Until now ski areas in The Pyrenees (and resorts in other mountain ranges in Spain and Portugal) have had a difficult first few months of the season with dry, warm, weather dominating.
Spain saw its warmest December on record with the result that snowmaking was limited or impossible and smaller resorts could not open at all in many cases and those that did have had very limited terrain open in most cases.
Thankfully though the bad conditions have ended over the past week with significant snowfalls and several centres seeing more than half-a-metre snow totals overt the last seven days. Consistent cold temperatures have also allowed snowmaking systems to fire up and run at maximum capacity.
Smaller centres have therefore now started their seasons including Portugal's sole area, Serra da Estrela.
Spain's largest area Baqueira Beret has managed keep the largest amount of terrain open in the Pyrenees through the tough weeks, about 60% of its runs, but is now up to almost 90% with 145km of runs open for this weekend. It is also the first to report snow lying more than a metre deep, 1.5m (five feet) deep up high in fact.
The region's biggest area, Andorra's GrandValira, which includes Soldeu El Tarter, Pas de la Casa and others, has struggled with only about 40% of its slopes open and links between sectors only possible by lift in some cases with slopes closed, but it too is now up to 60% open, about 125km of slopes.
On the French side it has been a mixed picture all winter to date with some areas 100% open over New Year and others completely closed. It has seen some of the biggest snowfalls this week though. The Font-Romeu and Pyrénées 2000 area is 65% open with a 1.2 metre base, La Mongie/Barèges have been the only one reporting their 100km of slopes 100% open since Christmas.
