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Snow conditions in the Alps are a bit mixed right now, but are generally OK, especially at altitude and if you are happy to stay on-piste. However, with no significant widespread snow having fallen for a while now, the snow is a bit icy in places, and a little soft and spring-like in others, at least in lower areas more exposed to the sun. However, given the incredible weather this week, with almost wall-to-wall sunshine across the Alps, most skiers will probably not have been that concerned.

The weather is on the change though, and not in a particularly great way. Over the next few days, a more unstable southerly airflow will prevail across the Alps, bringing lots of cloud but not much in the way of new snow.

Areas most likely to be plagued by cloud are along the French-Italian border, especially in southern areas like the Milky Way, the Queyras, Prato Nevoso and Isola 2000. Cloud will also plague the south-western Swiss and Italian border, affecting resorts like Zermatt, Saas-Fee, Cervinia and the Monte Rosa region. These areas are probably not going to see much sun over the next few days and, aside from in the far south-west (Limone, Prato Nevoso), this will only be compensated by a few light flurries.

The further north and east you are in the Alps over the next few days, the better the chance of seeing some sun, with the northern and eastern Austrian Alps (e.g. Schladming) best placed for maximum brightness.

Across the pond, Californian resorts are seeing some of the freshest snow…

There has been lots of very enjoyable skiing on offer this week in Austria, thanks in no small part to the fabulous weather. This has perhaps disguised some weaknesses lower down, where natural snow cover is a bit patchy in places.

There is still some good piste-skiing on offer in the likes of Zell-am-See (5/80cm) and Kitzbühel (5/80cm) but for the most consistent snow quality you need to head to higher resorts, like Obertauern (100/150cm) and Obergurgl (45/115cm).

High French resorts have a healthy snowpack, which is generally close to or even above average in the likes of Tignes (140/210cm) and Flaine (60/300cm) where snow conditions are good in all but the lowest outlying areas.

Lower resorts like Les Gets (25/130cm) and Megève (25/185cm) have also been able to offer some very good piste-skiing this week (helped by the great weather) but with increasingly variable snow quality lower down.

With the exception of a few isolated areas close to the southern French-Italian border, no significant new snowfall is expected over the next few days. 

There is still plenty of good piste-skiing on offer across the Italian Alps despite generally unremarkable snow depths. High-altitude Livigno 65/75cm) is offering very consistent snow quality right now, while further west, La Thuile (40/220cm) is another area that is in good shape.

For the best of the fresh though you need to head to the far southern Piedmonte, to resorts like Prato Nevoso (40/50cm), which is the one region where significant snow is forecast over the coming days. 

On the whole, snow conditions have been pretty good in the Swiss Alps this week, helped by the fabulous weather.

For the most consistent snow quality you still need to aim high, with excellent piste conditions reported in both Arosa (90/100cm) and Zermatt (40/150cm). However, just like everywhere else in the Alps, quality is more variable on lower slopes, especially those with a sunnier aspect, like those in Villars (20/140cm).

Expect lots of cloud across the southern Swiss Alps over the next few days, especially on the Italian border (e.g. Zermatt) but not much fresh snow. The brightest weather will be along the northern edge of the Alps (e.g. Engelberg). 

There is plenty of good skiing on offer in the Pyrenees right now, especially in the higher resorts of the northern Pyrenees like La Mongie (70/80cm) which had a significant snowfall earlier this week.

Good piste-skiing is also possible across most of Scandinavia despite the relatively modest base depths. Norway’s Trysil has a perfectly respectable 50/65cm depending on altitude, with lots of fine but cold weather forecast next week. 

In Scotland, mild and wet weather earlier this week led to a rapid thaw, with only Glencoe currently able to offer any natural skiing. 

In the US, temperatures have been mild with little in the way of new snow across Colorado this week, with just a dusting in Keystone where the 97cm mid-mountain base is close to what you would expect for this time of year.

Unusually warm temperatures have also affected Utah, although cold front is set to bring a moderate fall of snow to Snowbird (173cm mid-mountain base), adding to the dump it saw earlier this week. California’s Mammoth has also seen welcome new snow, and now has an upper mountain base of around 215cm. 

In Canada, with no new snow in the last week snow depths in Whistler (186cm mid-mountain base) have fallen to below average after what had been a strong start to the season. There is still plenty of good piste-skiing on offer though, and the weather is set to be bright albeit very cold over the next few days.

Further inland, where Lake Louise (109cm upper base) is skiing well thanks to new snow earlier in the week, it will be even colder over the next few days, dropping to -20˚C at times.

Our next full snow report will be on
Friday 14 February 2025