A major snowstorm has so far deposited up to 80cm of snow on ski slopes in the Alps and more snow is expected to fall all this week.
About 25 ski areas already open in the Alps have very deep snow to clear from lifts and access roads this morning. For example at the Kitsteinorn glacier pictured above.
Austrian glaciers have posted the biggest 24hour snowfall totals so far with 80cm at Hintertux and 60cm at Pitztal, but there have also been big snowfalls in Switzerland (50cm at Glacier 3000 near Gstaad, 25cm at Zermatt), Italy (50cm at yet to open Livigno) and France.
The snowfall is down to 1000 metres above sea level and is expected to continue all week at some areas.
Ski areas in the Pyrenees, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe have also been reporting heavy snow and Scottish slopes also got their first white coat of the autumn over the weekend.
There's been more snow in Western North America too with Lake Louise now saying it will open two days earlier than planned, this Wednesday 8th November.