a snowboarder skiing the trees in deep fresh snow
Snow Report

Significant Snow Set for N & S Hemispheres | Snow Report

Heading towards the final weekend of operations for the French resorts of Chamonix, Tignes and Val Thorens, the freezing level will fluctuate between 1,800 and 2,500m bringing 25-30cm of new snowfall. It should make for a great end to the season.

It’s a similar story in Italy with both Cervinia and Pontedilegno—Tonale forecast to receive 30-35cm on top of the 15-25cm which fell earlier this week.

The Swiss resorts of Diavolezza and Engelberg are forecast to receive 10-15cm above 2,500m and Zermatt 30-35cm.

a very Swiss church steeply dusted in snow

The freezing level will hover around 2,600m across Austria through Monday bringing rainfall below that level and 5-10cm at higher altitudes.

It’s the final weekend of operations for the Finnish resorts of Levi and Ruka with the mercury hovering just around 0C and the chance of light snow on the highest slopes.

Narvik, in the far north of Norway, will see cold and sunny conditions through Monday and a chance of 30-40cm leading into its season end on 15 May.

Norway’s Fonna Glacier Resort is scheduled to open this weekend with a 1.5m snow base at the bottom of the mountain and 1.6m up top. Operations are scheduled to run until mid-November.

Galdhøpiggen Summers Ski Centre is scheduled to open on 11 May with Stryn Sommerski set to start spinning the lifts on 25 May.

The remaining Swedish resort operating for the 2023/24 season Riksgränsen in the far north will see sunny skies and light flurries of new snow in the alpine through Monday. Riksgränsen is scheduled to operate until 25 May.

a skier skis off piste under a chairlift on a blue sky day
Mammoth Mountain, California

The East Coast of the USA will see a mix of sunshine and light rain showers at all levels through to the start of next week.

The USA’s Mountain States will see freeze thaw conditions through Monday with the chance of 5-10cm of new snow in the alpine.

California in the west will see freeze thaw conditions and sunny skies before a storm system blows through Saturday bringing 15-20cm of new snow to Mammoth Mountain and 45-50cm to Palisades Tahoe.

The Oregon resorts will see below freezing conditions above mid-mountain with 25-30cm of new snow forecast at Mt Bachelor and 50-55cm at Timberline.

The Alberta resorts will see below freezing temperatures and 5-10cm of new snow above mid-mountain through Monday.

Whistler Blackcomb will see a mix of light rain and sunshine below 1,500m before a new storm system rolls through on Sunday with 5-10cm forecast in the alpine.

pond-skimming in front of a large crowd
A Lake Louise pond skimming session

The two remaining resorts on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido have managed to operate through to the traditional end of season Golden Week celebrations despite sunshine and temperatures in the double digits for weeks. Testament to the 10m + snowfall the island receives each and every season.

Due to higher elevations the Honshu resorts have fared better with top to bottom skiing under sunny skies still on offer.

snowboarder ollying on piste, the lift station visible below and the snowless valley far in the distance

Pre-season storms continue to fall across the Southern Hemisphere building the snow base in preparation for proposed mid-June openings.

The central Lake District region of Argentina and Chile has been hammered with 70-80cm of snowfall the past 3-4 days and with a freezing level well below the resorts’ lowest lifts and slopes. Just look at Cerro Bayo in Argentina. 

After a brief hiatus today, a new storm system will arrive Friday afternoon blanketing the region with 65-70cm of new snow through Monday.

Corralco, Chile received 1m of new snow Tuesday into Wednesday with 1.2m forecast through next Monday and the chance of an additional 60-65cm by this time next week.

Further north, the Andean resorts of Las Leñas, Argentina and both Portillo and Valle Nevado in Chile have received sporadic snowfall but are still waiting on their first big storms of the season.

aerial image of Valle Nevado small ski village in the high mountains
Valle Nevado getting ski-ready

Conditions continue to be dry and sunny across the Australian ski resorts with no precipitation in sight.

It’s a similar situation in New Zealand but at least there was snowfall at the end of last month and temperatures are getting closer to freezing.

a mid mountain lift station, surrounded by white snow and light cloud
Cardrona, New Zealand

News From Around the Ski World 

Head high and look north… 

There’s still plenty of fantastic skiing and snowboarding to be had across the Northern Hemisphere this May Day holiday weekend but with warm spring temperatures bringing April and May showers to the valleys it’s time to head high or look north for your snow fix.

Thankfully there are a number of high altitude resorts across the Alps which have excellent conditions thanks to great snowfall in April.

The six Austrian glacier resorts have a current combined offering of 226km of slopes available and would make for a fabulous multi-day spring road trip out of Innsbruck Airport.

a route drawn out on a map through Austria
Snow reporter Mike has drawn out an Austrian glacier road trip route

Further north, the resorts in Finland, Norway and Sweden continue to offer up great sport seven months after they first opened their doors for the 2023/24 winter season.

With weather patterns changing and next season’s Easter holiday period running from mid- to late April planning a spring skiing holiday to one of the Nordic countries could be a good move.

Meanwhile, south of the equator, the first turns for the 2024 season have been made on the slopes high above Mallin Alto outside of Cerro Catedral in Patagonian Argentina. It won’t be long before the resorts start spinning their lifts.

a dusting of snow covers a ski village and its ski runs cut into the alpine
A dusting over Cerro Catedral, Argentina

If you’re out in resort drop us a line via our social media channels to share your ‘on the snow’ experiences and photos.

We’ll be posting twice-weekly snow reports on Mondays and Thursdays throughout the 2023/24 winter season. Bookmark us, or, better yet, subscribe to get the latest snow news and our tips for where the snow will be.

Between snow reports please visit the ‘stories’ section of Welove2ski’s Instagram to see the latest images and videos from ski resorts around the world.

Snow Stats From Ski Areas Around the World

dusk in the high mountains on the wrap around terrace of a building overlooking snowy slopes

Austria Ski Resorts

Hintertux (17/21 lifts; 56/62km piste; 0-470cm base)
Kaunertal (4/7 lifts; 29/55km piste; 390-400cm base)
Kitzsteinhorn (11/21 lifts; 30/61km piste; 0-350cm base)
Moelltal Glacier (6/9 lifts; 23/36km piste; 0-290cm base)
Pitztal Glacier (7/7 lifts; 35/41km piste; 20-340cm base)
Stubai (18/26 lifts; 53/68km piste; 0-570cm base)

France Interconnected Ski Areas

Tignes / Val D’Isere (40/79 lifts; 203/300km piste; 55-410cm base)
Three Valleys [Val Thorens, Les Menuires, ​Méribel, Courchevel] (28/156 lifts; 102/600km piste; 170-240cm base)

France Ski Resorts

Grands Montets – Chamonix (5/7 lifts; 15/29km piste; 5-390cm base)

Italy Ski Resorts

Pontedilegno-Tonale (2/30 lifts; 8/100km piste; 100-400cm base)

Switzerland Interconnected Ski Areas

Matterhorn [Zermatt, ​Breuil-Cervinia, Valtournenche] (16/51 lifts; 61/322km piste; 10-250cm base)

Switzerland Ski Resorts

Adelboden (6/8 lifts; 12/17km piste; 20-210cm base)
Diavolezza (2/5 lifts; 10/35km piste; 0-200cm base)
Engelberg-Titlis (4/17 lifts; 19/70km piste; 0-330cm base)

Nordic Resorts

Finland

Levi (24/26 lifts; 33/38km piste; 55-75cm base)
Ruka (19/22 lifts; 18/19km piste; 40-45cm base)

Norway

Narvik (5/6 lifts; 5/10km piste; 30-50cm base)

Sweden

Riksgransen (6/6 lifts; 15/21km piste; 45-135cm base)

USA

California
Mammoth (10/25 lifts; 42/89km piste; 170-265cm base)
Palisades Tahoe (11/43 lifts; 114/200km piste; 35-275cm base)

Colorado
Arapahoe Basin (9/9 lifts; 87/105km piste; 60-170cm base)
Breckenridge (5/35 lifts; 66/153km piste; 40-205cm base)
Copper Mountain (5/24 lifts; 27/126km piste; 90-170cm base)
Loveland (7/10 lifts; 86/93km piste; 55-175cm base)
Winter Park (6/25 lifts; 67/143km piste; 150-205cm base)

Maine
Sugarloaf (1/15 lifts; 46/87km piste; 20-50cm base)

Oregon
Mt Bachelor (2/15 lifts; 28/100km piste; 45-220cm base)
Timberline (5/7 lifts; 24/31km piste; 160-405cm base)

Utah
Snowbird (3/14 lifts; 39/103km piste; 45-280cm base)
Solitude (5/9 lifts; 30/64km piste; 50-225cm base)

Vermont
Killington (1/22 lifts; 6/118km piste; 20-50cm base)

Canada

Alberta
Lake Louise (10/11 lifts; 125/139km piste; 95-165cm base)
Marmot Basin (7/7 lifts; 91/91km piste; 95-95cm base)
Sunshine (12/12 lifts; 104/109km piste; 40-160cm base)

British Columbia
Whistler Blackcomb (10/27 lifts; 70/200km piste; 0-220cm base)

Japan

Furano (2/9 lifts; 2/32km piste; 0-15cm base)
Niseko United (4/32 lifts; 6/51km piste; 0-170cm base)

Honshu
Gassan–Nishikawa (3/3 lifts; 10/10km piste; 300-670cm base)
Nozawa Onsen (5/17 lifts; 5/44km piste; 0-95cm base)
Shigakogen (12/48 lifts; 18/83km piste; 0-110cm base)
Zao Onsen (6/35 lifts; 2/50km piste; 0-40cm base)

About the author

Mike Richards

Welsh valleys boy born & bred, Mike now lives between Cardiff and Niseko in Hokkaido, Japan where he's a pro ski instructor. Mike came to skiing later in life at 27, with his first ski season spent as a Chalet Host in Ellmau, Austria in 1993. He's skied every year since, notching up 100+ ski areas across 21 countries and five continents, including his home hill in Brecon Beacons National Park. His personal motto - "If it's snowing, I'm going..."

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