Snow Report – Friday 18 April 2025

Ski The Conditions, Not The Calendar

Sadly, this is the last Welove2ski Snow Report for the 2024/25 Northern Hemisphere Winter Season.

But it’s a big one, so make yourself a cuppa or pour yourself a drink and settle in to what’s been, what is, and what could be for snow conditions around our ski world.

Snow Report

Ski Icon Glen Plake – he of the multicoloured Mohawk and infectious enthusiasm for all things skiing – posted this impassioned post on his Instagram feed this week.

It’s a heartfelt plea to enjoy skiing wherever you may be regardless of the snow conditions, which can be summarised as ‘Ski The Conditions, Not The Calendar’.

Never has that been more appropriate than across most of the European Alps the past 48 hrs where huge storms have deposited some of the lightest, driest powder snow the Alps has seen in many a year. At any time of the year.

All at a time when many resorts have already closed and Winter Sports enthusiasts have mothballed their gear until next season.

As we come in to the final weekend of Winter operations at the vast majority of resorts the heavens have opened bringing at least 1m of new snow and in some areas over 2m of Japanese style ‘Japanuary’ snowfall in the past 48hrs.

The videos have been coming in as fast as the snowfall!

Maison Sport Snow Report, European Alps

Valle d’Aosta Snow Report, Italy

Saas Grund Snow Report, Switzerland

Verbier Snow Report, Switzerland

With ski lifts closed the only turns possible were human powered and Anthony Robert put the leg work in and got deep at La Plagne yesterday.

La PLagne Snow Report, France

Some resorts have been cut off with no access in or out due to road closures, and avalanche danger has been at a maximum 5 out of 5 on the scale. Zermatt, Switzerland and Chamonix, France lost power for a time. Val Thorens, France had a mandatory ‘stay indoors’ warning due to extreme avalanche risk.

It’s going to take a couple of days for operations to return to normal but when they do there’s going to be epic skiing & snowboarding on offer from Good Friday through to Easter Monday and beyond.

But it’s not just the Alps which is enjoying excellent snow conditions and turns.

Borovets Backcountry Snow Report, Bulgaria

Sierra Nevada Snow Report, Spain

Svaneti Snow Report, Georgia

World Snow Forecast For The Next 3-4 Days

There will be light snowfall of 5-15cm across Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland through Monday as the storm abates with excellent conditions above 2,500m.

Please be aware of avalanche advisories and heed all warnings while the massive snowfalls settle and bond with the existing layers.

The longer range forecast for the month is below freezing temperatures above 2,500m and a mix of sunshine and 15-30cm of snowfall.

Options are limited beyond Easter Monday but those resorts remaining open until the first week of May will be in prime condition.

Bergfex is the go to site for which resorts are open :

Austria
https://www.bergfex.com/oesterreich/saisonende/

France
https://www.bergfex.com/frankreich/saisonende/

Italy
https://www.bergfex.com/italien/saisonende/

Switzerland
https://www.bergfex.com/schweiz/saisonende/

It will be a similar situation in Andorra and the French & Spanish Pyrenees with a lower freezing level but a similar pattern of precipitation for the final weekend of operations. Cauterets, France could see 20-25cm of new snow.

There are only a handful of resorts still operating in Central and Eastern Europe with warm temperatures and rainfall expected top to bottom.

Operations have closed at the Georgian and Turkish resorts but there’s still excellent skiing to be had in the backcountry.

Temperatures will hover around freezing in the Nordic Countries of Finland, Norway and Sweden with freeze thaw conditions and 5-10cm of snowfall on the highest peaks. Narvik, Norway is expecting 15-20cm of new snow for its final weekend of operations.

The Canadian resorts of Alberta and British Columbia will see below freezing temperatures with 5-10cm of new snow up high. Lake Louise, Alberta could see 15-20cm.

It’s going to be a wet end to the season on the East Coast of Canada with rain forecast top to bottom.

The mercury has dropped at the Western US resorts bringing a mix of sunshine and 5-10cm of snowfall. Arapahoe Basin, Colorado could see 20-25cm.

The West Coast resorts of California, Oregon, and Washington will see clear skies, sunshine, and above freezing temperatures with freeze thaw conditions.

Alyeska, Alaska is forecast to receive 50-55cm of snowfall before season’s end on 27 April.

It’s going to be a wet weekend on the East Coast of the United States with rain forecast top to bottom. Killington, Jay Peak and Sugarbush all in Vermont are the only resorts scheduled to operate through to the first week of May.

The handful of resorts still open on Japan’s main island of Honshu will see above freezing temperatures top to bottom through the end of the month.

It will be similar up North on the island of Hokkaido but with a mix of snow and rain in the alpine.

Where To Ski

All eyes will be on the Alps to see which resorts get the lifts spinning after such heavy snowfall in such a short period of time.

Once the runs have been groomed and the avalanche risk drops it will be an excellent final 2-3 weeks above 2,500m with arguably the best conditions of the season.

If you can drop everything and head to the high Alpine resorts of Austria, France, Italy, and Switzerland between now and the first week of May you may experience the best conditions of your life.

How’s the Winter Been?

For most of the Northern Hemisphere it’s been a good Winter season.

Scotland had one of its worst Winters in decades while parts of the Alps; Southern Italy; Georgia; Turkiye; Northern Norway; and Northern Vermont and Alaska in the United States had well above average snowfall.

Hokkaido, Japan had record breaking snowfall throughout the season with the largest accumulations worldwide.

On the other end of the scale, Austria had its sunniest and driest Winter in 28 years but ironically had one of its busiest seasons for guests.

This is discussed by Marius Quast on his YouTube channel

There’s no doubt that snowfall is diminishing at lower elevations across much of the ski world but are Winter Sports lovers limiting their fresh snow enjoyment by avoiding early and late season turns?

It was a great start in October and November across many European and N American resorts, and the snow continues to fall well in to April in these regions.

Food for thought as you plan next season’s adventures.