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Snow conditions in the Alps are very mixed. In the far south-western Alps, there is a huge amount of fresh snow, especially in the southern Piemonte where Prato Nevoso and Limone have seen around 1.5-2m in the last few days.
Other south-western areas that have seen significant (albeit not as much) snow in recent days include Sestriere and Alagna in Italy, and Isola 2000 and the Queyras in France. Most other southern alpine ski resorts also saw a bit of snow on Wednesday night and on Thursday, but not in ‘game-changing’ quantities, with just a few centimetres in the Dolomites, for example.
The rest of the Alps (i.e. the northern half of the Alps) have seen very little, if any, snow for several weeks now and have universally below average snow depths for late December.
You can still find lots of good piste-skiing in the northern Alps, especially at altitude, but many lower areas are looking patchy, worn or threadbare, not helped by the sharp increase in skier traffic over the festive period.
For those wondering when the northern Alps will next see any significant snow, there is some hope that storms may come down from the north around or early in the New Year, though it currently remains uncertain as to just how much snow can be expected.
Across the pond, the western Canadian ski resorts are in much better shape than most US areas. …
Austria currently has universally below average snow depths for late December, with an obvious lack of snow in many low ski areas.
Some fresh snow has fallen across the far south of Austria in the last couple of days, which helped freshen things up in Nassfeld (10/65cm) but, further north, it has been bone dry in Lech (35/80cm) and Ischgl (20/50cm). Both are still offering decent pistes, as are lower ski areas such as the Ski Welt (32/52cm), however, thanks in part to their superb snow making.
Some fresh snow is possible in Austria early in the New year, however the weather models are not yet in complete agreement about this.
Relatively modest snow cover but sunny skies today in Lech in the Austrian Vorarlberg – 26 December 2025 – Photo: lechzuers.com
The best snow conditions in the French Alps are currently in the far south and close to the Italian border where Isola 2000 (75/110cm) is skiing superbly right now.
Further north, high ski resorts such as Val d’Isère (45/85cm) which also benefited from a few centimetres of snow coming over the Italian border, are also in good shape. However, lower northern French ski resorts haven’t seen any meaningful new snow for about a month, leaving the likes of Les Gets (10/60cm) skiable but a bit patchy and scratchy lower down.
Nearby Avoriaz (80/145cm) has better cover but is inevitably crowded.
Fabulous snow conditions and improving weather in the southern French ski resort of Isola 2000 – 26 December 2025 – Photo: isola2000.com
Snow conditions are sensational in the far south-west of Italy, with settled snow depths of 140/200cm in Prato Nevoso which will be skiing as well as anywhere in the Alps once skies clear later today.
Elsewhere in the Italian Alps, a little new snow has helped freshen things up, with some good piste-skiing in both Alagna (30/60cm) and Arabba (20/40cm), despite the modest snow depths.
No new snow is expected in the Italian Alps until after New Year at the earliest.
Deep snow cover in Limone Piemonte in the south-western Italian Alps following days of snow – 26 December 2025 – Photo: riservabianca.it/info
Some far southern Swiss ski resorts have seen a few centimetres of snow in recent days which has temporarily freshened up the slopes in Saas-Fee (15/165cm), however, most Swiss resorts haven’t seen any significant snow for some weeks now.
You can still find some good piste-skiing at altitude in resorts like Verbier (15/120cm) and Wengen (15/40cm), however, lower regions are a bit threadbare, and more snow would be welcome.
Fresh snow could arrive early in the New Year although this is still uncertain.
Plenty of snow high up in Engelberg in the northern Swiss Alps, but patchier cover lower down – 26 December 2025 – Photo: engelberg.ch
Fresh snow has improved conditions in the Pyrenees, with great piste-skiing reported in both Andorra’s Grandvalira (60/80cm) and Spain’s Baqueira Beret (50/80cm).
Snow depths are generally modest across Scandinavia, meaning that many resorts are not yet operating at full capacity. That said, there is still some good piste-skiing on offer in Norway’s Hemsedal (32/37cm) and Sweden’s Åre (26/39cm).
There is no serious skiing available in Scotland right now, with just a few beginner’s areas open on a mix of natural, man-made and harvested snow.
Good piste skiing in the Grandvalira in Andorra – 26 December 2025 – Photo: grandvalira.com
In the western US, California has seen huge snowfalls this week, especially in Mammoth where 140cm has fallen in the last few days and the settled upper base is now 160cm deep.
Many other major US ski areas are still short of snow, however. Colorado’s Breckenridge has base depths of just 50cm, while Snowbird has just 70cm, both of which having had one of their leanest Christmas periods for many years.
Huge snowfalls this week in Mammoth, California – 26 December 2025 – Photo: facebook.com/MammothMountain
In western Canada, snow conditions have improved significantly in Whistler over the last week thanks to major snowfalls which have increased the mid-mountain base depths to 160cm.
Further inland, the Banff-Lake Louise areas (175cm upper base) continue their dream start to the season, with around 75cm of snow in the last week adding to the already impressive early base.
Our next full snow report will be on
Thursday 1 January 2026
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