Latest snow reports: Heavy snow and cold temperatures mark a ‘glorious’ start to the season
It’s been a glorious week for early-season skiers in the Alps. There were big snowfalls, heaviest in the north and west, to start the week, with predominantly sunny skies and low temperatures since.
The heavy snowfall has set the avalanche danger in the Western Alps to 3 (considerable) on the scale to 5. There’s finally been significant snowfall in the Pyrenees as well, with big names like Andorra’s Grandvalira and Spain’s Baqueira Beret opening this week.
In Eastern Europe, Bulgaria’s Bansko opened a week early thanks to good December snowfalls, with neighbouring Czech Republic’s Špindlerův Mlýn and Slovenia’s Kranjska Gora also starting their seasons.
Ski areas in Scotland did well from Storm Darragh, reporting up to 30cm of snowfall followed by low temperatures. Glencoe opened some terrain on Wednesday, with the Lecht joining them this weekend and other centres may do the same.
Further north, Scandinavia’s open terrain remains limited and cover thin, but it’s snowing, and the big names, including Norway’s Hemsedal and Trysil, are open along with Sweden’s Åre. Up in Finland, the largest resort, Levi, is among those that have entered Polar Night this week. The sun reappears above the horizon at the start of January, and slopes are floodlit.
It’s been another quiet week over in North America, without much fresh snow and warm temperatures in parts of both the East and West coasts. The big picture remains positive though with most areas gradually opening more terrain.
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France
It has been a great week in the French Alps with heavy snowfall, followed by very low temperatures and more ski areas opening – including various sectors of Les 3 Vallées last weekend. Méribel, Val d’Isère and Val Thorens were among those reporting over 60cm of fresh snowfall. Val d’Isère also got approval from the FIS to stage its annual World Cup downhills this weekend, thanks to quality snow conditions. Serre Chevalier briefly claimed the most terrain open in France. It’s now been overtaken by Les 3 Vallées, which has up to half of its 600km of slopes open. More big areas including Paradiski (La Plagne and Les Arcs) open this weekend.
The forecast
Mostly dry and sunny for the coming week, but with light snowfall at the weekend staying cold into the weekend.
Discover the best ski resorts in France with our guide.
Austria
Six of the top 10 areas posting the most open terrain in Europe so far (each over 100km) are in Austria, with Ischgl posting the most in the country (160km). Saalbach Hinterglemm and newly opened Mayrhofen are close behind with 120km each. This is partly noteworthy as it shows how big a part snowmaking plays in early season conditions, with many of these runs reliant on it. There were heavy snowfalls to start the week too though and low temperatures down below -10C allowing more snowmaking to valley floors.
The forecast
A cold and snowy end to the week with plenty of sunshine and more next week too, but with cloudy conditions and light snowfall at the weekend.
Discover the best ski resorts in Austria with our guide.
Italy
Italy’s season is taking off too with Val Gardena opening at the weekend and immediately posting the most terrain open in Italy (170km; close to 100 per cent). There was some snowfall at the weekend, heavies in the north and west with Madonna di Campiglio doubling its upper base depth with 67cm of snowfall in 72 hours.
The forecast
A largely sunny week ahead, although cloud and light snowfall are probable at the weekend. Staying cold, as low as -20C at 3,000m.
Discover the best ski resorts in Italy with our guide.
Switzerland
Beautiful blue sky conditions were reported on Swiss slopes this week after 30-70cm weekend snowfall accumulations. Verbier reported perfectly groomed runs, but Zermatt has the most terrain available in the country so far, reaching 160km of piste. In most areas, the snow off the groomed runs needs to build up a little more before the off-piste is up to par.
The forecast
Continuing well below freezing on Swiss slopes into next week. Some light weekend snowfall is expected, but sunny again from Monday.
Discover the best ski resorts in Switzerland with our guide.
Canada
A fairly uneventful week for snowfall in Canada, with Lake Louise’s accumulation of 30cm in 24 hours one of the best. Conditions remain excellent in the West though, with Whistler Blackcomb passing a vast, 5,500 acres open already. A big improvement at last on the East Coast, with Mont Tremblant declaring its first powder days of the season after a 30cm snowfall there.
The forecast
Mostly cloudy in the West with light snow showers, temperature freezing to -15C. Alas warm, possibly wet weather is forecast again in the East.
Discover the best ski resorts in Canada with our guide.
USA
Another week of not-a-lot to report in the US with dry conditions prevailing and just some light snowfall. For most, that’s not a big problem as November snowfalls have allowed them to open plenty of terrain, but there is frustration around Lake Tahoe where it’s been too warm for snowmaking. Still mixed conditions in the East. After big snowfalls to start the week it was warm and wet on Wednesday, with some centres temporarily closing to preserve the snowpack.
The forecast
Still no big snowfalls on the horizon, but the forecast looks promising for the north and west with a 10-30cm accumulation likely and temperatures close to freezing.
Discover the best ski resorts in the US with our guide.
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Meet our expert
Patrick Thorne has spent his entire career as a year-round ski travel writer. He’s written a dozen ski books since his first, The Essential Ski Holiday Guide in 1984, including best-seller Powder, and in the 1990s built the first database of more than 6,000 ski areas worldwide. Passionate about snow, he has been following conditions closely for four decades, and runs the saveoursnow.com website aimed at fighting climate change.
This article is updated with the latest information.
