Early totals published so far on snow report websites appear to indicate that the weekend's snowfall fell short of the most optimistic 'snowmageddon' predictions of 1.5/5 feet accumulations at resorts like Tignes and Val Thorens but has, none-the-less, deposited significant volumes across the Alps and further afield.
Perhaps more important that the volumes is that colder weather ended the 'Indian Summer' conditions that had prevailed through November up to last Friday. It now looks like being the norm for at least the next week allowing for snowmaking systems to follow up on the natural snowfall. Smaller snowfalls are also forecast in many area over the coming week.
Val Thorens is currently reporting temperatures at the top of its slopes of -20C with an expected daily high of -8C
Of the reports that are in, Tignes (pictured above) has reported the biggest snowfalls with 70cm over the past three days – about half what was forecast put over two foot of snow none-the-less.
It reported clear skies yesterday afternoon but said it was still too windy to open, winds had hit 100mph on Saturday.
For a good geographic spread, Austria's Kauntertal glacier has reported the second largest accumulation so far with 60cm of fresh snow in the same period and down in the Pyrenees, where there was also significant snowfall, Baqueira Beeret says it received up to 50cm of new snow on its upper slopes.
Elsewhere totals were nearer to the 30cm/1 foot mark at resorts like Avoriaz, Davos, Engelberg and Solden.
Val Thorens, if early measures are correct, did not get the large volumes forecast with only 35cm so far, but there are no official figures on its website. It is forecasting low temperatures and more fresh snow through the week so is looking good for its revised opening date next Saturday 28 November.
