WeLove2Ski Snow Report

In today’s report we catch up on conditions across Europe, North America and Asia over the Christmas Holiday period, with the Alps very much on Santa’s ‘nice list’.

But with heavy snowfall and high winds over a short period the avalanche risk rises dramatically, and unfortunately Olympic Snowboard Cross athlete Sophie Hediger died in an avalanche at Arosa, Switzerland.

And where’s the snow going to land this week? We’ve scoured the internet to give you the best recommendations.

Now on with the snow!

Latest Reports

The Alps and much of Eastern Europe were very much on Santa’s ‘nice list’ over the Christmas Holiday with heavy snowfall followed by blue skies.

Crans Montana and Engelberg, Switzerland both received 1.1m of new snow with Alpe d’Huez the big winner in France with 1m.

Christmas Day was a bluebird powder day for many!

La Clusaz Snow Report, France

Jim enjoyed fabulous conditions at La Clusaz skiing with a 6ft 6in giant.

Saint Jean d’Aulps Snow Report, France

And it was all smiles and sunshine for Editor Nicky at Saint Jean d’Aulps

Chamonix Snow Report, France

Joel Evans dropping the trees to the valley in Flegere, Chamonix

Pila Snow Report, Italy

Phil Brown from Impulse Ski Racing reports sunshine and perfect piste conditions in the Aosta Valley

Click here to book lessons with Phil and his team.

Home

Verbier Snow Report, Switzerland

Duncan Logie getting the goods in Verbier

Lech Zurs Snow Report, Arlberg, Austria

Luke traveled across the Atlantic to score big at Lech Zurs

Mean while on the West Coast of the United States

Palisades Tahoe Snow Report, California, USA

It was sunshine & smiles at Palisades Tahoe, California

The snow tap has stayed on across Japan with big accumulations on Honshu and the Northern island of Hokkaido.

Geto Kogen, Honshu, Japan

Niseko United, Hokkaido, Japan

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Where To Ski

Les Portes du Soleil, France takes over the Number 1 spot in the World for open terrain with 320km of piste on offer (128/165 lifts; 320/580km piste; 120-150cm base).

Verbier / 4 Vallees (65/68 lifts; 278/412km piste; 60-110cm base); Les Trois Vallees / The Three Valleys, France (70/156 lifts; 274/600km piste; 60-110cm base); Les Sybelles (60/68 lifts; 240/310km piste; 35-120cm base); and Zermatt-Matterhorn, Switzerland/Italy (42/51 lifts; 223/322km piste; 50-150cm base) round out the Top 5.

The Alps

Austria holds first place in the world for the total number of ski areas open at 187 – with 26 ski areas offering 50km or more of pisted terrain.

St Anton, Austria has the most terrain available in the country (78/85 lifts; 221/299km piste; 50-180cm base).

France now has 33 ski areas offering 50km or more of pisted terrain from a total of 81 ski areas open for daily operations.

Via Lattea / Milky Way, Italy (46/70 lifts; 195/400km piste; 20-40cm base) has the most terrain available in Italy, from a total of 75 ski areas open.

Switzerland now has 86 resorts open for daily operations.

Skigebiet-Winklmoosalm (14/14 lifts; 35/42km piste; 35-85cm base) has the most terrain available in Germany which now has 77 resorts open for daily operations.

All three of Andorra’s ski areas – Pal/Arinsal, Grandvalira, and Ordino Arcalis – are open for the Winter with Pal/Arinsal (29/31 lifts; 55/63km piste; 40-70cm base) offering 87% of its pisted terrain.

Eastern Europe

Regular snowfall and temperatures cold enough for artificial snow making has allowed the following resorts to offer limited piste skiing, the exception being Baqueira Beret, Spain (123km) and Bansko, Bulgaria (66km) of pisted terrain open :

Bosnia and Herzegovina : Bjelasnica, Jahorina

Bulgaria : Bansko, Borovets, Pamporovo, Vitosha

Czechia : Cerna hora–Janske Lazne, Certova hora–Harrachov, Horni Domky–Lysa Hora, Jested–Liberec, Keilberg, Lipno, Paseky nad Jizerou, Pec pod Snezkou, Spicak, Spindleruv Mlyn, Zadov–Kobyla

Georgia : Bakuriani, Goderdzi, Gudauri, Hatsvali, Tetnuldi

Liechtenstein : Malbun

Poland : Bialka Tatrzanska, Jaworzyna Krynicka, Szczyrk Mountain Resort, Szymoszkowa, Zieleniec

Portugal : Serra da Estrela

Romania : Arena Platos, Harghita Bai, Madarasi Hargita, Poiana Brasov, Roata–Cavnic

Serbia : Kopaonik

Slovakia : Bachledova/​Jezersko/​Frankova, Donovaly, Jasna, Rohace–Spalena, Strbske Pleso, Telgart

Slovenia : Golte, Kanin–Sella Nevea/​Bovec, Kope, Kranjska Gora, Krvavec, Maribor, Rogla, Vogel

Scotland : Cairngorm Mountain, Glencoe, Glenshee, The Lecht

Spain : Baqueira/​Beret, Candanchu, Cerler, Formigal, Fuentes de Invierno, La Molina/​Masella–Alp2500, San Isidro, Sierra Nevada

Turkiye : Ejder 3200, Erciyes

The Nordic Countries

Regular natural snowfall and temperatures suitable for artificial snow making has enabled Finland’s Levi, Pyha, Ruka, Saariselka and Yllas, and Sweden’s Are, Dundret Lapland, Hemavan, Idre Fjall, Kabdalis, Klvosjo, Salen and Tarnaby to offer good but limited skiing.

Are, Sweden leads the way with 36km of pisted terain available.

Norway is now up to 17 resorts open for limited piste skiing with Trysil offering the most terrain (17/32 lifts; 27/78km piste; 15-15cm base).

North America

Canada

Alberta has all of its seven resorts open for daily operations (Banff Sunshine, Canada Olympic Park, Castle Mountain, Lake Louise, Marmot Basin, Mt Norquay, and Nakiska) with Lake Louise leading the way (12/12 lifts; 81/139km piste; 50-85cm base).

Whistler Blackcomb leads the British Columbia resorts for available terrain (24/27 lifts; 162/200km piste; 0-160cm base) with more terrain opening at the 16 other open resorts by the day.

Thanks to recent snowfall and much colder temperatures on the East Coast Ontario’s Blue Mountain has opened for the Winter. Quebec has all five of its resorts open for the season (Le Massif, Mont-Sainte-Anne, Sommet Saint-Sauveur, Stoneham, and Tremblant).

USA

The USA drops to second in the world for open resorts (178) behind Austria (187), but ahead of Switzerland (86), France (81), and Italy (75).

Aspen Snowmass, USA (15/20 lifts; 195/237km piste; 45-90cm base) has the most pisted terrain on offer.

ALASKA : Alyeska, Eaglecrest
ARIZONA : Arizona Snowbowl, Sunrise Park
CALIFORNIA : Diamond Peak, Heavenly, Kirkwood, Mammoth, Northstar, Palisades Tahoe, Sierra at Tahoe, Snow Summit
COLORADO : Arapahoe Basin, Aspen, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Copper Mtn, Eldora, Keystone, Loveland, Monarch, Powderhorn, Purgatory, Snowmass, Steamboat, Telluride, Vail, Winter Park, Wolf Creek
IDAHO: Lookout Pass, Schweitzer, Sun Valley, Tamarack
MAINE : Sugarloaf, Sunday River
MONTANA : Big Sky, Bridger Bowl, Discovery, Whitefish
OREGON : Mt Bachelor, Mt Hood, Timberline, Wilamette Pass
NEVADA : Diamond Peak, Lee Canyon, Mt Rose
NEW HAMPSHIRE : Attitash, Bretton Woods, Cannon Mountain, Loon, Waterville Valley, Wildcat Mountain
NEW MEXICO : Angel Fire, Pajarito, Taos
NEW YORK : Belleayre, Holiday Valley, Hunter Mountain, Windham, Whiteface-Lake Placid
UTAH : Alta, Beaver, Brian Head, Brighton, Deer Valley, Park City, Powder Mountain, Snowbasin, Snowbird, Solitude, Sundance
VERMONT : Bolton Valley, Jay Peak, Killington, Mad River Glen, Mount Snow, Okemo, Smugglers’ Notch, Stowe, Stratton, Sugarbush
WEST VIRGINIA : Canaan Valley, Snowshoe Mountain
WYOMING : Grand Targhee, Jackson Hole
WASHINGTON : Crystal Mountain, Mount Baker, Stevens Pass

Asia

Japan

The Hakuba Valley Resorts along with Aomori Springs, Geto Kogen, Hakkoda, Kagura, Lotte Arai, Madarao, Myoko, Naeba, Nozawa Onsen, Shigakogen, Yuzawa and Zao are the 13 Japanese ski areas on the main island of Honshu open for Winter operations.

On Hokkaido we’re up to 10 resorts open (Furano, Niseko United, Kamui, Kiroro, Kurodake, Rusutsu, Sahoro, Sapporo Kokusai, Sapporo Teine, and Tomamu) with heavy snowfall opening more and more terrain by the day.

Snow News

Olympic Snowboarder From Switzerland Dies in Avalanche at 26

With heavy snowfall combined with high winds over a short time period the avalanche risk rises dramatically, and unfortunately Sophie Hediger, a member of Switzerland’s national snowboard cross team died on Monday in an avalanche in the Swiss Alps.

You can read more here

To see the latest avalanche advisory forecast for Europe please visit this link

And if you’re intending to venture off-piste please ensure you travel with a partner(s), have all the necessary avalanche safety equipment and know how to use it.

Or consider using the services of a local guide.

World Snow Forecast For the Next 3-4 Days

A major storm system hit most of the Alps and parts of Eastern Europe the first half of this week bringing heavy snowfall and high winds. It calmed down yesterday with the best conditions of the season to date.

We’ll see clear skies and the freezing level rise to 3,000m over the next day or so before the next storm system rolls through on New Year’s Eve.

Finland will see continued low temperatures with clear skies and sunshine.

The Swedish resorts will see cold temperatures and snowfall through Monday, with Are set to receive 20-25cm.

It will be a similar situation in Norway but with heavier snowfall. Stranda could see 70-75cm with Voss expecting 45-50cm.

The Alberta resorts of Canada will see cloudy skies and cold temperatures with 5-10cm forecast. The British Columbia resorts will see more snowfall with 20-25cm forecast. Revelstoke could see 30-35cm.

Further west, Whistler Blackcomb is forecast to receive 35-35cm of new snowfall.

Temperatures will rise on the East Coast with Tremblant and Sommet Saint-Sauveur expecting rain to all levels over the weekend.

Most of the western US resorts will see continued low temperatures, sunshine and 30-35cm of snowfall. Jackson Hole, Wyoming could see 60-65cm.

The West Coast resorts of California, Oregon and Washington are forecast to receive 25-35cm of new snow through Thursday with significantly more at Mt Hood, Oregon (60-65cm); and Mount Baker, Washington (45-50cm).

On the East Coast, temperatures wil spike over the weekend bringing rain at all levels.

The resorts on Japan’s main island of Honshu will see continued snowfall through Monday with 65-70cm forecast. Kagura is forecast to receive 1.4m!

The Hokkaido resorts will see constant snow with 35-40cm forecast. The Niseko United resorts could see 55-65cm.

Where to find a detailed snow report 

There are so many great resources available on the internet for up to the minute information on snow conditions, lift status, and available terrain that this season we’re directing you to the best places to find that info and plan where to head for the best skiing.

Want to quickly know which ski resorts are open? Then head to skiresort.info. Narrow down your search by country and resort for more detailed information.

For in resort reports get the lowdown from the Ski Club of Great Britain’s reps skiclub.co.uk/snow-and-weather/

For worldwide snow forecasting start with Cardiff-based snow-forecast.com. With a massive database of resorts and free 6-day forecasts just type in where you’re going for the lowdown. Sign up for longer range forecasts and historical data.

Wepowder does what it says on the tin. Free, extensive 6-day forecasting for Europe, with a paid subscription for 14-day forecasts and Powder Alerts.

On Instagram our go to sites are Powderhounds and new ‘kid’ on the block instagram.com/imlukesnow/.

On YouTube get detailed weather analysis from https://www.youtube.com/@WeatherWatcher14