Four Swiss ski areas have announced in the past few days that they plan to open for their 21-22 ski seasons this coming weekend.
Davos, Glacier 3000, Laax and Murren have all announced opening plans this weekend joining the five centres that are already open in the country – Andermatt, Engelberg, Sass Fee, St Moritz (the Diavolezza glacier) and Zermatt …some only at weekends until the main season.
Having nine centres open will place Switzerland equal with Austria for the number of resorts already open.
Laax was one of several centres that planned to open last weekend but decided to postpone due to warm, dry weather in the final weeks of October. However fresh snowfall across the Alps, with up to 50cm (20") reported at altitude, has transformed conditions in the past few days.
It's possible other Swiss areas may still announce opening this weekend although one of the candidates, Arosa, appears to have ruled out doing so.
Glacier 3000 near Gstaad opened six-weeks early in late September last autumn but this autumn has not been so snowy so far.