France, Italy and Switzerland are continuing to see huge snow falls.
Italy, where Milan airport has been closed by snow, is expecting another 90-120cm (3-4 feet) of snow in the next few days.
Similar falls are expected elsewhere in the Alps. The country’s Passo Tonale ski area has the greatest snow depth of any resort in the world at present with a 370cm (over 12 foot) base.
It’s a similar picture across the Pyrenees, Dolomites too with most major resorts now open for the winter and reporting superb conditions. All the fresh snow has led to a high avalanche risk however and there have been several deaths in recent days so skiers and boarders are being advised to stay on piste.
France has been one of the main beneficiaries this week with Meribel posting the greatest accumulation over the past seven days of up to 1.5m (five feet). Skiinfo issued five powder alarms on Saturday for Les Gets ( 60cm/2 feet), Avoriaz and Morzine both 50 cm(20 inches), Val Thorens 35 cm (14 inches) and Le Grand Bornand (30 cm/12 inches).
More snow is forecast and French resorts opening this weekend include Flaine, Les Arcs, Pra Loup and Valloire and Vars.
Switzerland’s leading resorts have been open for a month now having enjoyed great snow conditions through November. Bases are approaching three metres (ten feet) in many higher resorts. Saas Fee will offer free skiing in Kreuzboden-Hohsaas this weekend December 13th-14th. It has 80km (50 miles) of piste open from top to bottom.
Zermatt has more than 100km (63 miles) of piste open including the Italian link to Cervinia/Valtournenche and up to 250cm (over eight feet) snow depth. Elsewhere Laax has 170cm (Nearly six feet) of snow on the glacier and St. Moritz 180cm (Six feet) of powder with still more snowfall expected at the weekend.
In Austria the big resort opening this weekend is at Söll on the Skiwelt. The country’s glacier ski areas have the most accumulated snow depth with 195cm (6.5 feet) on the Pitztal Glacier and the same at Sölden. Snowfall has eased in the past week with areas typically reporting 20-40cm (8 – 16 inches) of fresh snow in total.
In North America, temperatures are very low on the East Coast with resorts in Vermont reporting up to three feet of snow. The Rockies have also had snow but along the pacific coast temperatures are above the seasonal average and open terrain is limited.
Report from Skiinfo.com
