski areas in California, Oregon and Washington had already been posting by far the world’s deepest snowpacks after months of the same. Mammoth has the world’s deepest at nearly 5 metres. The snowfall has continued west so the Rockies are in great shape too, with Park City in Utah, America’s biggest area, fully open.

West Coast resorts would probably appreciate the snowfall easing a little now as the endless storms make it difficult for them to actually open terrain, due to the work involved digging out, making access roads safe and reducing avalanche danger.

Further north not quite so much snowfall in Alberta and BC, Canada, but most ski areas in the region are full open

A less snowy picture in the East although there has been some fresh. But as with the Alps on the other side of the Atlantic ski areas in New England and even north of the border in Quebec have been battling periods of warm weather and rain and few are fully open.

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Update 2 January 2023

If you’re looking for fresh snowfall (and who isn’t?!), the place to find it in abundance continues to be Western North America where still more mega snow storms have been moving in off the Pacific, dumping several feet more snowfall with Mammoth Mountain continuing to post the deepest snow in the world. The Palisades (above on Jan 1st, 2023) posted 95cm (3 feet 2 inches) of fresh snow in 24 hours to start the New Year. There’s been lots more snowfall in the Rockies too with Steamboat reporting its snowiest December in over a decade and Park City up in Utah, with America’s biggest ski area, fully open.

The news isn’t all good though unfortunately with the snowfall driven in on gales of up to 100mph and sometimes accompanies by freezing rain. Ice build up, deep snow and temperature fluctuations have also led to high avalanche danger among other storm related issues. .

Europe

In Europe Scandinavia is the place to go for fresh snowfall (Hemsedal above on 31 December, 2022) as the Alps continue to be divided by altitude, predominantly, with fairly good conditions on slopes above 2,000m (which thankfully most large destination resorts have plenty of), but increasingly challenging at lower levels. The 3 Valleys for example have three quarters (about 450km) of their 600km of terrain open. Other big areas typically have 60-80% of their terrain open too, however it is lower at those like the Portes du Soleil down at Les Gets and Morzine or at the separate areas around Megeve and La Clusaz.

There was more rain at the weekend down below and the freezing point rose to 3000m to start the New year but it has since got a little cooler and there have been light snow showers up high.

Unfortunately there’s no clear sign of anything much changing in the coming week when we really need a proper start to winter here at last.

The Pyrenees have had some snowfall but are facing similar challenging conditions to the Alps.

It’s also not good news in more southerly parts of Eastern Europe with warm, dry and sunny weather dominant and ski areas in Bulgaria, Bosnia, Serbia and nearby only able to open very limited terrain – a run or two with machine made snow – so far. Further north in the Czech and Slovak Republics and Poland it’s a much more promising picture.

The Dolomites continue to be something of an exception with virtually everything open at all altitudes and none of the rain issues here. Conditions aren’t perfect but they’re not far off at resorts like Val Gardena.

Elsewhere in Europe it does feel like winter in Scandinavia where many resorts have been seeing -5 to -20C temperatures and plenty of fresh snowfall.  Not quite so cold in Scotland but it was quite a cold December overall and there’s been more snowfall in the past week. Four of the five Highland ski centres have some terrain open, albeit not yet very much at any of them, mostly thanks to the limited areas they each have covered by all-weather snowmaking machines with the natural cover elsewhere not yet deep enough.

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Update 28 December 2022

Alas, the current conditions in the Alps are a very mixed bag rather than the perfect end of year/start to 2023 we’d all hope.

A big part of the problem is altitude – higher slopes are generally in good shape – above 2,000m (Avoriaz is pictured on Tuesday this week, the Molltal Glacier in Austria below) – but at lower altitudes warm weather and rain has severely impacted the snow cover.

Despite these challenges most leading ski areas actually have more terrain open than a week ago, opening all they can for the busiest weeks of the season and most destination resorts have 60-80% of their terrain open.

There has been fresh snowfall up high, with some resorts posting 30-60cm (1-2) feet of fresh snowfall up above 2,000m, unfortunately though there’s been rain for many resorts at lower levels.

As a result some lower resorts like Les Gets are offering lift pass discounts due to having limited terrain open. Some others like Laax are warning that some of their runs are narrow.

The Dolomites are reported to have some of the best conditions, mostly as they’ve missed the rain that impacted much of the Alps to quite high altitudes at the weekend.

The Pyrenees are facing similar issues to the Alps and although most resorts are open, most only have 30-50cm (12-20 inches) of snow lying and the amount of terrain open has been dropping. Spain’s Baqueira Beret has dropped below100km of slopes open for the first time since the start of the season there over a month ago.

(Stranda, Norway)

The best conditions in Europe are currently up in Scandinavia where reports have posted up to 50cm of fresh snow  since Christmas and temperatures have been well below freezing.

Across the North Sea Scottish ski centres are also seeing improved conditions. Not enough snow yet to really open up but machine-made snow on short runs, topped up with natural cover, has allowed Cairngorm, Lecht and Glenshee to open, with Glencoe and Nevis Range aiming to join them asap

It’s actually a similar scenario on the other side of Europe down in the Southeast with ski areas in the Balkans most severely impacted by the warm weather. Bulgarian resorts have scraped a few short runs together with overnight snowmaking and new package holiday destination Sarajevo reports just a 500 metre slope open.

(Eaglecrest, Alaska)

North America

It’s a very different picture across the Atlantic where yet another series of major storms slamming into the West Coast of North America with up to eight feet (2.5 meters) of snowfall possible by the start of next week.

The region currently has the deepest snowpacks in the world, with over 3 metres lying at some resorts. But all the snowfall is causing some issues – burying lifts and bringing high avalanche danger, limiting the terrain open while the storms blow through. There have also been very strong winds, with gusts of up to 100mph reported. But between these weather extremes, conditions are great.

This latest snowfall comes after Storm Elliot blew through at the weekend, bringing exceptionally low temperatures across the continent and major snowfalls to the Midwest and East Coasts which had been lacking much cover until now.  But there’s been powder skiing in the East since (Jay Peak, Vermont, pictured below this week).

 

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Update 21 December 2022

We’ve reached the winter solstice so the days are drawing out from now on and we’re into wintertime by both the astronomical measure of the seasons and the meteorological one.

But what about the snow? Well (as so often), it’s a mixed picture!

In the Alps and many other parts of Europe most of the major destination ski resorts are open now and the majority have about 30-60% of their slopes open and will be aiming to open more for the busy Christmas and New Year’s weeks coming up.   So on the whole things are fairly good so long as you want to ski on the groomed pistes and particularly if your resort is quite high altitude.

The factor working against progress in opening more has been below average snowfall and, particularly this week, above average temperatures. This has particularly hit lower altitude ski areas where its been harder to create cover.

But still, there’s a lot open. Over 300km in the 3 Valleys for example and many of the other big areas around Verbier, Zermatt, Grandvalira, Baqueira Beret, the Skiwelt, Ischgl-Samnaun (pictured above this week) Alpbach, Dolomiti Superski (the list goes on…) have at least 100km of slopes open already and in many cases double that.

Less Good News

The European region doing the worst at this early stage in the season is down in the southeast where Bulgarian ski areas are struggling with warm weather to open much at all. Bansko and Borovets each have managed just a run a piece opening in the past few days.

Scotland is facing its usual battles with borderline weather conditions. The first half of December was very cold and double-digit sub-zero temperatures were recorded, but it was also very dry so snow for runs was mostly machine made when several areas opened at the weekend. Precipitation did arrive at the start of this week, along with gales, but there was also the 10+ degree jump in temperature so a lot of it was snow-destroying rain and warm winds that closed areas again. Temperatures are dropping and ski centres are re-opening with limited terrain.

Elsewhere in Europe

It’s a similar picture to The Alps in The Dolomites and Pyrenees, in more northerly areas of eastern Europe – countries like the Czech and Slovak Republics and Poland it’s a much better picture than further south and there’s more and more terrain open.

Conditions in Scandinavia, where resorts in the north are now in 24-hour polar night and temperatures in the -20s have been reported, are much more wintery. Most of the region’s leading areas are now open include Are, Hemsedal and Trysil.

North America

The main ski news stories in North America this week are a decent dump of snowfall, at last, on the East Coast (Sunday river pictured top last weekend, Whiteface above after things have settled and grooming don), which has dramatically improved the previously poor early-season conditions there. It’s been drier in the west after the successive snow storms there through November and December but here the most snow in the world is lying, Mammoth Mountain in California remaining the only resort reporting a base of more than three metres (10 feet) at present.

The other big ski holiday news story has been very low temperatures in parts of Western Canada into the -30s. Along with advice to cover up exposed skin, layer up and watch friends for signs of frostbite, skki areas in the Alberta/Eastern BC ski regions have been closing more exposed lifts and in some cases entire resorts, until things warm up a bit – expected by the Christmas weekend.

*********

Where is Good to Ski or Board Right Now?

Update 14 December 2022

As the start of the main ski season is just about upon us, it is good to be able to report generally  good conditions in almost all major ski regions.

Europe

It’s an ever improving picture in the Alps with several fronts moving across the range from the south and west. Ski areas in the French Alps and in Western Switzerland and Italy have done particularly well with two snowstorms since the weekend bringing up to two feet (60cm) of fresh snow.  Chatel, one of those that got particularly heavy snowfall, is pictured above.

Along with ever improving snow depths the snowline levels have been dropping down to valley floors meaning better conditions for low-lying ski resorts and valley runs, as well as those up high.

There’s been snowfall too in the Pyrenees, at Sierra Nevada in southern Spain and over in Northeastern Europe for ski centres in countries like the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland.

In Scandinavia it’s getting darker, with sun dropping below the horizon at Finland’s largest ski area of Levi earlier this week and not due to re-appear until January 1^st, but floodlit slopes keep things moving for those happy to be skiing on pristine powder at -10 to -30C.

Scotland’s first ski slopes opened for 22-23 on Monday with Glenshee taking advantage of the current cold weather in the UK to open several runs. The other four Highland ski centres plan to open this weekend on next week.

Really the only area that has been reporting warmer temperatures than they’d like is Bulgaria, where Borovets delayed its planned opening last weekend, but things are improving here too.

North America

There have been more incredible snow storms in western North America, with up to 5 feet more snow reported in California.

Mammoth Mountain (pictured above on Tuesday) is the first ski resorts in the world to report a 10 feet/3 metre base on its upper slopes already this season.

All the snow in the Rockies and on the Pacific Coast has set the continent up for the entire ski season ahead.

However it remains a very different picture in the East unfortunately with warmer, drier weather upto now making even snowmaking challenging. Here too though cold weather and some natural snowfall is now in the forecast.

***********************************

Update 9 December 2022

As we reach the second weekend in December about 90% of the world’s leading ski areas have already opened for the season (or will do this weekend).

In most areas conditions are fairly good for this early point in the season. Western North America is having an amazing start with a rapid series of storms dumping huge amounts of snow, with more on the way.  It’s very different on the Eastern side of the continent though where its more of a battle to open runs whenever the weather is cold enough for snowmaking.

That’s a similar picture for low-lying ski areas in Europe, which haven’t had much snowfall yet. Fi the bigger, higher ski areas though it’s an ever improving picture at present with another 1-2 feet of snowfall expected this weekend.

North America

Western North America continues to see fantastic early-season conditions with some resorts in the Colorado Rockies already reporting over 100 inches (2.5 metres) of snow has fallen this season already while in California Mammoth Mountain is posting the deepest base in the world at 2.7 metres (9 feet).  All the snowfall is causing short-term logistical issues opening access roads and with high avalanche danger in places leading to some resorts closing on some days as the worst of it is managed.

Europe

The snow has started falling in the Alps again after a largely dry and sunny week, with just light snow showers.

Temperatures will be below freezing down to low levels too so snowmaking systems should be able to work. More big name resorts are opening this weekend including Meribel and Les Menuires completing the links in the 3 Valleys.

Most ski centres are now open in the Pyrenees and have in fact been posting the most terrain ope in Europe so far with Baqueira/​Beret the only one to go above 150km of runs open already and Andorra’s Grandvalira not far behind on over 100km.

Many of Scandinavia’s ski centres have now opened for the season with larger centres like Are and Hemsedal among the latest to do so.

It has been cold and (particularly in the East) snowy in Scotland with centres using all-weather snowmaking systems to create small snow areas. Glenshee (pictured below on Wednesday) they intend to open the weekend after next, others may follow suit.

Eastern Europe’s ski areas have been enjoying some of the coldest and (for comparatively low lying mountains compared to the Alps), snowiest, December weather, at least on their higher slopes, and centres have begun to open here too.  Slovakia’s Jasna has the most open so far with Bulgaria’s ski season expected to start this weekend.

 

*******

Update 1 December 2022

The ski season continues to gather pace across the Northern Hemisphere with the North American Rockies seeing the best conditions so far and people beginning to ask when was it last this good this early in the season?  Many resorts have had another foot or more of snowfall in the past few days.

(Crested Butte. Colorado, 29 November, 2022)

Hundreds of ski areas are open coast-to-coast across the continent, in fact unlike Europe or Asia, more big-name resorts are already open for the season in Canada and the US than are yet to open.

They include the biggest in the US, Park City in Utah, which already has over 100km of slopes open, and the biggest in Canada and north America,  Whistler Blackcomb in BC, although it hasn’t opened much of its vast terrain as yet.

Europe

Good to Ski Right Now?

There are about 100 ski areas open already in Europe, most in the Alps but with about a quarter in Scandinavia and the first for 22-23 – Baqueira Beret – open in the Pyrenees since last weekend.

Those numbers will double, perhaps triple this coming weekend as many more open including big French names like Alpe d’Huez, Les 2 Alpes and Val d’Isere.

There’s also a battle to open more terrain for early skiers and boarders. Ischgl – Samnaun on the Austrian-Swiss border only opened last weekend but already has more than 100km of slopes open and Cervinia – Zermatt (pictured below) on the Italian – Swiss border has announced it will also offer more than 100km from this coming weekend.

There was more snowfall, heaviest up high, earlier this week and more forecast next week, but currently its mostly dry, frequently sunny but still cold for most areas.

Lots more resorts plan to open in the Pyrenees this weekend as well as in the Dolomites and the first for the season in Eastern Europe, including Slovakia’s Jasna.

Scotland has seen cold but dry weather with nowhere known to be planning to open soon, in Scandinavia some big name resorts will open this weekend.

Asia

Good to Ski Right Now?

Unfortunately it hasn’t been that snowy yet in Japan and a number of areas that had planned to open this weekend have decided to postpone, some saying for a week, others until they know things are looking better.

The good news is that the weather does now appear to be changing with Japan’s normal non-stop snowfall through winter showing signs of getting underway.

 

 

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Update 26 November 2022

Good to Ski Right Now?

The past week has seen hundreds of ski areas open for the 22-23 ski season and plenty of snowfall too.

For most areas it’s now looking quite promising for the season ahead after the nervous wait through war, dry conditions in October and the first half of November. Along with the natural snowfall it has been cold enough for snowmaking systems to be set to work building bases.

(Bonneval, France this week)

Europe

Good to Ski Right Now?

In Europe there are now about 50 ski areas open, more than half of them in Austria and Switzerland, but we’ve also seen the first resorts open in France at Tignes and Val Thorens and more big-name Italian centres open including Cervinia, and Courmayeur.

Most have had at least a foot of fresh snowfall over the past week and snow down to low levels as well.

It’s not just the Alps though. The season is underway in Dolomiti Superski in Italy at Cortina d’Ampezzo and several other resorts and the first centre has opened for the season in the Pyrenees, Baqueira Beret on the Spanish side of the mountains.

Some big-name ski areas have been opening in Scandinavia as well, including Norway’s Kvitfjell and Geilo, joining already open Finnish centres like Levi, Ruka and Yllas. Here it’s a very wintery picture with lots of snow falling.

There’s been snow too in places where resorts haven’t opened yet, but will be soon, including across eastern Europe in countries like Bulgaria, closer to home in Scotland and even countries with just one or two ski centres like Croatia, Algeria and Portugal.

North America

Good to Ski Right Now?

It’s over in the USA and Canada where over 100 centres have now opened, helped by mostly low temperatures and some good natural snowfalls. Aiming to open ahead of the big US Thanksgiving holiday weekend was an extra incentive for many.

The best of the snowfall has been in the West where Mammoth in California reports they already have 2 metres lying on their highest slopes. Lake Louise had to cancel the first Men’s Downhill ski race of the season planned for there on Friday due to heavy snowfall.

Most big-name resorts across the country are now open with the largest, Canada’s Whistler Blackcomb, opening on Thursday.

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Update 17 November 2022

North America

Good to Ski Right Now?

Canada and USA continue to have the best early season conditions. Resorts continue to open early for the 22-23 season across the continent with some reporting up to six feet (1.8 metres) of snow in the past three weeks.

Most of the snowfall so far has been in the West where the first BC resorts open in Canada last weekend and Big White and Silver Star and others will join them this weekend.

Kicking Horse won’t open for a while yet but posted the picture below of the powder those who hiked up could enjoy.

Temperatures have now dropped on the Eastern side of the continent too with not much snow yet (though plenty forecast now) but snowmaking systems fired up. The first centre in Quebec opened for 22-23 yesterday and Sunday River is the first in New England, pictured top, opening today in Maine.  Stowe and Killington in Vermont plan to open this weekend.

We estimate there’ll be at least50 and perhaps as many as 100 North American ski areas open coast-to-coast this weekend.

Europe

Good to Ski Right Now?

Some snow down to about 1500m and consistently colder this week but more snowfall is needed.

It’s a fine line – the French season has been put a further week back with Val Thorens delaying its planned opening this weekend to next, but Obergurgl in Austria has managed to open and despite only having 5-20cm of snow lying, has opened 30km of runs.

Also opening this weekend are Andermatt and Kitzbuhel, both thanks to snow farming, while Obertauern appears to have delayed their opening too.

The forecast looks unsettled, but cold, so we all have to hope for bigger and better snowfalls soon.

Scandinavia looks more wintery. Levi in Lapland hosts Alpine World Cup ski racing this weekend and more leading Finnish ski areas including Pyha and Yllas are due to open.

In the wider world it has been increasingly snowy in Japan and temperatures in Scotland have dropped from record November highs a week ago to the likelihood of snow above about 300 metres this weekend.

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After a mere 2 years, 8 months pandemic break, our regular snow updates are back!  It’s looking good in Western Canada and the US and we’re trying not to get too tense as we wait for more snow in the Alps. 

About 40 ski areas in nine countries on three continents are already open for their 22-23 ski seasons…  

North America

Good to Ski Right Now?

(The Palisades, California)

The best of the snowfall so far this month has been in Western North America.

Ski resorts in the Rockies have reported up to a metre (over three feet) of snowfall over the past fortnight leading to several opening early for the season.

About a dozen centres are already open in Canada and the USA and more plan to join them in the next few days.

Already open areas include Mammoth in California, which reported a powder day on November 9^th after more than two feet of snowfall in the previous 24 hours, its first of 22-23.

Winter Park and Arapahoe Basin are already open in Colorado (as is Loveland, pictured top) with Breckenridge, Copper Mountain and Vail due to join them in the next few days. Further north Utah’s Solitude say they’ll open early too.

In Canada the season is already underway at Lake Louise and Sunshine near Banff in Alberta Canada. Marmot Basin near Jasper to the north opens on Thursday 10^th and Big White say they’re opening early from the 17^th, potentially the first to open in BC.

It’s been warmer in the East but temperatures are now dropping and snowmaking systems operating overnight.

Europe

Good to Ski Right Now?

There are about 20 ski areas open in Europe already for the 22-23 ski season, most of them offering high-altitude glacier skiing.

After some fresh snowfalls in recent weeks conditions on glaciers are pretty good, but with the start of the main season only a few weeks away, resorts are hoping for colder, snowier weather very soon now.

Austria has the most centres open – seven so far – including the Solden, Stubai, Hintertux, Kitzsteinhorn and several other glaciers.

You can also ski at Murren, Zermatt, Engelberg and Saas Fee in Switzerland with Verbier and glacier 3000 near Gstaad opening this weekend.

Most centres have only small areas open up high so far. There’s only one centre open in Italy and none in France as yet.  Val Thorens maybe the first to open there in just over a fortnight, although Tignes could open soon too.

If you’re looking for winter in Europe look up to Lapland. The two leading Finnish ski areas of Levi and Ruka have been open a month already.  They started in early October by using snow-farming, re-using snow from last season stored under cover through the summer, to create new runs. But it’s been cold enough for fresh snowmaking and there’s been natural snowfall on top.

Most other ski regions iN Europe like the Pyrenees, Dolomites, Scottish Highland and Balkans have all had some autumn snowfall but don’t have any areas open yet – it’s a bit too early.

 

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Our last report before the first of the pandemic lockdowns in March 2020 is below, but now we’re back baby! See above…

It has been another of the strangest ski season weeks of all time.  After most of Europe and North America’s ski areas shut own a week ago, some of the few countries that were still mostly open – including Scotland and Finland – have closed, and the last few ski areas still open in Canada and the US have shut down.

But, at the time of writing at least, you could still ski in Sweden, Iceland and Japan, if you’re there already. And one bit of light at the end of the tunnel, ski areas in China began re-opening after they ended their lockdown almost two months to the day after it began.  You need a health certificate to be allowed to ski at most areas there for now though.

If, and it’s a big if, we are in for a two months shutdown it could mean the stated hope of some ski areas that are usually open in late May or June or later, like Killington, Hintertux and Breckenridge, to re-open later this season, could still happen.

Anyway, regardless of that dream, it is, of course, the start of Spring! In normal years millions of skiers and boarders would be enjoying the longer days and spring sunshine on the slopes.

This week though has been snowier more than sunny in many areas with fresh snow reported in the Alps, Pyrenees, Dolomites, Japan, Rockies and in Scandinavia. So a wintry start to the season for many.

Snowfall this morning in Grandvalira, Andorra…

 

Sweden

Good to Ski Right Now?

With Finnish ski areas opting to end their seasons this week, Sweden is the one major ski nation left in Europe where you can still hit the slopes at most resorts. Shops and restaurants also remain open (at time of writing) with the onus on social distancing and hand hygiene.  Most resorts there have reported fresh snowfall in the past week, with around 40cm for northerly Riksgransen, where it is still dumping.  Nearby Bjorkliden (pictured above and top), which has also had lots of fresh snow, is pictured above and top.

Japan

Good to Ski Right Now?

The ski season continues as normal in Japan despite an on-going state of emergency over the virus. Although the slopes are open, the number of infections and new cases in the country seems very low at present, even though the virus has been identified in the country for several months.   Niseko reported that Wednesday marked its last evening of night skiing (below) but said it planned to keep the slopes open through to May 6^th.  There’s been plenty pf fresh snowfall reported in the past week in Japan too – good news for this late in the season.

China

Good to Ski Right Now?

We reported earlier this week that ski areas in China were beginning to re-open in many parts of the country after the national lockdown was eased.  Some won’t as their season normally ends late March anyway.  The country’s indoor snow centres have also re-opened.

However one of the oldest and biggest, Yabuli, has re-opened but with the kind of limitations on social proximity and increased cleanliness requirements exercised in Sweden at present.  Shops, restaurants, theme parks, almost everything has restarted in China.

And where’s not open?

Fresh snow at Sunshine, Banff, this week.

Almost everywhere, unfortunately.

The last ski areas open in Canada and the USA have closed since Sunday and all of the ski areas in Scotland and (we think) all in Finland – which were all still open a week ago – have also now closed.

As mentioned above, Scotland and Finland are among the latest European countries to end skiing in the past week.

They join all ski areas in the Alps, Dolomites and Pyrenees to have closed.  Most now approaching the end of their second week in lock down, for Italy the third week.

There has been fresh snowfallinf many areas though with ski areas in Italy’s central Appenines mountains reporting some of the biggest falls – around 30cm in the past few days.

Eastern Europe saw some of the biggest snowfalls of the past week with up to 50cm in Slovakia and 25cm in Bulgaria. Here’s quarantined Bansko in Bulgaria today courtesy of the Bansko Blog.

 

Over in North America many of the country’s mountains have been seeing fresh snowfall.

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Report Below from weekend Ending 19 March, 2020

Good to Ski Right Now?

Well, there has never been a week last this past week in the skiing world. But whilst the virus has brought many ski resorts to a standstill, the snow is still falling on the slopes and the sad truth is that most would be very good to ski right now – it’s just that they’re not open and if they were you couldn’t get to them and in any case they haven’t been prepared.

Well that’s most places, not everywhere, and we may as well celebrate the resorts that are still open, if only to give us something to inspire ourselves with and to be jealous of the lucky folk who live in resort and are still able to go out skiing and boarding if they want to.

So where IS open this week (even if we can’t, or shouldn’t, get there!)  and how is it looking?

Scotland

Good to Ski Right Now?

All five Scottish Highland centres are open and continuing to enjoy some of the best conditions of the past few seasons.  Glencoe in the West had more fresh snow on Wednesday night and Glenshee further east (pictured above this morning) began operating one of its lifts for the first time this winter on Thursday. All centres stress stringent cleanliness procedures and social distancing initiatives. All say they could close at any time due to increasingly strict government requirements.

Finland

Good to Ski Right Now?

Finland seems to have taken a position so far that it’s Ok for ski centres to keep operating and all the main centres remain open at the time of writing. What’s more they’re posting great conditions with a little fresh snowfall and everything open.

Sweden

Good to Ski Right Now?

Whilst Norwegian ski areas decided to close because of limited medical facilities if they do have an epidemic, Swedish centres are so far staying open.  Riksgransen in the north now has the deepest snow in the world, for an open resort, with 4.4 metres lying. It, like many Swedish resorts, has also had some good snowfalls in the past few days with a foot (30cm) or so of fresh snow.

Canada

Good to Ski Right Now?

Canadian ski areas have now almost all closed, but a few in BC in the West were still operating yesterday.  Earlier in the week several resorts like Marmot Basin up near Jasper were stressing they hoped to stay open to May as planned saying they had wide open spaces and a very healthy environment to offer, but the Albertan government shut-down all still-open ski areas midweek, following a move from Quebec earlier in the week.  Manning Park, above, was one of the last to close for the season.

USA

Good to Ski Right Now?

The US has seen some great snowfalls in the past week, particularly in the West with ski areas in California like Squaw Valley (above) seeing several metres of snowfall.  There’s more on the way over the next few days too, rightly across the country.

The resort closures here began days after Europe and it’s a more fragmented picture with first corporations, then some states and finally individual resorts deciding to close. T this point about 95% of US areas are closed but a dozen or so still operate, stressing their lack of crowds, health protection measures and that they think skiing is good for people.

Japan

Good to Ski Right Now?

Japan has taken a different approach to most of the rest of the skiing world and all Japanese ski areas remain open.

It hasn’t been the best of ski seasons there to date of course, too often too warm and wet but the past week has actually been colder, and snowier, on the whole, to the delight of skiing locals.  Appi Kogen is pictured above.

Anyone else trying to fly there from outside Japan now has a two week quarantine awaiting on arrival.

And where’s now NOT open?

All resorts in the Alps, The Dolomites and The Pyrenees and Norway as well as most ski areas in Eastern Europe, Canada and the USA are all shut down due to the virus.

In many European countries now any outdoor activity including ski touring, cross-country skiing or similar where you might injure yourself and need to use hard-stretched medical facilities are also banned.

No one knows when ski areas will be able to re-open in these places, but some hope that it may be possible in late May or June at some that have glaciers and normally open in late spring and summer.

 

***(Report Below on 13th March, 2020) ***

With coronavirus dominating the news you may be forgiven for forgetting that the ski season continues (except in Italy and now large parts of Austria and Norway as well as limited areas of Switzerland and the Spanish Pyrenees) and the snow keeps falling.

*** Please note in terms of open ski areas this report was posted at lunchtime on Friday 13 March, 2020 and things are changing fast) ***

In fact it has been a rather good week, again, or snowfall, with ore big dumps in the alps as well as significant snowfall in the Pyrenees, Eastern Europe, Scotland, Scandinavia and indeed the now ‘closed’ Italian Dolomites.

True it has warmed up a little recently, and there were complaints of rain to high altitudes earlier this week, an occasional problem this season, but it is getting cooler and snowier again now in most places.

Let’s hope that we can continue to get to most ski areas for the remainder of the season.

Austria

Good to Ski Right Now?

Austria has some great snow conditions at the moment, even after temperatures climbed at some resorts to double-digits above freezing in the latter half of this week. Big snowfalls last week and before those in February, mean most areas have good base depths (more than four metres at the deepest, St Anton, in fact, and some higher altitude areas like Solden have been reporting 20cm+ of fresh snowfall when others have had some rain.  Sadly those two are among the resorts in Salzburgerland and Tirol that close early for the season this weekend.  At time of writing on Friday morning, ski areas like Schladming in Styria and Bad Kleinkirchheim in Carinthia were still open. – The Dachstein Glacier, one of the resorts there, pictured above.

France

Good to Ski Right Now?

France has seen more big snowfalls in the Alps over the past week and also the biggest snowfalls of 2020 so far down in the Pyrenees, where Cauterets reported over three feet(95cm) of snow into last weekend. In the French Aps conditions are generally excellent with everything open although during the sudden warm snap in the latter half of this week some rain was noted up to high altitudes, it’s getting cooler again now though and the snow has kept falling with many higher areas reporting 10-30cm more in the past day or two.  La Plagne and Val Thorens among others have reported 20-25cm or so of snowfall in the last 24 hours.

Italy

Good to Ski Right Now?

Italy has had one of its snowiest weeks of the season and was reporting excellent conditions in most areas when all ski areas were forced to close on Monday this week. The Dolomites, which had not had much snow this year, got up to 90cm (In Cortina d’Ampezzo) at the end of last week.

Switzerland

Good to Ski Right Now?

It’s been a good week for snowfall in Switzerland too, with the Lotschental region reporting another metre plus of snowfall in the past week and the deepest base in Europe right now at about 4.6 metres. There was snowfall here earlier in the week and again in the past 24 hours as temperatures have cooled again after a warm spell mid-week.  Most of the country’s ski areas are fully open, including Andermatt, pictured above this morning.

Pyrenees

Good to Ski Right Now?

The Pyrenees are seeing some of the best conditions of the year so far after lots of snow fell last week. Resorts in Andorra posted up to 70cm of fresh snow and on the French side the falls were even bigger with 95cm reported by Cauterets (pictured above last weekend).  Another big snowfall is expected on the Spanish side of the mountains over the weekend with up to 50cm more snow expected for resorts like Formigal which unfortunately is among the ones closing.

Scandinavia

Good to Ski Right Now?

It’s a little ironic that just as the Norwegian resort of Roldal posted the deepest snow in the world this week, reaching a 5.4 metre (178 foot) snow depth and overtaking the deepest snow level in North America, it has closed for the season, along with most Norwegian ski areas, due to coronavirus concerns.  Generally though conditions are good across Finland and Sweden, where ski areas are still open for now. Most areas there have had some fresh snow and have all slopes open. Ruka is pictured above and top this week.

Scotland

Good to Ski Right Now?

Scottish ski centres continue to enjoy some of the best conditions for years, and as of Friday 13^th Narch there had been zero reported coronavirus positive tests in the Highland region where they’re largely located.  The usual issues with strong winds and occasional rain or sleet when temperatures rise have come up over the last seven days but the current 48-hour period is sunny, fairly still, and comes after more fresh snowfall midweek. Glenshee is pictured above this morning.

Eastern Europe

Good to Ski Right Now?

The coronavirus impact has closed ski areas in the Czech and Slovak Republic but ski areas in Bulgaria are so far remaining open, despite a ‘state of emergency’ being declared on Thursday due to the virus.  That’s good news for skiers as there’s been some of the best snowfalls of the season here in the past week – 60-8-0cm in fact, and more big falls are forecast this weekend after a warm and sunny few days.  Borovets pictured above this week.

Canada

Good to Ski Right Now?

There’s plenty of snow on Canadian slopes at present, with the West getting more decent dumps in the past week.  Resorts on both sides of the country have reported up to 20cm of snowfall in the past few days. There was a hiccup in the east earlier in the week with a return to unseasonably warm weather and rain, but it has got colder and snowier again now.  Banff Sunshine pictured.

USA

Good to Ski Right Now?

The USA does have the coronavirus and Aspen has in fact been declared a bit of a hot spot with several likely positive cases but ski areas there are not showing any signs of shutting down so far, just a few larger events cancelled. What may shut ski areas in California down for a few days is a huge snowstorm forecast to hit the West coast over the weekend, potentially bringing several feet of snow. It’s been snowing, more, in the Rockies (Breckenridge pictured above). In the East, which did have a warm and wet spell earlier in the week, it has been colder and snowier in recent days.

 

**** Report From 06.03.2020 Below ****

Where is good to ski right now? 

Snow, snow and more snow has been the order of the day for much of the past week in the alps – and indeed many areas of the skiing world.  Resorts have reported up to 1.5 metres (five feet) of fresh snow in the past seven days, giving great powder conditions at many areas, and also a much needed slope refresh for the final weeks and months of the season too.

Most of the alps had of course seen quite a lot of snow in February anyway, but most noticeable this past week is that areas that missed out last month to a large extent – the Southern Alps, the Pyrenees and the Dolomites have seen good snowfall to start March this time.

Further afield there’s been snowfall in Eastern Europe as well and closer to home, conditions in Scotland are about as good as they’ve ever been this weekend with almost everything open and sunny skies.  Scandinavia has seen snowfall over a wider area than it has much of this winter too.

So all in all it’s a positive picture to the start of springtime so far as snow conditions are concerned.

Across the Atlantic it’s looking good too. The biggest news of the past week has been heavy snow in the east further improving conditions in New England and Quebec, but the Rockies are still looking good with more fresh snow and some resorts posting record February accumulations. Further west there’s been fresh snow in California (another of those regions that missed out earlier in the year) with the world’s only 5m+ snow bases still in the Pacific Northwest.

Austria

Good to Ski Right Now?

Snowy across Austria for most of this past week with St Anton becoming the first resort in the country to reach a four metre snow depth there, ahead of the country’s glaciers, which have just a few centimetres less and look good for their late spring and summer ski seasons. There have been sunny periods in between the snowstorms but generally a very white picture across the country to the delight of skiers, boarders and resort operators.

France

Good to Ski Right Now?

It has been exceptionally snowy in France with little respite all week. La Plagne has moved to post the deepest base in Europe at 4.9 metres, which is also third deepest in the world at present. France now has more ski areas, including Avoriaz, Flaine and Les Arcs too, with more than 4 metres (13 feet) lying on their higher slopes than any other country.

Italy

Good to Ski Right Now?

Italy may be battling a perception problem with coronavirus at present, but it’s also seeing some of its snowiest conditions of the season so far. It’s been dumping again on areas like to Aosta Valley with Courmayeur reporting the most snow in the world over the last week – a total of 1.5 metres (five feet), but perhaps more worthy of note in the country is some good snowfalls too in areas that haven’t had so much this year, like the Dolomites and Piedmont to the south.  Resorts at both had been mostly ‘OK’ thanks to be early season falls, but will be pleased with all the fresh snow now.  Bardonecchia pictured above after a 50cm fall there.

Switzerland

Good to Ski Right Now?

Swiss ski areas have largely dominated snowfall totals over the past week and in the last few days there have been reported snowfalls here of up to 60cm (two feet).  Over seven days that doubles to 1.2 metres (four feet) for some parts of the 4 Valleys.  So it’s generally a great picture across the country for the start of March. Andermatt has finally lost its status as having the deepest snow in the alps, with the Lötschental region, after 58cm of snow in the past 48 hours, going up to 4.6m, ten  centimetres more than Andermatt. Crans Montana, which reports 50cm of fresh snow, is pictured above.

Pyrenees

Good to Ski Right Now?

The Pyrenees are in snowy mode in March after the ‘mostly dry’ past few months.  There’s been up to a metre of snowfall reported in the French Pyrenees and smaller but still significant falls on the Spanish side and in Andorra. It’s a great refresh to slopes that have not had much fresh snowfall since late January – although at the main centres all the snow lying from that and earlier falls meant everything was open anyway.  More heavy snowfall is forecast through the weekend.  Cauterets is pictured above.

Scandinavia

Good to Ski Right Now?

Western and Northern Scandinavian ski areas have largely had a good winter 19-20 but not as much more central and southerly areas that have suffered at times from warmer temperatures than normal. The good news there this week tough has been snow over a bigger area, including these regions, leading to some of the first powder alarms for 20cm+ of fresh snow they’ve had all season.

Scotland

Good to Ski Right Now?

Conditions have kept getting better in Scotland and are now amongst the best they’ve been at any time in the past few seasons. It has kept snowing and although gales do still cause centre closures, it’s not as constant as it was in February. More and more runs are open across the five centre and most now have snow lying several feet deep on upper runs, with Glencoe claiming over two metres there. It’s almost filly open, the other centres have all or most of their terrain open too now.  Glenshee pictured above earlier this week.

Eastern Europe

Good to Ski Right Now?

It has probably been the snowiest seven days of the season so far in many ski areas in eastern Europe – just a bit of a pity we’ve had to wait until the start of spring for the really good snowfalls!  Ski areas in Bulgaria reported a foot (30cm) of fresh snow at the end of last week and great powder skiing at the weekend when the sun was the dominant factor of 2020 until then, returned. It stayed sunny for the first half of this week before a second wave of heavy snowfall began bringing still more powder. Bases are now buried up to two metres in snow at some areas so it’s looking good for the final weeks of the 2020 season.  Borovets pictured above.

Canada

Good to Ski Right Now?

 

There are the best conditions of the season in Eastern Canada at present after some huge snowfalls in Quebec and Ontario last weekend gave many ski areas there a least 50cm of fresh snow.  Mont Sutton in Quebec in the video above this week.  Coming on top of some decent snowfalls in the few weeks before that it looks like the last half of the season there is going to play out far better than the first half. Over in the west conditions have been far better all winter anyway and the past week has seen more small to moderate snowfalls keeping things fresh.

USA

Good to Ski Right Now?

Snowy times for much of the US too with some big snowfalls on the east Coast over the weekend, followed by some good dumps in California, Colorado and Utah at the start of this week too.  Perhaps the two areas most worth talking about are California – with snow as far south as Mammoth, as they hadn’t had so much so far this year (though everything was open thanks to good falls at the end of 2019) and the East which started badly but has got better and better as more and more snow has fallen over the past month.  Smugglers Notch in Vermont is pictured above and top.

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Where is good to ski right now? 

Report Below on 28 February 2020

The big news in the skiing world this week – in terms of snowfall at least – is the big snowfall currently underway in the Alps. Some resorts have already had a metre of snow in the first 48 hours of the snowfall and whilst there’s a bit of a lull expected into the weekend, it’s looking like it will stay snowy over the coming week, most of the time.

 

Resorts are warning of the inevitable increased avalanche risk with all the snow though, and many areas are fully or partially closed due to poor visibility and at times strong winds linked to the snowstorm.

But back to the good news and there’s more fresh snow too in the Dolomites, Pyrenees, Eastern Europe and Scotland – all of which need a top-up, and Scandinavia is staying snowy too.

In North America, the East Coast is currently being dumped on, after the Rockies at the weekend and here too most areas are in good shape for the start of March.

Pictured top: Val Thorens 26 February 2020

Austria

Good to Ski Right Now?

The snowstorm is impacting Western Austria the most, with southern and eastern parts of the country seeing little or no snowfall so far. Most of the country will get some over the next few days though, although it may only be 10-20cvm for some areas, whilst it looks like The Arlberg, home to Lech and St Anton and already one of the deepest bases in the country at 3.5 metres, could get as much as a metre more.

France

Good to Ski Right Now?

France is currently in the middle of a big snowstorm which looks set to deliver more than a metre of snow to some areas by the weekend. It is in fact expected to ease off in many areas through Friday and Saturday before ramping up again for the start of March. Lots of areas have had 30-70cm of snowfall so far. La Plagne, which already had the country’s deepest base, still does, with another 45cm so far taking it up to 3.7m. It is a similar picture everywhere in the French Alps though.  Tignes pictured above today.

Italy

Good to Ski Right Now?

Italy is in the news more for the coronavirus outbreak in Lombardy and Veneto regions that for its snowfall at present, but snow it is getting and the forecasts are that the country will get more this time than most of the recent February dumps which tracked north and missed large swathe of the Italian mountains. This time though, 30-60cm is widely forecast in all but the most southerly resorts and even the Dolomites are expecting a good dump.  Livigno pictured above earlier this week.

Switzerland

Good to Ski Right Now?

Swiss resorts have posted the biggest snowfalls of the latest storm system so far (A metre in the first 48 hours for Crans Montana), and still have the deepest bases in the Alps (4.5 metres at Andermatt), and there’s much more snow forecast. Conditions are good across most of the country, Verbier, for example, has more than 40cm of fresh snow so far, a 3.5-metre base and (once the storm clears) almost all of the 410km of the 4 Valleys open – so looking good for the start of spring and the last two months of the season.  Davos is pictured above earlier this week.

Pyrenees

Good to Ski Right Now?

 

They’re getting excited in the Pyrenees at present as it’s snowing here for the first time in a month for many places. In truth the lack of fresh snow hasn’t been a huge issue (except for powder hounds perhaps) as big December and January snowfalls set the area up and everything has remained open, but then everyone likes a fresh snow top up every so often. About 30cm (a foot) is expected in most areas by the weekend.

Scandinavia

Good to Ski Right Now?

It ‘s been a snowy week in Scandinavia, one of the best in the season so far with most areas across the region seeing fresh cover.  Roldal in Western Norway has really been sticking its measuring stick in deep and now reports a 4.5-metre base, equalling the deepest in Europe at present reported by Andermatt in Switzerland.  Riksgransen up in the Swedish Arctic (pictured above prepping for the season earlier this week) opens for its 2020 season – which runs through skiing under the midnight sun in May to midsummers skiing in June, this Friday.  The snow there is reported to be the deepest in decades for the start of the season.

Scotland

Good to Ski Right Now?

Conditions continue to improve in Scotland with the gales of the past three weeks easing over the past few days, but the snow still falling with the winds swinging around to easterlies, and temperatures on the mountains staying below freezing since last weekend, not suffering the temperature rises that are frequently a factor.  As a result, the five Highland ski areas have more and more terrain open, and the forecast is currently for conditions to stay cold and for more snow to fall over the coming week. Glencoe currently has the most terrain open with almost the whole mountain skiable, the other four centres have more limited terrain open.

Eastern Europe

Good to Ski Right Now?

 

Here’s been fresh snow falling in Bulgaria over the past 24 hours as temperatures drop about 10 degrees below zero – 20-30cm is forecast by the end of Friday.  This seems to be a bit of a blip in otherwise usually warm and sunny weather though, and it looks like we’ll be back to that for the weekend – but with lovely fresh snow.

Canada

Good to Ski Right Now?

There have been some good snowfalls in Canada over the past week with first the West of the country and in the past few days, the east seeing some significant accumulations of 30-50cm.  Things have calmed down now though and it looks like a fairly quiet week ahead for snowfall.  But the picture remains good across most of Canada with decent depths everywhere and fresh snow too, particularly marked in the East after the long wait for good conditions there, all resolved now.  Sun Peaks in BC pictured above.

USA

Good to Ski Right Now?

It’s currently snowing in New England and the wider Eastern side of the US, with resorts in Vermont and Maine expecting up to 40cm/16 inches of snowfall through the weekend. Conditions here are great after the shaky start to the season, with everything op. Over in Colorado Breckenridge set a February snowfall record and hit 7.5 metres (300 inches) snowfall this season to date stat earlier this week as the Rockies saw another big snowfall.  Further west it’s described as “springlike” in California (well it is nearly spring), meaning dry, warm and sunny though. But bases should see the areas here through the remainder of the season. Further north it has kept dumping on Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, still the only are reporting a 5 metre plus snow base (521cm at Alpental in Washington State).  Sunday River in Maine pictured top.

 

*****

Where is good to ski right now? 

Report below published 20 February, 2020

It’s been a quieter week in the Alps after three big snowfalls over the previous three weeks.  There has been some fresh snow at the start of this week for most areas, but just 5-20cm, not the big 50cm+ falls of those earlier dumps. Now though the sun is out almost everywhere It looks like a sunny (and sometimes rather warm) weekend before cooler and more unsettled weather returns next week.

Not everywhere though, it has been, and continues to, dump down in Scotland and much of Scandinavia and there’s snow expected down in Bulgaria over the last few days of this week too.

Over in North America it’s a good picture almost everywhere. The Northwest and the Rockies have seen the biggest snowfalls of the past week, again, with 50-120cm reported there but things look ever better in the Easy too – New England and Quebec.  Not so much as further West but nice 10-30cm top ups now everything is open there.

Austria

Good to Ski Right Now?

There were still some fresh snow reports in Austria up to Thursday morning, with the Arlberg and Silvretta region among those posting 20cm of fresh snow then, but the weekend ahead looks totally sunny, and at times a little war, in Austria.  Snow conditions continue to look good across the country with the deepest up on glaciers (around 3.7 metres now lying on the Stubai and above Solden), whilst the big areas like the Arlberg, Saalbach (pictured above this week) and the Skiwelt are fully open.

France

Good to Ski Right Now?

The sunshine is out now in France but it was moderately snowy in many parts to start the week, and indeed right through to Wednesday.  Chamonix posted 11cm of fresh on Monday, Avoriaz, 15cm on Wednesday morning. Base depths remain good from top to bottom at most of the country’s destination resorts with everything open. Although its’s looking unseasonably warm at the weekend, they should get through that and there’s cooler weather following next week.  Meribel is pictured above and top.

Italy

Good to Ski Right Now?

 

There’s not a lot of change on Italian ski slopes this week compared to last, with very little fresh snowfall again, just a few centimetres on Tuesday/Wednesday.  The sun is out now again here too and it’s looking a little warmer than it should be at this time of year at the weekend, before colder weather returns next week. Some of the country’s smaller, lower more southerly areas are suffering in the warm, dry conditions but most of the large, destination resorts are fully open and in good shape. Some areas did see rain earlier in the week, which left slopes icy the next day, but once groomed and then with the fresh snow on top, all is looking much better again. Cervinia, La Thuile and Madesimo have some of the deepest snow in the country.

Switzerland

Good to Ski Right Now?

 

It’s generally good conditions across Switzerland at present with everything open and some fresh snow. Indeed the snow kept falling longer than expected, with Glacier 3000 near Gstaad reporting 20cm on Thursday morning when sunshine was being forecast just a day before, and snow may now continue to fall in to Friday, before warmer, sunnier weather arrives.  Crans Montana hosts three days of world cup racing from Friday so they’ll want the clear skies.  Andermatt still has the deepest base in the Alps at 4.5 metres.

Pyrenees

Good to Ski Right Now?

The Pyrenees saw some colder weather and fresh snowfall to start this week and were keen to promote the fact after a video of a helicopter dumping snow to patch up a run at one of the region’s smaller, lower resorts went viral.  The reality though is that the snow is pretty god and everything open at all the bigger areas in Andorra, Spain and most spots in France. The very biggest, Grandvalira, reports every run open and every lift turning with all 240km of groomed terrain skiable.

Scandinavia

Good to Ski Right Now?

Plenty of fresh snow in Scandinavia over the past week and lots of social media posts of skiers and boarders enjoying the powder. Indeed the region, specifically Western Norway, again posted the most snow in Europe, with up to 1.5 metres (five feet) more there.  But right up to Lapland most of the region’s destination resorts are reporting they’re fully open with good snow conditions and rapidly lengthening daylight hours.

Scotland

Good to Ski Right Now?

Scotland has seen some big snowfalls over the past week, especially heavy in the west, but unfortunately also gale force winds (especially strong in the west) which has closed slopes more often than they’ve been able to open.  The week ahead looks like a similar picture again.  There’s less snow and fewer runs with adequate snow cover to open in the Central and Eastern Highlands but Cairngorm and Glenshee have been able to open runs more often. Cairngorm has had to close its slopes to more skiers on several occasions in fact as it has reached capacity.  Glencoe is pictured above on ‘the good day’ last Thursday.

Eastern Europe

Good to Ski Right Now?

There’s been more fresh snowfall in Bulgaria over the last few days and there’s more on the way over the next few days too, before blue skies return, if the forecasts are correct. It’s still not a vintage winter, with green valleys and the best conditions up high, but most of the centres are mostly open at present.

Canada

Good to Ski Right Now?

Good conditions from East to West coasts in Canada at the moment. That’s perhaps most noteworthy in Quebec after the poor start to the season there, but regular snowfalls over the past few weeks have left powder snow there.  It’s looking good still in Alberta and BC as well.

USA

Good to Ski Right Now?

Most of the US reports good snow conditions on ski slopes at present. The country’s Northwest corner, including Alaska, has again seen the heaviest snowfall of the past week and continues to report the world’s deepest snowpack in Washington state where it’s lying up to 5.2 metres (over 17 feet) deep.  But there’s been more good snowfalls in the Rockies too and on the east coast where everywhere, at least the leading destination resorts, are fully open with fresh cover.

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Report below from 13 February 2020

It has been a snowy week for most of Europe over the last seven days. Storm Ciara also brought strong winds between Monday and Wednesday, but even without the storm, the snow has kept falling and whilst most areas look set for a dry weekend, the snowfall is expected to return at the start of next week to many areas.

Away from the alps it has been snowy too in eastern Europe, Scotland (Where conditions are currently the best they’ve been all winter) and much of Scandinavia. Not so much on the southern side of Europe – the Pyrenees and Dolomites.

It’s been a mostly good week across North America too with the stand out snowfalls in Colorado and Utah – because there was just so much snow – up to 1.5m (5 feet) in 72 hours reported, and in Quebec, just because they’d had a lacklustre first few months of the season there but it now looks much more ‘normal’ at last.

Austria

Good to Ski Right Now?

 

Austrian ski areas got some of the biggest snowfalls from the storms at the start of this week, with several areas reporting more than three feet (90cm) of snowfall, whilst most others posted 30-60cm (1-2 foot) accumulations.  Most of the country’s ski areas are fully open and there’s more snow expected at the start of next week after a dry, sunny (and perhaps at times a little too warm) weekend for most.

France

Good to Ski Right Now?

It’s looking good across the French Alps this weekend after another foot or so of snowfall for most during the storms earlier this week. It wasn’t quite so good for those actually in resort as the storms hit, because many slopes were closed, and in some cases including Avoriaz entire ski areas, but now everything is open again, it’s looking good. Bases are even deeper too, with La Plagne now reporting 1.5m (five feet) at it’s base, three metres (10 feet) lying up high.  It’s snowing again in many areas to end the week so it looks like bases will get even deeper.

Italy

Good to Ski Right Now?

Little change for Italy compared to a week ago with little fresh snowfall except up on the country’s northern borders, as the storm system passed a little to the north, although some resorts were impacted by strong winds. Conditions remain good for major resorts across Italy though thanks to the decent bases built up fro m earlier falls in December and January.  Most resorts are fully open. Pila is pictured.

Switzerland

Good to Ski Right Now?

Swiss ski areas did do well from the recent snowstorms this week, at least when they re-opened slopes after the wind-eased. Some centres reported up to 60cm of fresh snow, next best after Austria, although others did report rain at times.  It’s now snowing again but generally the picture is very good across the country and Andermatt continues to have Europe’s deepest base although it is down another 10cm (despite reporting 10cm of fresh snowfall) to 4 metres

Pyrenees

Good to Ski Right Now?

The Pyrenees have not had many of the storm issues faced in the Alps to the north and east, nor the snow that has come with it.  What they have had is about three weeks of mostly sunny conditions now, and all the larger resorts are fully open thanks to the big snowfalls received in January and December.  It is a little warm though and some fresh snow would be nice again now. Currently it looks like there should be a little fresh cover at the start of next week – just a few centimetres/inches refresh.

Scandinavia

Good to Ski Right Now?

Although some ski areas in the alps posted ore than a metre of snowfall this past week, Western Norway’s Voss went better again, posting a total of 1.8 metres (six feet) of snow in the last seven days – similar to totals every week this season so far.  This week though most of Scandinavia is posting a lot of fresh snow – not just the West and North as has been the case some weeks. As the days get longer conditions just keep getting better and better.

Scotland

Good to Ski Right Now?

It’s the best conditions this season, and equalling the best for the past few seasons, on Scottish ski slopes at present. After the slopes were closed by gales from storm Ciara until Wednesday once crews could access the hills they found lots of snow had been left by the storm too and now more than half of the country’s 100+ ski runs are open for the first time this winter… Glencoe is almost fully open. More snowfall forecast this weekend and temperatures staying low.

Eastern Europe

Good to Ski Right Now?

Snowy times in eastern Europe as conditions continue to improve.  Bansko, the biggest resort in Bulgaria snow was reported on Thursday right down to the village and the other leading ski areas in the country, including Borovets and Pamporovo, have been posting ‘winter wonderland’ images all week.

Canada

Good to Ski Right Now?

The snow is lying up to three metres deep in Wester Canada and there’s been more snowfall there in the past few days, but the main news was a 30cm+ snowfall for Quebec in the east (as forecast last week), the best of the winter so far and enabling areas like Mont Sainte Anne that had been struggling to open to finally fully open all runs this week.

USA

Good to Ski Right Now?

Snow, snow and more snow for much of the US the past week. Not always good news as some resorts struggled with opening terrain (Vail had to apologise for the massive lift queues when it could only open one key access lift), avalanche danger and other issues like extreme wind chill and tree well danger in various locations.  But, overall, good news of course with the Rockies really dumped on with up to five feet of snow reported for areas like Alta and Breckenridge. Ski areas in the Pacific Northwest corner got even more, again, and have the deepest snow in the world, still, at over 5 metres. Conditions in the northeast continue to look good with low temperatures and more fresh snow there.

 

 

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Report Below From Week Ending 7th February, 2020

The Alps are in excellent condition following heavy snowfall on Tuesday and Wednesday that brought up to a metre of fresh cover across most of the region.

The snow – the second big fall in a week – marked a continuing switch to more changeable conditions in February, then January, although before the fresh snow rolled in there was the downside of that – a brief period of very warm weather and rain to start the week.

The sun is shining again now though and most areas have near perfect conditions for the weekend, although a third successive weekly snowstorm is forecast to roll in in the middle of next week. Hopefully it won’t get too warm in between times this time.

(La Plagne on Wednesday)

Elsewhere, the Pyrenees have been dry and a little too warm but bases are holding up. Scandinavia remains divided in to good (north and west) and bad (south and East), Eastern Europe has had some good snowfalls and its and improving picture (again) in Scotland after the latest reset.

In north America it’s a generally good picture across the continent with the world’s deepest base reported passing the5 metre mark in the last few days, more fresh snow and a big storm due to bring a lot more over the weekend.

Austria

It has been a roller coaster week in Austria.  Following fresh snow then great conditions a week ago the warm weekend weather brought rain to many areas, as it did across the Alps, before heavy snow moved in from Monday to Wednesday. The result, now the sun is shining is again, is great conditions across the country – the best of the season so far for many.  Mayrhofen is pictured above at the height of the snowstorm on Tuesday.

France

Great conditions in the French Alps after 20-50cm more fresh snow reported here, helping to build on already well-established bases.  Most of the country’s leading areas now have 2 metres plus lying on higher runs and everything open. Even low-lying valley resorts have snow all the way down, albeit a little thin down low. Off piste avalanche danger is generally at level 3 “considerable” still but on the piste the sun is out and conditions are great (Val thorens pictured top and above this week).

Italy

Italy’s Westerly and northerly ski areas saw the biggest snowfalls from the midweek storm, picking up 20-40cm of snow. Cervinia reported the most.  Less snow elsewhere although the Dolomites picked up a few centimetres and the SellaRonda was briefly closed by low visibility issues. Sunny again now across most of the country though, here too some snow is expected in the middle of next week.

Switzerland

Great conditions for Switzerland after the country picked up some of the heaviest snowfall in the midweek storms. The sun is out again now and skiers are enjoying playing in up to a metre of fresh snow as slopes gradually re-open as lifts are dug out and avalanche danger assessed.  Andermatt now has the deepest snow in Europe at 4.3 metres. it’s the first time base depths have gone up above 4 metres on the continent for six weeks.

Pyrenees

It has been too warm in the Pyrenees over the past week or two with temperatures staying largely above freezing and sometime touching double figures, but it’s not a big problem on the slopes, thankfully, as the big snowfall a fortnight ago and earlier big December snow storms means the base is generally good and everything is open. Colder weather in the forecast now and maybe a little snowfall next week.

Scandinavia

Ski areas in western Norway continue to post regular snowfalls, as they have all winter when it was dry in the Alps, and bases have now reached the 2 metre mark at a number of centres – very deep for Scandinavia. There’s also been some good snowfalls across the region although conditions remain best in the west and north of the area.

Scotland

It’s still not a great winter in Scotland but there has been some fresh snowfall and temperatures have stayed low so after last weekend’s frustrating thawing of snow that fell a week ago before it could be skied as storms closed lifts, it’s looking more promising for the end of this week – although there are more storms on the way of course. Glencoe, Nevis Range (pictured above on Thursday 6^th Feb) and Glenshee all have more than just the small areas maintained by all-weather snowmaking open.

Eastern Europe

The best week of the season so far with heavy snow at last for Bulgarian slopes, transforming conditions there. In the Tatra mountains further north in Slovakia there have been some big 50cm+ accumulations at top resorts like Jasna too – so all in all the region has been transformed after the snow shortages at the start of the season.

Canada

Great snow conditions in the West, again, with resorts in Alberta and BC reporting up to 50cm of fresh snow in 24 hours over the last few days. And its not like they’ve not been reporting similar falls all winter so far. More troubled times still in the East with limited snow in Quebec although an improving picture on just a few weeks ago. The good news is a significant snow storm is forecast in the next few days which could bring a ‘transformative’ 30cm+ to many areas there.

USA

Great conditions in most parts of the US, at least in terms of the main international ski areas. In the West there’s been more snow for the Rockies and Mt Hood Meadows in Oregon posted a 5m+ base depth – the deepest in the world at present. On the East conditions remain the best they have all season following recent falls and a big new snowstorm is set to dump more snow over the weekend here.

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Report Below to 3o January 2020

The Alps have been the focus for snowfall news this week with some big accumulations over the past 72 hours – most resorts have had at least 30cm (a foot) of snow, some as much as 60cm, (two feet) and a few have gone beyond 90cm (three feet) and even over the metre mark. It’s the biggest snowfall in the region since before Christmas and it come after even bigger falls for parts of the Pyrenees last week.  The heaviest falls so far have been in the Western Alps but the snow is falling everywhere and the start of February I starting to look much snowier after the largely sunny, dry January – although it’s early days.

Elsewhere in Europe it’s stayed snowy in Western Scandinavia and Scotland’s West coast ski slopes are in some of the best shape they’ve been this season.  There’s been a little snow down in Bulgaria too.

Across the Atlantic the snow has stayed heavy on the Pacific Coast with some resorts there reporting more than a metre of snowfall and the world’s deepest base (4.5m/15 feet) at Mt Baker in Washington State. Snow too on the east which is good news for both Quebec and New England.

Austria

Austria has had a snowy few days with the Arlberg region amongst those seeing the biggest falls since Tuesday – with more than 60cm (two feet) reported there. It has now eased off and there are some great conditions with the fresh snow, but the week ahead is looking like a more mixed picture with snowfall some days and sunny days others.  So it’s early days but February may prove different to dry February. A little earlier this week:

France

French ski areas have seen some of the biggest snowfall of the past few days and with the sun now shining again it’s a case of everything open, deep fresh snow and near perfect conditions in most areas. Bonneval posted the biggest fall – 90cm/3 feet in three days although La Rosiere say they’ve had a bit more in the past week in total. The French Pyrenees which got up to 1.5 metres (5 feet) last week also got another 30cm (Foot) earlier this.  But in short, it’s good pretty much everywhere. Les Menuires in the 3 Valleys pictured.

 

Italy

Italy has had some fresh snow too – just not so much as further north in most areas. The exception is the Aosta Valley (Cervinia, Courmayeur and others) along the French/Swiss border where resorts have reported up to 60cm of snowfall so far, and it’s likely a little more before the storm fully ends. But most areas have had perhaps 10-30cm of snowfall right across the country over to the Dolomites in the east and that has given a great refresh to the already fully-open ski areas without needing area to shut runs or close completely due to too heavy snow and gales.  Campiglio pictured above on Wednesday.

Switzerland

It’s been a very snowy few days in Switzerland too with many of the country’s ski area closed – at least partially and in some cases completely – due to the combination of strong winds and heavy snow causing blizzard conditions at times. By the close of Wednesday several ski area in the country’s western Valais canton had posted 90cm (three feet) accumulations, some of the greatest anywhere in Europe.  But even where the falls haven’t been so big, most of Switzerland’s slopes have had a good refresh. They’re also heading toward the deepest bases in Europe again with Andermatt back up to a 4 metre base.  Saas Grund pictured.

Pyrenees

The conditions are generally regarded as the best they’ve been all winter in the Pyrenees following the big snowfalls last week. Bases have almost doubled at some areas, there’s still fresh powder off piste, the sun is back out and everything is open, a great start for February.  Andorra’s Grandvalira, the biggest ski area in the region with 210km of slopes, all currently open, is pictured above today.

Scandinavia

It’s a mixed picture in Scandinavia with Western Norway continuing to post the most fresh snowfall in the region, as it has since Christmas (in fact most weeks it had the most snow in Europe). A less happy picture at lower, more southerly ski centres in the region (generally it has too often been warm and wet rather than cold and snowy) although most of the big resorts are full open, or nearly so.

Scotland

As most weeks, Scottish ski areas have seen sun, rain, cloud, blue skies, gale force wind, still periods, subzero temps and unseasonably warm temps, it’s a great achievement that the centres manage to keep operating. This week the resorts on the West – Glencoe and Nevis range – have had to best of the snowfall and have been able to open quite a lot of terrain, although both were closed by the gales midweek. However the weekend, despite temperature rising again, is believed to be looking good. There has been less snowfall and consequently there’s less open in the East, with little beyond the areas created by all-weather snowmaking skiable at the country’s other resorts so far.

Eastern Europe

It’s still not the best of winters in eastern Europe with very little natural snowfall so far this season for many resorts. That said the majority of the region’s bigger centres have most of their runs open thanks in part to heroic snow management and snow movement efforts. There’s also been a little fresh snowfall in Bulgaria. Temperatures continuing to vary between well below and well above freezing.  Borovets pictured above on Wednesday.

Canada

The focus has been on western Canada for most of this season with rather troubled times in the East (Quebec and Ontario) with often warm or wet weather in the early season, then freezing rain rather than snow. But the past few weeks have seen big improvements and now most areas are largely or even fully (in the case of Mont Sutton) open with thin bases growing thanks to fresh snow. It had been the same on the country’s Pacific Coast but there have been huge snowfalls there all January with past week no exception and Whistler is now fully open. Alberta and Eastern/Central BC have had a good winter since the tart and its been another good week here with more snow.

USA

Conditions are good across much of the US at present. The heaviest snow has continued to fall on the Pacific Northwest corner of the country where Mt baker has the world’s deepest snow at present (4.5 metres/15 feet), but there’s been lots of snow in areas more commonly visited by international travellers too including Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Vermont.  Stowe is pictured above this week.

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This Report from 23 January 2020

After nearly a month with little change in the weather in Western Europe there has been snow in the Alps and the Pyrenees in the last week.

The snowfall in the Pyrenees has been particularly dramatic with ski areas on the French side of the mountains reporting up to 1.5 metres (five feet) of snowfall this week.  In the Alps the falls last weekend were more like 20-60cm in most areas.

Elsewhere it has kept snowing in Western Scandinavia and there was snow in Scotland too, although unfortunately very warm weather soon after.

Other than the Pyrenees, the heaviest snowfall in the world this week has again been in North-western North America with ski areas on the Pacific Coast reporting metre-plus accumulations for a third week in a row.

Austria

The sunshine is back out again in Austria after a snowy weekend, the heaviest falls reported on Sunday.  It has turned sunny again since the weekend so we are back to how it was – everything open at all the big resorts, a bit too warm at times, but with a fresh coat of snow! More snow is forecast, although probably lighter, at the weekend and next week looks more changeable with snow expected later in the week.

France

There was some snowfall in the French Alps last weekend giving a great refresh of the slopes. Alpe d’Huez reported one of the biggest snowfalls with 40cm of snow, but it’s the French Pyrenees that has been making snowfall headlines with some of the biggest dumps of the season completely transforming conditions there. The sun is out again though now and there are perfect conditions on the groomed runs and a bit of off piste powder in places still too.

Italy

Italian ski areas did not see quite so much snow as ski areas in Austria, France and Switzerland at the weekend but most areas got some at least and there was quite heavy snowfall at resorts in the Westerly Piedmont region.  As with the rest of Western Europe most of the country’s big resorts are fully open and there are early signs of some big snowfalls, particularly in the west of the country, around the middle of next week.

Switzerland

 

A similar story in Switzerland to the rest of the Alps with some fresh snowfall at the weekend giving a nice refresh to the slopes, which were all already open at almost all areas. Since the weekend it has been back to wall to wall sunshine for most areas though and a little warm at lower elevations, but generally excellent conditions. More snow is expected here in the middle of next week.

Pyrenees

 

The Pyrenees was where the snowfall has been at over the past 72 hours with huge snowfalls right across the region. The volumes of snow combined with stormy weather at times, led to a number of centres closing for a time, but most have now re-opened with remarkable powder conditions.

Scandinavia

Western Norway was snowy once again this past week, if finally eclipsed by the Pyrenees after being the snouiest spot in Europe for the previous month. Vosss now has a base of nearly two metres and most other ski areas are looking good in the areas. Further east and south in to Sweden its not quite such a good picture with dry and warm weather impacting ski areas there.

Scotland

The week started well in Scotland, particularly on the West coast where Glencoe and Nevis Range had a lot of terrain open following last week’s snowfalls. But then warm weather arrived again melting much of it. Next week looks good again though, particularly on the west once more, with a lot of snow forecast.

Eastern Europe

Another week of mostly dry, often sunny weather in much of Eastern Europe, and temperatures a little too warm again. Bansko (pictured above) has most of its terrain open but other Bulgarian areas have more limited terrain skiable. Some snow up in the Slovak Republic at the weekend so things there are looking better at biggest resort, Jasna.

Canada

The biggest snowfalls in North America this week have been in Western Canada with a number f resorts reporting over a metre more snow. Whistler Blackcomb has gone from having only a fraction of its runs open for Christmas to all 200+ today. Inland resorts like Revekstoke (pictured) have had snowy times since November and northing has changed there. Colder and drier over in Alberta but resorts there have plenty of snow lying. Good news too for the east of the country where there’s been a decent dump, at last, in Quebec.

USA

It’s been another snowy week for much of the US. Again the snowfall was heaviest in the Northwest corner as it has been since Christmas, and several areas got a metre more, further building bases that are already currently the world’s deepest at more than 4 metres. The West Coast snowfall moved further south this week and after a dry spell Mammoth Mountain was back to being filled with powder turns and pristine groom runs after 9-10” overnight on Friday. The snow conditions were followed by bluebird skies in the forecast. The mountain is reporting a current season total at 135” at Main Lodge and 158” at the summit.  There was snowfall too over on the East Coast further improving conditions there with some 10-20 inch accumulations.

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Report below from 16 January, 2020

It’s been dry for a fourth week in the Alps. That’s not bad news for most skiers happy to ski freshly groomed runs in the sunshine each morning as most of the continent’s famous resorts remain fully open thanks to all the snow they got in the autumn, which is still lying on their slopes. It’s less good news for anyone after powder or for smaller, low lying resorts which didn’t get much snow and where it has often been too warm for snowmaking if they have the equipment.

It wasn’t dry across Europe this week though. After three weeks the Pyrenees got some snow at the weekend and it has stayed snowy in much of Scandinavia. It has also got colder again with some fresh snow in Scotland turning hills white again.  There is also snow forecast across much of the Alps this coming weekend, at last.

In the USA it is still dumping in the West, particularly on the Pacific Coast which had such a warm wet autumn. After a second successive week of five-foot plus snowfalls there it’s now home to the deepest snowpack not only in North America but also overtaking the deepest in the Alps for the deepest in the world.  There have been some good snowfalls too further inland on the Rockies again as well as over on the East Coast.

Austria

It’s been another dry week in Austria with conditions little changed on a week ago., The main destination resorts remain in generally good shape with all runs open but fresh snow, particularly on lower slopes, is needed now after nearly a month. The good news is there is some forecast – probably 20-40cm, all being well, across the country from Saturday.  Saalbach pictured top, St Anton above.

France

It has been another sunny week in most French mountains, with snow depths dropping a little as they usually would in the spring as the snow settles and thaws, but still, for most destination resorts on-piste conditions remain great, with all runs open and all lifts operating. Only smaller, lower resorts that never had much snow in the first place continue to suffer. Not much off-piste snow left either although the avalanche danger is pretty low.  There was snow in the French Pyrenees at the weekend, however, freshening things up there. The French Alp and Pyrenees are finally due to see a change this coming weekend with 20-40cm of snow forecast across the country. Avoriaz pictured above at the start of this week.

Italy

 

Italy has seen little change in the dry and sunny conditions this week too but slopes here as well are mostly looking good thanks to autumn accumulations staying intact and again nearly all the major centres are fully open. Snow is forecast here too this weekend but perhaps not quite so much as further north and with just a few centimetres for the Dolomites.

Switzerland

It’s been sunny again in Switzerland too and after a cold start to the week a little warm in the past few days too, although here as well as a big temperature drop and snow is expected through the weekend, with 20-40cm expected in most areas. In the meantime here too base depths are mostly good, higher slopes best and everything is open at the bigger resorts.  Verbier pictured this week above.

Pyrenees

The Pyrenees did get some fresh snow last weekend to refresh cover with 5-15cm for most areas, and they’re due to get a second weekend of snow this coming weekend too with, hopefully, a little more than last weekend. In between, dry, sunny, and a little too warm here too, but again most of the region’s main ski areas are fully open and on-piste conditions generally excellent.

Scandinavia

One part of Europe has seen lots of snow whilst the rest has been dry and sunny and that’s Western Norway.  The past week has seen snowfall here just get heavier with ski areas around Norway’s coastal town of Voss (above) reporting up to 1.3 metres (over four feet) of snowfall in the past week. Other areas in the region have had less snow, but still, most have had some.

Scotland

Scottish slopes are in about the best shape they’ve been for nearly a month thanks to cold temperatures on the mountain and hill snow. Resorts have been closed through the week by severe gales and those winds have blown snow off the top of the mountains but areas including Glencoe say they have pretty good mid-mountain snow cover and they hope to open terrain this Friday on.

Eastern Europe

Another dry, sunny week in the east of Europe too, a bit too warm down in the valleys. So the snow has been there a long while now and is largely machine-made on lower slopes with the best conditions up high. Bansko (pictured above this week) is due to stage World Cup racing next week and has maintained its top to bottom ski run.

Canada

There’s been lots of snow in western Canada, and some for the East too, with a generally good picture now across the country. Starting in the Far West, where it was too warm and wet up to Christmas, resorts like Whistler are now more than half-open. It has also continued to dump down inland, where it has been snowy all winter in Central and Eastern BC as well as in Alberta, and now still more snow has left deep powder lying.  But it has been cold too, Marmot Basin near Jasper is currently closed for safety reasons as temperature hit -35C  Further east, where Quebec also had a bad a season start, it’s now much better, with bases finally building, although there have been problems with freezing rain again.  Sun peaks in BC pictured above this week.

USA

There have been more incredible snowfalls in the US west for a second successive week meaning several resorts have now had more than 2 metres of snowfall this year already, Jackson Hole has had more than three metres, a record for the start of a year.  There’s been snow in the east too, on higher, more northerly slopes, although lower and more southerly areas have had more rain and are struggling to open much terrain.  Sunday Rover in Maine pictured above.

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Snow report below published 10th January, 2020

Europe has seen its second mostly sunny week in a row, leaving most people out skiing for New Year’s week pretty happy with what they found.  There were bumper crowds so the main complaint was busy slopes and lift queues but with nearly every run open and the sun shining, many said it was their best New Year week in years, or ever.  Now those holiday crowds have gone and conditions remain good thanks to the November and pre-Christmas December snow. 

True, lower slopes are suffering a little (in a few places a lot) from above zero temps and little or no snow cover, but for most destination resorts the slopes are open top-to-bottom.  Those who like their powder may be hoping for more fresh soon though, but unfortunately there’s not a lot in the forecast at present with more of the same expected for the week ahead.

Scandinavia has actually posted the biggest snowfalls in Europe of the past week with up to 60cm (two foot) of new snow in Norway. Scottish areas are battling warm, wet, windy weather and there’s an improving picture in Eastern Europe.

Things are also looking ever better in North America where the northwest has seen some huge snowfalls (over 150cm/5 feet in one case) and nearly everywhere has had at least some fresh snow!

Pictured top: “ghost hunting” in Sun Peaks, BC, Canada on Jan 8, 2020.

Austria

 

It’s been a largely warm and sunny week in Austria where all of the country’s leading ski areas are fully open.  The rather warm January temperatures has led to some rain down on lower slopes but has fallen as snow up high.  Overall the picture is good on the groomed runs though, especially now the New Year crowds have moved on and the week ahead promises more of the same.

France

Splendid conditions across the French Alps for a third week and now all the new year revellers have moved on the slopes are empty too. As with the rest of the Alps, almost all major centres are fully open with good snow depths top to bottom, but the best conditions up high. It has clouded over a little to end this week and 5-10cm of snow is forecast for Friday/Saturday which should freshen things up.  La Plagne pictured this week.

Italy

 

Italy has also had a dry, mostly sunny week across the country. As with the rest of western Europe skiers are largely happy to find almost all terrain open and great conditions, only powder hounds may be missing the diminishing amount of off piste powder to be found now that several weeks have gone by since the last snowfall in many areas. There’s no snowfall in the forecast at present either, perhaps just a few centimetres along the French border on Friday.

Switzerland

It’s a similar story in Switzerland – everywhere open, decent snow depths, but snow up high, mostly sunny conditions but the chance of a small snowfall to end this week before a return to more of the same. Any snow will most likely be in central and western parts of the country, not the East.  Andermatt (pictured above) reports a 4 metre base up top – joint deepest in the world with Trentino’s Presena glacier.

Pyrenees

 

The Pyrenees have had another largely dry week with no fresh snow to report and there’s not much sign of any in the forecast either.  But most resorts in the region are fully open – that means more than 160km of runs skiable at Spain’s Baqueira Beret and more than 200km at Andorra’s Grandvalira shared by Soldeu El Tarter and Pas de la Casa.  There’s no snowfall in the forecast at present.

Scandinavia

Scandinavian ski areas have seen the most fresh snow this past week, with consistent snowfalls across the region, several areas reporting 20-25cm in 24 hour periods. So it’s a snowy picture here and definitely the place to be at present if you like your snow newly fallen!  Ruka in Lapland above.

Scotland

It has been snowing again on Scottish mountains to end the week after another topsy turvy week with double digit temperatures and gale force winds at times. All five highland centres are still open though thanks to their special snowmaking machines which can create snow even when it’s above freezing. The open terrain is limited top nursery slopes and a few short runs at present though until things get more consistently cold and snowy.  Cairngorm pictured 9 Jan above.

Eastern Europe

There’s been fresh snow in parts of Slovakia this past week with Jasna reporting about 50cm of news snow since the start of the week. In Bulgaria it has been snowmaking allowing resorts to open more terrain this week as it has been sunny but generally cold. Some fresh snow is expected here on Sunday though.  Borovets pictured above on Jan 9th.

Canada

In Canada Whistler Blackcomb has posted the most snow this week with nearly a metre (39 inches) of fresh snow.  Here too it had been a very bad start to the winter and the resort, with North America’s largest ski area, had only been able to open a small part of it up to Christmas as it was too warm and wet. It now reports a 1.7 metre base and is moving towards having half of its terrain open.

Further inland conditions in Central and Eastern BC and in Alberta have, in contrast, been good for months already. Things are also improving over in the East in Quebec with colder temperatures and fresh snow at last.  Big White, pictured above this week, with 30cm (a foot) more snow in the past few days now has the country’s deepest base at 2.1 metres (seven feet) with Revelstoke in second spot on 201cm.

USA

Snow depths have passed the three metre (10 foot) mark in Western USA after heavy snowfall hit the region. Ski areas have reported up to 2.3 metres (nearly eight feet) of snow in the past 7 days, the biggest accumulation reported by Mt Baker, in northern Washington state close to the US border.  It is also posting the deepest base on the continent at 3.1 metres (10.3 feet).

Mt Baker holds the record for the most snow ever reported in one season, and for the most snow on average each season (both unofficial records); 29 metres / 95 feet set in winter 98/99 and 16.3m / 54 ft respectively. But it, and the rest of Northwestern North America, had had a poor start to the season and very little snowfall up to Christmas, with many in the region delaying opening. So it is a relief there that conditions have improved dramatically. Jackson Hole has posted the second most fresh snowfall with 108cm (nearly four feet) of snow this week.

Conditions are improving on the east Coast too with up to 50cm (20 inches) reported by resorts in Vermont this week.  Smugglers Notch there pictured above.

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Post Below from 3 January, 2020

It has been predominantly sunny weather in the Alps, Pyrenees and Dolomites for the past week giving glorious conditions for those lucky enough to be in the mountains for New Year.  The weather is changing a little now with some light snowfall to freshen things up as the slopes now quieten down after the busy holiday period.  Saalbach is pictured top this week.

Elewhere in Europe it’s a much improved picture in the Balkans and Tatras with low temperatures allowing snowmaking systems to fire up and resorts in Bulgaria have much more terrain open now.

In Scandinavia it continues to look good with more fresh snow whilst Scottish centres have used their all-weather snowmaking machines to keep some terrain open during a record warm end to December.

Over in North America it’s an improving picture on east and northwest coasts which had had a warm start to the winter but are seeing plenty of snow now, whilst the Rockies are getting dumped on once again but north and south of the border.

Austria

It has been a good week for skiers and boarders in Austria with plenty of sunshine after the pre-Christmas snow. Most of the country’s ski areas are now fully open (or nearly so), with decent snow depths, the deepest up on the glaciers.  There’s some fresh snowfall expected in to the weekend which should freshen up snow cover. Picture above, Saalbach by Mr G Williamson.

France

Splendid conditions in the French Alps and Pyrenees this week with almost all areas fully open, great snow depths and sunny skies. Val Thorens in the 3 Valleys is in fact now posting the world’s deepest snow depth of over 3 metres on lower slopes, over 4 metres up high.

Italy

Italy too has had a largely sunny week with great on-piste conditions., The only real complaint has been lift queues with so many skiers and boarders trying to get out on the slopes to enjoy it. Almost all runs are open in the huge Dolomiti Superski region and the snow is lying up to four metres deep on the country’s glaciers.  National hero Dominik Paris became the four time winner of the Bormio World Cup downhill at the weekend.

Switzerland

It’s been  a beautiful week on Swiss lopes with sun shining, cold temperatures and fresh snow. Most of the country’s areas are fully open, or nearly so, and Andermatt says it now has a 4 metre snow depth on upper runs, the deepest in the country. There was some fresh snow (10-230cm) to end last week and it looks like a similar volume should freshen up cover across the country this weekend too.  Zermatt is pictured top during a snow shower at the end of last week.

Pyrenees

 

The Pyrenees have had a mostly dry, sunny week as well and here too the snow that fell consistently before Christmas in December and back in November means that most of the region’s larger ski areas were able to open pretty much all of their terrain for some great conditions to start the new year. Grandvalira (Soldeu and Pas de la Casa), the biggest area there, has more than 200km of runs open.

Scandinavia

It is looking fairly good across Scandinavia as we head in to the new year with most resorts somewhere between 60-100% open, reporting fresh snowfall, and reasonable base depths. There have been small to moderate fresh snowfalls here over new year and its set to stay cold and occasionally snowy over the week ahead. Are, the region’s largest resort, has a 60vcm (two foot) base and about three-quarters of its runs open.  Iso Syote is pictured above.

Scotland

Alas it is not looking good in Scotland at present after record warm temperatures to end the year saw double digits above freezing and much of the hill snow in the country disappear.  It’s getting cooler now and there are hopes of new snowfalls if it does get cold enough but in the meantime what’s open is limited to mostly beginner areas created using the centres’ all-weather snowmaking machines.  Cairngorm is pictured above.

Eastern Europe

A big change for the better in eastern Europe compared to a week ago. Borovets that was hardly open at Christmas is now fully open and Bansko (pictured above) has opened its snow road down from the ski area to the resort. This is all thanks to snowmaking made possible by very cold temperatures.

Canada

The Canadian Rockies have seen still more huge snow falls with Sun Peaks in Eastern BC also getting dumped on – reporting more than 60cm (two feet) of snow in 48 hours this week. The country’s pacific coast, where resorts including the continent’s biggest Whistler Blackcomb have had a poor start to the season (warm and wet) are now seeing snow and are making up for lost time. The east has also had a tricky start and freezing rain this week hasn’t helped but more recently it has been fresh snow.

USA

It has been yet another very snowy week in the US Rockies with some resorts reporting a metre of snowfall over seven days up to the middle of this week, and now after a few quiet days it is dumping once again with another 20-40cm reported in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming etc.  The week started less well on the east coast when freezing rain coated lifts with ice, but here too there’s been up to a foot of fresh snow in the past few days so it’s looking much better there now.

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Report below from 27 December, 2019

It’s looking like a great start to 2020 next week in much of the skiing world. The past week has seen more big snowfalls across the Alps with some resorts reporting more than a metre more snow and most at least 30cm (a foot).

The only important note to make is that as a result of all the snow, and sometime windy and mild periods too, the off-piste snowpack is unstable and the avalanche danger generally high to very high.

The Dolomites, Pyrenees and Scandinavia all look good too, and even in Eastern Europe, where it had been too warm and many areas had been forced to postpone opening, it has now got colder and snowier.  Up in Scotland all five centres are open, albeit with limited terrain and after Glencoe suffered a Christmas fire at its base buildings.

Across the Atlantic there has been plenty of snow too in the West with again some areas getting more than a metre (it’s particularly good in Alberta and Eastern BC) and most several feet of snow. the northwest corner, where resorts like Whistler Blackcomb was suffering a poor start to the season (again too warm and wet), is also seeing improving conditions now too.

Austria

 

Austria has had a very snowy Christmas period and whilst the snowfall in the western Alps was largely over by Christmas Eve, here it kept snowing through to Boxing Day, with Saalbach Hinterglemm reporting another 20cm for Boxing Day. Generally conditions look good across the country with up to 3 metres of snow lying on the glaciers but snow down to valley floors thousands of metres below now too.

France

It looks like this week should end with lots more snowfall, just like the past two weekends in France. Indeed last weekend was one of the snowiest of the season yet with most resorts posting at least 30cm of fresh snow and some including higher slope at Les Arcs reporting more than a metre over 72 hours. Les Contamines is pictured above. All in all its looking like a great start to 2020 in the French mountains with bases on higher slopes approaching three metres now.

Italy

Italy too saw some big snowfalls in the run up to Christmas and many areas in the West of the country have seen 5-15cm more snow in the past 24 hours. Generally conditions are really great across the country with most terrain open and fresh snow too.  Livigno, pictured above and top, opened a run for powder skiing only just in time for Christmas with 30cm of fresh snow on it. The run is left ungroomed when conditions are good like they are currently. The avalanche danger is higher here also though -m generally around level 3 – so going off piste is not advised for now.

Switzerland

Swiss ski areas have seen some of the biggest snowfalls of the past week with Belalp claiming 172cm (nearly six feet) of now has fallen there in the past week.  That generally means great conditions and almost every slope in the country open, but it does mean high avalanche danger too, which was witnessed at Andermatt at Christmas when an avalanche crossed a groomed piste there.  Andermatt has the deepest base in the country too at 3.8 metres. Disentis is pictured above.

Pyrenees

An ever improving picture in the Pyrenees where most resorts now have bases above the metre mark. The region’s largest ski area, Greandvalira in Andorra (pictured above) has more than 100 runs open now adding up to most of its 200km+ of trails now skiable.

Scandinavia

Mostly light snowfall across Scandinavia over the past week following heavier snowfall earlier in the month. Here bases typically build by centimetres, with the usually fine powder snow at these latitudes compares to the 10cm at a time with heavier snow in the Alps. But one resort, Vaset in Eastern-Norway, has passed the metre mark with 1.1 metres of snow now lying. Generally though it’s looking good across the region with most runs now open for new year.

Eastern Europe

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