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Snow conditions in the Alps remain mixed. Of the main Alpine countries, the best conditions overall are in France, where there is decent snow cover at most levels (both in the northern and the southern French Alps) and no really obvious weakness, even if snow depths remain modest at lower altitudes.
Many western Italian ski resorts are also in pretty good shape, including Cervinia, La Thuile, Sestriere and especially in the far south-west (Limone Piemonte, Prato Nevoso) where they have loads of snow – as we have been banging on about all season! Further east, snow levels are much less impressive though, with currently very little natural snow in the Dolomites, although (as we always like to make clear) resorts here can still offer a lot of good piste skiing thanks to their world-class snow-making.
Snow cover in Switzerland is also below par: extremely so in the south-east (e.g. Engadin), but a little bit closer to normal (but still considerably below) in the west (e.g. Verbier). So, more snow would be very welcome across all Swiss resorts to freshen up the generally hard-packed pistes.
It’s a similar story in Austria, where there is plenty of good piste skiing around albeit with mostly hard-packed pistes, especially in some central and southern areas (e.g. the Osttirol) where there has been very little snow all season.
Fresh snow is on its way to most parts of the Alps, but for now it’s still a bit hit and miss in terms of where the heaviest falls will be, currently looking most likely to be the southern and western Alps.
The weather will remain unsettled with the prospect of some heavier and more widespread snowfalls, but the set-up remains complicated and details are hard to pin down at this stage.
The Pyrenees deserve a special mention again, as they are enjoying their best season in many years!
Across the pond, Colorado ski resorts continue to struggle though...
Snow depths in Austria are below where they should be for late January but there is still plenty of good piste skiing on offer thanks to the recent cold weather and good snowmaking.
Runs are hard-packed and a bit icy in places in lower-lying resorts like Söll in the Ski Welt (60/90cm), though most of its runs are open.
For the best overall snow conditions, you need to be in the higher resorts of the west like Lech (60/145cm), where a bit more snow is forecast this weekend.
Good piste skiing in the Austrian Tirol despite modest snow depths. This is St Johann in Tirol – Photo: foto-webcam.eu
Of the main Alpine countries, it is the French ski resorts that have the best overall snow conditions, with good cover in both the north and south, even in many of the lower resorts. Les Gets (25/100cm), for example, is skiing better than it has done at this time of year for a few years, and has more snow in the forecast, especially later next week.
Further south, Serre Chevalier (40/100cm) is also in decent shape, however, the very best conditions are in the higher resorts of the Tarentaise such as Tignes (87/160cm).
Snow showers are returning to the southern French Alps today. This is Auron – 22 January 2026 –Photo: auron.com
Snow conditions and depths in Italy vary considerably from region to region.
The Dolomites are very short of natural snow right now but, as ever, can still offer good pistes thanks to their world-class snowmaking. Selva has base depths of 20/50cm on a mix of natural and artificial snow.
Further west, there is more natural snow in Cervinia (70/140cm), which is skiing as well as most but, for the best of the fresh, the smaller resorts of the southern Piemonte like Prato Nevoso (120/180cm) are still where it’s at!
Impressive snow depths in the southern Piemonte with more snow in the forecast. This is Prato Nevoso – 22 January 2026 – Photo: pratonevoso.com
Snow depths are below average across Switzerland but there is still lots of good skiing on offer. The best snow conditions are generally in the higher resorts of the west, like Verbier (45/180cm) and Saas-Fee (30/90cm).
There is generally less snow further east, and especially south-east, with very meagre snow depths right now in St Moritz (15/55cm) though, even here, enjoyable piste skiing is available.
Meagre snow cover in evidence lower down in the Swiss Alps. This is Engelberg – 22 January 2026 – Photo: titlis.ch
The resorts of the Pyrenees have bountiful snow right now, and plenty more in the forecast. Spain’s Formigal (110/210cm) is skiing superbly right now, with lots more snow to come over the next few days. Over in France, Cauterets (70/170cm) is also in great shape and can expect at least another 60cm of snow by early next week.
There won’t be much new snow in Scandinavia over the next few days, but it will turn very cold with temperatures often below -10˚C. The most extensive skiing in Scandinavia right now is in Sweden’s Åre (40/60cm) and Norway’s Trysil (35/75cm), both of which are offering excellent piste skiing.
Milder weather has greatly reduced the skiing available in Scotland this week, but more snow is on its way, with the heaviest falls forecast in Glenshee, which could see 70cm+ of fresh at altitude by the weekend. Glencoe (10/30cm) currently has the most terrain open, but the situation across all Scottish ski areas is very volatile.
Lots of snow in the Pyrenees right now, even at quite low altitudes. This is Formiguères – 22 January 2026 – Photo: snoweye.com
Colorado’s problems continue, with very meagre snow depths across much of the state including in Breckenridge (55cm mid-mountain). Some snow is expected here and in other parts of Colorado over the weekend, but not nearly enough to radically change the situation.
The picture is somewhat better in California thanks to big early January snowfalls with an on-par 240cm base up top in Mammoth.
The Banff/Lake Louise area (110/175cm) continues to offer some fabulous skiing thanks to its record-breaking start to the season. It hasn’t snowed for some time now though and no new snow is likely for at least a week.
It will also remain dry over the next few days in Whistler, where the mid-mountain base is 178cm – about what you would expect at this stage of the season.
Good weather and great skiing in Sunshine Village – 22 January 2026 – Photo: facebook.com/sunshinevillageresort
Our next full snow report will be on
Thursday 29 January 2026
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