Powder alarms for 20cm or more of snow in the last 24 hours have been issued by already-open ski areas across the Alps this morning after up to 50cm of snow fell so far, with the snow still falling at some areas. Courchevel is pictured above, Montgenevre below.
Unusually the drop in temperatures and arrival of the snow was felt right across Europe from Sierra Nevada down near the Med on Spain's southern coast to ski areas up in Norway where Hemsedal has reported 25cm of fresh snow so far.
In between the Dolomites and Pyrenees were also dumped on and roads were closed near Glenshee and The Lecht in the Scottish Highlands due to drifting snow.
Of the ski areas already open Tignes posted the biggest 24 hour snowfall total with 40cm so far, Cervinia and Zermatt say they've had 20cm.
The snowfall is expected to continue at many areas for the next 24 hours and in some places in to next week.