It’s certainly been a month to remember across the N Hemisphere.
The United States and Canada haven’t had the mega dumps they received at the start of last winter, but consistently cold temperatures combined with world leading snow making systems has allowed 50 resorts to offer November turns.
This past week has seen more natural snowfall, with the East Coast resorts enjoying powder on and off the piste.
The Nordic countries started off with a bang, with the Finnish resorts of Levi and Ruka offering quality turns from the start of the month. They’ve been joined by Norway and Sweden and with consistent snowfall and cold temperatures they look set for the season.
It’s been a very different story in Europe with the best November snow in decades.
After a disastrous start to last winter and a poor summer skiing season, this winter couldn’t have been more different.
The Austrian and Swiss glacier resorts have enjoyed fantastic conditions throughout the month, with many bluebird powder days.
They’ve been joined by high altitude resorts in France and Italy, and the Bosnian resort of Jahorina and the Turkish resort of Ejder 3200.
This past week and leading into this weekend will see the Opening Days at:
- Grandvalira, Andorra
- Kuhtai, Lech Zurs and St Anton, Austria
- La Clusaz, France
Courmayeur and Selva Val Gardena, Italy - Deer Valley and Snowbird, Utah
And after a number of false starts, the snow tap has been turned on in Japan with resorts in the Hakuba Valley in the Japanese Alps (Hakuba Goyru, Hakuba Happo One, Hakuba Tsugaiake), Nozawa Onsen and Furano on Hokkaido open for business with powder everywhere.
This weekend sees the much anticipated return of the Niseko United resorts on Hokkaido.
In racing news, this weekend sees the Women’s Giant Slalom races at Mt Tremblant, Quebec, Canada; the Men’s Downhill and Super-G races on the Birds of Prey course at Beaver Creek, Colorado, USA; and the FIS Freestyle World Cup at Ruka, Finland.
We’ll be posting twice weekly snow reports on Mondays and Thursdays throughout the 2023/24 Winter season, so bookmark us or better yet subscribe to get the latest snow news and our tips for where the snow will be.
If you’re out in resort drop us a line via our social media channels to share your ‘on the snow’ experiences and photos.
WHAT’S OPEN NOW
AUSTRIA
Axamer Lizum (3/9 lifts; 9/38km piste; 30-60cm base), Bergeralm (4/7 lifts; 6/27km piste; 10-50cm base), Fieberbrunn (4/69 lifts; 5/156 piste; 0-30cm base), Gargellen (4/8 lifts; 12/37km piste; 55-100cm base), Gurgl (16/22 lifts; 88/112km piste; 20-90cm base), Hintertux (16/21 lifts; 48/60km piste; 30-160cm base), Hochfugen (3/12 lifts; 11/28km piste; 30-80cm base), Ischgl (34/46 lifts; 171/239km piste; 30-70cm base), Kaunertal (6/7 lifts; 40/55km piste; 105-230cm base), Kitzbuhel (6/56 lifts; 9/89 piste; 5-55cm base), Kitzsteinhorn (13/23 lifts; 16/61km piste; 10-115cm base), Lech Zurs (1/85 lifts; 95-150cm base), Molltaler (6/9 lifts; 19/36km piste; 60-90cm base), Obertauern (13/26 lifts; 25/100km piste; 80-110cm base), Pitztal (6/7 lifts; 15/41km piste; 15-175cm base), Schladming (4/47 lifts; 7/123km piste; 20-70cm base), Solden (22/31 lifts; 113/147km piste; 10-230cm base), St Anton (1/85 lifts; 20-70cm base), Stubai (19/26 lifts; 39/68km piste; 15-145cm base)
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Jahorina (2/17 lifts; 3/52km piste; 40-40cm base)
FRANCE
Tignes (7/79 lifts; 15/300km piste; 15-150cm base), and Val Thorens (23/156 lifts; 105/600km piste; 150-240cm base)
ITALY
Cervinia (17/51 lifts; 66/322km piste; 0-200cm base), Cortina (1/27 lifts; 1/120km piste; 10-30cm base), Kronplatz (18/31 lifts; 50/121km piste; 20-60cm base), Livigno (6/32 lifts; 10/115km piste; 25-50cm base), Madonna di Campiglio (7/20 lifts; 17/59km piste; 35-50cm base), Passo Tonale (3/30 lifts; 5/100km piste; 80-120cm base), and Solda (5/11 lifts; 20/44km piste; 100-120cm base)
SWITZERLAND
Adelboden (2/38 lifts; 15/102km piste; 25-30cm base), Aletsch Arena (6/35 lifts; 3/105km piste; 80-90cm base), Andermatt (3/20 lifts; 20/108km piste; 30-80cm base), Arosa (8/43 lifts; 12/220km piste; 45-55cm base), Crans Montana (2/24 lifts; 9/136km piste; 20-80cm base), Davos (12/18 lifts; 24/109km piste; 30-120cm base), Engelberg-Titlis (5/17 lifts; 11/80km piste; 15-95cm base), Flims Laax (4/26 lifts; 6/204km piste; 25-90cm base), Glacier 3000 (4/12 lifts; 4/31km piste; 25-190cm base), Grimentz Zinal (14/21 lifts; 25/115km piste; 10-70cm base), Saas Fee (6/23 lifts; 28/100km; 15-150cm base), St Moritz (13/24 lifts; 63/163km piste; 10-90cm base), Verbier (5/73 lifts; 24/412km piste; 10-35cm base), Zermatt (17/51 lifts; 66/322km piste; 0-200cm base)
NORDIC RESORTS
Levi (14/26 lifts; 11/38.5km piste; 25-50cm base) and Ruka (9/22 lifts; 9/19km piste; 20-30cm base) in Finland
Geilo (5/20 lifts; 4/32km piste; 40-70cm base), Hemsedal (8/21 lifts; 10/44km piste; 25-40cm base), Kvitfjell (8/14 lifts; 14/39km piste; 20-80cm base) and Trysil (3/32 lifts; 9/78km piste; 25-40cm base) in Norway
Are (5/35 lifts; 12/91km piste; 25-60cm base), Kabdalis (3/4 lifts; 6/9km piste; 45-90cm base), Salen (4/38 lifts; 4/44 piste; 40-70cm base) and Vemdalen (4/12 lifts; 5/21 piste; 40-60cm base) in Sweden
TURKEY
Ejder 3200 (4/10 lifts; 4/34 piste; 10-90cm base)
UNITED STATES
Bear Mt (1/12 lifts; 35-35cm base), Heavenly (6/29 lifts; 3/94km piste; 50-50cm base), Mammoth (7/25 lifts; 19/90km piste; 35-45cm base), Northstar (6/15 lifts; 50-50cm base), Palisades Tahoe (2/43 lifts; 3/200km piste; 10-45cm base) and Snow Summit (2/12 lifts; 40-45cm base) in California
Arapahoe Basin (3/9 lifts; 4/105km piste; 45-45cm base), Aspen (2/8 lifts; 30-35cm base), Beaver Creek (5/25 lifts; 5-35cm base), Breckenridge (20/35 lifts; 12/153km piste; 40-45cm base), Copper (6/21 lifts; 9/126km piste; 40-45cm base), Crested Butte (4/14 lifts; 50-55cm base), Eldora (7/12 lifts; 50-50cm base), Keystone (8/22 lifts; 13/135km piste; 40-45cm base), Loveland (4/11 lifts; 5/93km piste; 40-45cm base), Powderhorn (2/3 lifts; 65-65cm base), Purgatory (2/11 lifts; 10-40cm base), Snowmass (5/23 lifts; 40-60cm base), Steamboat (5/22 lifts; 7/165km piste; 20-30cm base), Vail (8/33 lifts; 10/234km piste; 55-60cm base), and Winter Park (8/25 lifts; 4/132km piste; 50-50cm base) in Colorado
Sun Valley (2/18 lifts; 45-45cm base) in Idaho
Sugarloaf (2/14 lifts; 8/160km piste; 15-35cm base) in Maine
Big Sky (5/38 lifts; 10/250km piste; 20-25cm base) in Montana
Mt Rose (4/8 lifts; 8/60km piste; 30-60cm base) in Nevada
Wildcat (3/5 lifts; 5/25km piste; 20-40cm base) in New Hampshire
Taos (4/14 lifts; 4/113km piste; 30-65cm base) in New Mexico
Alta (6/13 lifts; 11/71km piste; 45-90cm base), Brian Head (3/9 lifts; 60-60cm base), Brighton (2/57 lifts; 60-60cm base), Park City (8/42 lifts; 8/250km piste; 30-40cm base) and Solitude (6/9 lifts; 3/64km piste; 25-45cm base) in Utah
Killington (3/22 lifts; 6/118km piste; 5-35cm base), Mount Snow (4/26 lifts; 30-30cm base), Okemo (4/19 lifts; 4/70km piste; 30-40cm base), Stowe (5/13 lifts; 3/70km piste; 30-60cm base), Stratton (4/14 lifts; 30-30cm base) and Sugarbush (2/18 lifts; 30-60cm base) in Vermont
Jackson Hole (2/13 lifts; 6/116km piste; 5-55cm base) in Wyoming
CANADA
Marmot Basin (3/7 lifts; 12/91km piste; 25-35cm base), Mt Norquay (2/6 lifts; 1/16km piste; 65-65cm base), Lake Louise (6/11 lifts; 16/139km piste; 40-45cm base) and Sunshine (5/10 lifts; 29/109km piste; 30-40cm base) in Alberta
Sun Peaks (6/12 lifts; 6/135km piste; 5-25cm base) and Whistler Blackcomb (14/27 lifts; 25/200km piste; 0-55cm base) in BC
Sommet-Saint-Sauveur (3/8 lift; 1/38km piste; 15-15cm base) and Tremblant (6/14 lifts; 10/82km piste; 30-80cm base) in Quebec
JAPAN
Furano (2/9 lifts; 2/32km piste; 20-30cm base); Happo One (2/22 lifts; 1/52km piste; 20-100cm base); and Nozawa Onsen (2/17 lifts; 13/44km piste; 10-40cm base)
FORECAST FOR THE NEXT 3-4 DAYS
The Alps will see rising freezing levels up to 2000m throughout Thursday, dropping back to around 1100m from Friday.
This will mean rain and a loss of snow cover down low, but 30-60cm of new snow up high.
This will be accompanied by high winds which will raise the avalanche risk considerably.
The Nordic countries will see consistent below freezing temperatures and clear skies in the coming days, with a slim chance of snow in Norway.
The East coast of the US and Canada will see a fluctuation in temperatures through the weekend, with a mix of snow at altitude and rain in the village.
The Mountain states and provinces will see a healthy storm cycle rolling in on Friday which will bring 30-50cm of new snow.
The West Coast states and provinces will see light flurries Thursday into Friday with warming temperatures through the weekend.
The tap has been turned on in Japan with significant snowfall forecast over the next 3-4 days.
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