A major storm has brought up to a foot (30cm) of fresh snowfall to Western North America, in some cases more than was forecast.
Although it was Colorado where the 22-23 ski season kicked off on Sunday, heavier snowfall was reported further north in Utah, Wyoming and Montana and over the Canadian border in BC and Alberta, the province where Canada's season will most likely begin in just over a week's time at Lake Louise.
The snowfall was widespread, with West Coast ski centres in California's Sierra Nevada where a couple of inches of snowfall were reported, the first of the autumn/fall.
The storm, which also brought strong winds, with gusts of upto 90mph reported, at times, followed a week when the Western US had had a heatwave with temperatures upto 15 degrees above the average for the time of year, with temperatures dropping back tens of degrees to the 40s Fahrenheit and colder in the mountains.
Among the big winners was Alta in Utah which reported 25 inches (62cm) of snowfall, a little more than the average for all of October there. Nearby solitude was another big winner. Big Sky in Montana (pictured top yesterday) reported 17 inches (42cm) of snowfall on Sunday and then the same total as Alta, 25", by yesterday evening.
Many resorts in inland BC and Alberta posted images of a healthy snow covering too.
Colorado got some snowfall but not so much as further north. Along with Arapahoe Basin, Keystone and Loveland have been snowmaking through October and hope to open soon.