The Spanish ski area of Masella has opened for the 2018 ski season, it's earliest ever opening date. thanks to heavy snowfall in the final days of October in the Pyrenees. The previous opening was more than a week later on November 8th.
The area has opened 10 runs ranging from green to black grade in the Tosa sector served by two lifts. Day passes are 29 Euros for adults, 20 euros for children.
Heavy snowfall was also reported in Andorra and the French Pyrenees where the season usually starts in late November, however at least one French ski area, Porte Puymorens, has announced plans to now open on November 17th in two weeks' time, the same day as Chamonix and Val Thorens.
Snowfall was widespread across Spanish and Portuguese mountains, as well as the Pyrenees, with the region's highest ski area, and mainland Europe's most southerly ski area, Sierra Nevada on the Mediterranean coast, also reporting more than 30cm of snowfall.
In Portugal the country's only ski area, Serra da Estrela, opened on Thursday after heavy snow there too.