Latest snow report
Updated: 6pm Friday 4 April 2025
Following a relatively cool week (for the time of year) with some fresh snow in places, the weather in the Alps is back in full spring mode again today. It will remain mostly sunny over the next few days too, though it will turn colder again later in the weekend, especially in the eastern Alps.
As to where this leaves snow conditions, many Austrian ski resorts saw significant new snow earlier this week, although the benefits have since been neutralised by the strong spring sun on all but the higher north-facing slopes. By mid-week it was the turn of the south-western Alps (e.g. Sestriere) to see a decent dump, however, as is the norm at this time of year, any serious improvements to snow conditions were again only temporary. That’s not to say that there isn’t still plenty of good skiing on offer across the Alps, it just means that dry powdery snow rarely lasts long in April!
So, with plenty of fine weather expected over the next few days, you need to expect classic spring conditions. This means rock-hard pistes first thing, then a softening of the snow, the speed of which depends on orientation and altitude, with low east- and south-facing slopes turning slushy first, followed by west-facing slopes, then finally those that face north. Depending on the ambient temperature, some high north-facing slopes will stay firm all day long, roughly above about 2500m today and tomorrow, but lowering again later in the weekend, especially in the east.
It should also be noted that snow depths remain largely below average, as they have been all season, with very little if any natural base below about 1300-1500m on north-facing slopes, and below 1800-2200m on sunnier ones.
Across the pond there is plenty of good skiing on offer, notably in parts of Utah where there have been further big dumps this week…
Fabulous snow conditions at altitude in Val d’Isère – 4 April 2025 – Photo: valdisere.com
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