The weekend has seen significant snowfall in much of the Alps as well as the Pyrenees and the Dolomites.
The snow in the latter range of mountains is perhaps most worthy of reporting on as whilst the Alps and the Pyrenees got significant January snowfalls after the (mostly) dry December, the Dolomites (largely) missed out and skiers saw generally green and brown hillsides on each side of their groomed slopes. This was thanks to the region's massive snowmaking arsenal which successfully kept around 90% of slopes open despite the lack of natural snowfall.
However that scenario has all changed over the weekend with substantial snowfalls. Alta Badia (above), which had been reporting a 10cm base for most of the past two months got 30cm of snowfall and Arraba reported 32cm in the past 24 hours alone. For Cortina there was 30cm in the past 24 hours.
Snowy weather is expected to continue in the Dolomites for the week ahead and longer term forecasts are currently for snow next week too, although that might change.
It's the second season in a row that there was little snow in the Dolomites until February, last season it was almost March. It appears to be a case of feast or famine as it is only a few seasons since Arabba was cut off for several days by huge snowfalls which also brought down power lines leading to a minor local state of emergency being declared.
Elsewhere ski areas in the Pyrenees and the Alps have now reported up to 60cm/2 feet of new snow in the past few days and again more snow is forecast. Scotland has also had some snow and temperatures and expected to stay low, there has even been some avalanche dangers with climbed caught in slides, but there is not yet enough snow on the ski slopes for any of the centres to start operating their ski lifts.