You want snow? We’ve got snow…

In fact, since our last snow report it’s been snowing almost everywhere.

There’s been a big polar storm in New Zealand…

 

Which has brought the best early-season conditions for years…

 

And a few headaches, too…

As anyone who saw our snow report update on Monday will know, the winter storm that lashed the South Island at the end of last week was one of the biggest for years. The resorts on the eastern edge of the mountains got the most snow – but all the same, there’s a deep mantle of snow almost everywhere. Mount Hutt currently has up to 340cm of settled snow across its slopes, and Treble Cone over two metres in the vaunted off-piste terrain of Saddle Basin.

Here’s the opening-day video from Treble Cone. “The best opening day I’ve seen…ever!” was one comment.

 

In Chile, there’s been heavy snow, too…

 

With more to come this week.

After promising pre-season snowfalls in May, skiers were dreaming of a cracking start to the ski season in the Andes. Now – at last – they’ve got it. There was snowfall in several Chilean resorts at the weekend, although the goods were not evenly distributed. Portillo’s snow report reckoned on 60cm of the white suff at the weekend, while Valle Nevado, further south, reported 20cm. What’s even more exciting is the prospect of the storm that’s coming over the next two days, which looks much more powerful…

In Australia, half a metre of snow has saved the start of the season.

The season is picking up in Australia too – although not as spectacularly as in NZ or the Andes. Perisher, in the Snowy Mountains, has seen 45cm of snow in the last seven days, and reports a settled snow depth of 30cm, with 20 out 47 lifts running. That’s a big improvement on its opening day, when it was offering scenic chairlift rides to visitors.

 

In the Alps, it’s still snowing

 

And it’s not over yet…

 

Which is great news if you want to ski on a glacier.

 
It must be tough trying to sell summer holidays in the Alps right now. Wave after wave of snowy weather has marked the late spring and early summer – most memorably at the end of May. The latest falls came on Sunday and Monday, and were heaviest around Innsbruck. Up on the Hintertux Glacier they had 40cm of new snow, which played havoc with the training schedules of the ski teams currently based there. Still, at least it means the cover will stay better for longer: in fact, we could be in for the best summer skiing season in the Alps since 2007.

So: where’s the best snow right now?

This week, no question, the South Island of New Zealand has been the place to ski. But the forecast suggests the weather is going to warm up over the weekend, and the winds strengthen. Snow is likely to fall at altitude on the Queenstown/Wanaka resorts, but there could be some rain lower down.

Meanwhile, in South America, all eyes are on the Andes where the next storm is moving in. If it delivers, then we could see the first big powder day of the season in places like Portillo and Valle Nevado.

 

	France: the summer skiing season is in full swing on the Pisaillas glacier above Val d’Isere, as it is in Tignes and Les Deux Alpes.
	Switzerland: You can still ski on the glacier above Zermatt, and links over to Cervinia are now open too. Saas Fee’s glacier will be open from July 27.
	Austria: Austria has now flipped to summer-skiing with all resorts now closed apart from the glaciers. These include the Hintertux, the Stubai glacier. The Kitzsteinhorn glacier is currently closed but will reopen on June 28.
	Italy: access to high-altitude skiing above Cervinia is now possible.
	Andorra: Andorra’s ski resorts are now closed for the summer.
	Western USA: all the mainstream ski resorts are now closed, but you can still make turns at Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood in Oregon.
	Western Canada:  The ski season is now done and dusted in Canada – although the glacier on Blackcomb mountain, above Whistler is open until July 28 for summer skiing. Check out our guide to the best resorts for summer skiing for more information.