WeLove2Ski Snow Report

In today’s report we catch up on conditions across Europe, North America and Asia the first half of this week, with big snowfall on the Austrian Glaciers, the Pyrenees, and across Japan.

Andorra and the French & Spanish Pyrenees resorts got dumped on with over 1m of new snowfall. It won’t be long before they’re all up and running.

Japan continued to see heavy snowfall and the first powder turns of the season.

Whamageddon. Are you playing? Read on to discover how Wham filmed the video for ‘Last Christmas’ in Saas Fee, 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

In the Alps it’s been a mix of sunshine and new snowfall with low temperatures and freezing levels dropping to around 1,500m.

Stubai Glacier Snow Report, Austria

It was DEEEEEEEP skiing the Stubai Glacier in the Austrian Tirol on Monday.

Lech & Zurs Snow Report, Austria

Frank from Dutch ski mag www.op-wintersport.nl sent us these shots of Lech and Zurs in the Arlberg, Austria.

10-15cm of new snow in Lech on Monday.

Sunny skies in Zurs yesterday.

Les Crosets Snow Report, Switzerland

Dave Burrows from SnowPros sent us this shot of Les Crosets in the Portes du Soleil.

Click here to book lessons with Dave and his team

Val D’Isere Snow Report, France

Ken Smith from Progression Ski reports sunshine and powder from Val D’Isere.

Click here to book lessons with Ken and his team

Avoriaz, France

Cutting the cake in Avoriaz, France.

Gressoney Snow Report, Italy

It’s a dog’s life in Gressoney village, Italy.

Val d’Aran Snow Report, Spain

Photographer Txema Trull cuaght the magic of a deep day in Spain’s Val d’Aran backcountry prior to the opening of the resorts in the area.

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

Niseko United Snow Report, Hokkaido, Japan

Furano Snow Report, Hokkaido, Japan

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Where To Ski

The largest connected ski area in the world – Les Trois Vallees / The Three Valleys in the Tarentaise, France – became the Number 1 spot in the World for open terrain this week with a whopping 274km of piste on offer (70/157 lifts; 274/600km piste; 85-130cm base). This only represents just under half of what’s available across the ski area, so there’s much more to come.

A Tour of the World’s BIGGEST Ski Resort (Les 3 Vallées, France)

Ischgl, Austria (34/46 lifts; 173/239km piste; 20-50cm base); Val Gardena, Italy (71/79 lifts; 170/181km piste; 50-50cm base); Zermatt-Matterhorn, Switzerland/Italy (34/51 lifts; 153/322km piste; 15-150cm base); and Vail, Colorado, USA (19/34 lifts; 142/234km piste; 50-90cm base) round out the Top 5.

The Alps

The Eastern Austrian resorts of Bad Kleinkirchheim (7/24 lifts; 25/103km piste; 10-30cm base) and Nassfeld (12/29 lifts; 24/110km piste; 5-50cm base) in the province of Carinthia have joined the party taking the total number of Austrian ski areas to 84 – the most in the world – with 22 ski areas offering 30km or more of pisted terrain.

After heavy snowfall last weekend and through the first half of this week, Saint-Lary-Soulan (10/24 lifts; 31/105km piste; 60-80cm base) and Font-Romeu/​Bolquère Pyrénées 2000 (8/22 lifts; 27/58km piste; 60-80cm base) in the French Pyrenees are the latest French resort to open for the Winter taking the French total open for daily operations to 14.

Italy has 56 ski areas open with Abetone in Tuscany (1/44 lifts; 1/17km piste; 25-30cm base) the most southerly addition to the roster.

Zermatt continues to offer the most terrain available in Switzerland (34/51 lifts; 153/322km piste; 15-150cm base), one of 29 resorts open in the country.

Oberstdorf (5/7 lifts; 6/14km piste; 45-65cm base) has the most terrain available in Germany which has just six resorts open for daily operations.

Heavy snowfall last weekend and through the first half of this week has allowed all three of Andorra’s ski areas – Pal/Arinsal, Grandvalira, and Ordino Arcalis – to open for the Winter, just in time for the holidays.

Eastern Europe

Recent snowfall and temperatures cold enough for artificial snow making has allowed the following resorts to offer limited piste skiing, the exception being Bansko, Bulgaria which has 58km of pisted terrain open :

Bosnia and Herzegovina : Jahorina

Bulgaria : Bansko, Pamporovo

Czechia : Cerna hora–Janske Lazne, Keilberg, Pec pod Snezkou, Spindleruv Mlyn

Georgia : Bakuriani

Liechtenstein : Malbun

Poland : Bialka Tatrzanska, Jaworzyna Krynicka, Zieleniec

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

Serbia : Kopaonik

Slovakia : Donovaly, Jasna, Rohace–Spalena, Strbske Pleso, Telgart

Slovenia : Golte, Kope, Kranjska Gora, Krvavec, Maribor, Rogla

Scotland : Glencoe

Spain : La Molina/​Masella – Alp2500

Turkey : 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 and Tarnaby to offer good but limited skiing.

Are, Sweden

Norway is now up to 11 resorts open for limited piste skiing with Hemsedal offering the most terrain (7/21 lifts; 7/44km piste; 20-30cm 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 Castle Mountain leading the way (5/6 lifts; 77/94km piste; 50-80cm base).

Whistler Blackcomb leads the British Columbia resorts for available terrain (18/27 lifts; 118/200km piste; 0-90cm base) with more terrain opening at the 11 open resorts by the day.

Thanks to recent snowfall and much colder temperatires 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 remains third in the world for open resorts behind Austria (84) and Italy (56), with 53 resorts the length and breadth of the country up and running this Winter.

ALASKA : Alyeska
ARIZONA : Arizona Snowbowl
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, Tamarack
MAINE : Sugarloaf, Sunday River
MONTANA : Big Sky, Whitefish
OREGON : Mt Bachelor, Mt Hood, Timberline
NEVADA : Mt Rose
NEW HAMPSHIRE : Attitash, Loon, Wildcat Mountain
NEW MEXICO : Taos
NEW YORK : Belleayre, Whiteface-Lake Placid
UTAH : Alta, Brian Head, Brighton, Park City, Powder Mountain, Snowbird, Solitude
VERMONT : Killington, Okemo, Smugglers’ Notch, Stowe
WEST VIRGINIA : Snowshoe Mountain
WYOMING : Grand Targhee, Jackson Hole
WASHINGTON : Crystal Mountain, Mount Baker

Asia

Japan

The Hakuba Valley Resorts of Tsugaike, Happo-One, and Goryu, along with Nozawa Onsen, and Shigakogen are the five Japanese resorts on the main island of Honshu open for Winter operations.

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

Snow News

Whamageddon!

Are you playing? If so, don’t click on the video link!!!

To mark the 40th Anniversary of Wham’s iconic hit song ‘Last Christmas’, the BBC is airing a special documentary to commemorate the filming of the video in the Swiss ski resort of Saas Fee.

Wham!: Last Christmas Unwrapped will air this Saturday 14 December on BBC2 at 20:35 GMT and will also be available on BBC iPlayer

Click to go behind the scenes with Shirlie Kemp in Saas Fee

Read more here
https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2024/bbc-two-and-bbc-music-present-wham-last-christmas-unwrapped

World Snow Forecast For the Next 3-4 Days

After snowfall across most of the Alps, the Pyrenees, and Eastern Europe the first half of this week we’ll see a mix of below freezing temperatures, sunshine, and light snow flurries through to next Monday.

Georgia will see a storm coming in off the Black Sea with Bakuriani set to receive 25-35cm of new snowfall. Goderdzi could see up to 1m.

The Nordic Countries will see a significant drop in temperature with a storm system moving into Norway and Sweden bringing 25-35cm of new snowfall.

The Alberta and British Columbia resorts of Canada will see cloudy skies and cold temperatures with light snow flurries. Whistler Blackcomb is forecast to receive 65-75cm above mid-mountain.

Temperatures have dropped on the East Coast with Tremblant and Sommet Saint-Sauveur expecting 5-10cm of snow through Monday.

Most of the western US resorts will see continued low temperatures, sunshine and light snow flurries.

The West Coast resorts of Washington and California will see a storm system moving in today with 25-35cm forecast. Mount Baker, Washington could see 75-85cm.

On the East Coast, sunshine and cold temperatures will return across the region.

The resorts on Japan’s main island of Honshu will see continued snowfall through Monday with 10-20cm forecast. The Hakuba Valley resorts could see 50-60cm.

The Hokkaido resorts will see a storm system moving in from today with 50-60cm forecast.

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