Mont Blanc, seen from La Plagne this week
Heavy snow has transformed conditions across major ski regions, with big falls in the Alps, Pyrenees, Japan, and Scotland boosting long-term prospects despite short-term avalanche risk, while conditions improve elsewhere in Europe and North America.
The Snow Headlines - January 15th
- Biggest snowfalls of the season in the Alps - up to 165cm in 72 hours reported.
- Avalanche danger jumps to Level 4/High after huge snowfalls in the Alps.
- Big snowfalls in the Pyrenees - up to 90cm reported.
- Scottish ski areas have most slopes open for several years after snowy start to 2025.
- Japan's Nozawa Onsen posts 1m of snowfall in 48 hours to Monday morning.
Snow in the forecast.
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World Overview
There's excitement and relief in the Alps after a big snowfall over the end of last week transformed conditions for many resorts. A month of dry weather for much of the region ended dramatically with huge accumulations of up to 165cm in 72 hours reported. There were also strong winds and periods when warm temperatures brought rain to high altitudes in the mix, though, so the suddenly boosted snowpack is rather unstable with high avalanche danger in the short term. In the long term, it's clearly good news for base building for the remainder of the season.
Elsewhere, the Pyrenees saw good snowfalls too and Scottish ski areas have been enjoying some of their best conditions in years. It's an improving picture in Scandinavia, although some very cold temperatures have been reported, and Bulgaria got some snowfall too, much needed after a poor start to the season there.
Much of North America has had a drier week, but the snows are coming in Western Canada, and things are looking much better on the West Coast and in the northern half of the US Rockies, although resorts in Colorado are still struggling.
Europe
Austria
Austrian ski areas saw a good amount of fresh snow through the weekend, if not the excesses reported further west. But base depths have jumped across the country, and resorts are mostly now describing their conditions as "powder".
The Skiwelt continues to post the most terrain open, and the Pitztal glacier has the country's deepest snow at 175cm up top.
Temperatures are around the -8C to -4C range, and it's been drier and often overcast since the weekend, with just light snow showers. That's the picture for the coming week too.
France
The French ski season has been transformed by the huge snowfalls over the weekend, which saw some resorts receive more snowfall in 48 hours on Friday-Saturday than they'd previously had all season to date. For many in the northern Alps, it was also their first significant snowfall in over a month.
Saint Sorlin d'Arves in The Sybelles region reported the biggest accumulation over 72 hours to Sunday – a remarkable 165cm or 5.5 feet. It was ahead of Chamonix with 120 cm, Les 2 Alpes on 110cm and Les Arcs on a metre. Most other resorts posted 50-90cm totals.
Of course, these fabulous numbers are great news for the remainder of the season and potentially for freeriders, although initially, avalanche danger levels have shot up to High (Level 4), and skiers are being told to stay on piste. It's been warmer and drier since the weekend with the avalanche danger dropping slightly to 'considerable' in some places but remaining High, and dangerous, over a wide area.
The week ahead looks mostly dry with the chance of some snowfall in the southern alps going into the weekend..
Italy
Italy also saw big snowfalls, especially in its northwestern corner close to the French and Swiss borders. La Thuile, linked to La Rosiere on the French side, topped the 72-hour totals table on Sunday with a metre of snowfall reported.
Of course, the Aosta Valley had already been in the sweet spot for storms moving in from the southwest in December, which missed much of the rest of the Alps, so it was a double prize there. Unfortunately, also high avalanche danger, though with a ski tourer dying in one on Saturday, not far from Pila.
It's now only three weeks until the Winter Olympics are due to begin, and most of the venue resorts, including Bormio, Cortina and Livigno, report adequate if not great snow cover, much of it machine-made. Livigno's snow depth is a third of its average at this point, but it did get 15cm of fresh at the end of last week.
The week ahead looks more unsettled that further north with more cloud and snow showers, though mostly expected to be light. Heavier possibly along the French border in Piedmont and the Aosta Valley.
Switzerland
Swiss ski areas, particularly in the middle and western side of the country, reported big snowfalls on Friday/Saturday. Saas-Fee posted the biggest accumulation, getting nearly five feet (1.4 m) in a little over 48 hours. Andermatt was another big winner, posting a 1m total.
It's calmed down since Sunday, with temperatures in the -6 to +3 °C range, mostly dry weather with just the odd snow shower.
Avalanche danger in the Valais and nearby regions was at a "High" Level 4 following all the snowfall but is now at 3, still Considerable, in most areas.
The week ahead looks mostly dry with just a chance of snowfall in the southwest for resorts like Zermatt and Saas-Fee (again).
Scandinavia
Snow depths and open terrain in Scandinavia remain well below average, but it's an improving picture with more snowfall reported this week and more terrain opening too, including Norway's Hemsedal opening the third of its three mountain areas for the first time this season.
Up in Finland, bitterly cold temperatures getting down to the -30s (C) led Levi, the largest ski area in Levi, to close its chair and gondola lifts.
Pyrenees
It wasn't just the Alps that got dumped on at the weekend. The Pyrenees clocked up some big accumulations too, with Spain's Baqueira Beret in particular celebrating a 60cm accumulation at the start of the week in which they host the opening stage of the 2026 Freeride World Tour.
Conditions are reported to currently be the best they've been in several years, with most areas close to fully open and plenty of fresh snow cover.
Scotland
Scottish ski areas are continuing to post their best conditions of several years, at least in the east of the country, where Cairngorm, Glenshee and The Lecht all have top-to-bottom terrain open beyond their usual all-weather snowmaking slopes, thanks to natural snowfall and cold enough temperatures for conventional snowmaking too.
The past week has brought some warmer temperatures and the usual ups and downs of gales, rain, sleet or snowfall impacting day-to-day operations. Glencoe, which in recent seasons has had the most terrain open of any of the four centres still offering snowsports, is hoping to be able to open its own terrain soon beyond its beginner and sledging areas at its base.
Eastern Europe
An improving picture in Bulgaria, which reported 10-20cm of snowfall over the weekend. That took Borovets, which hadn't managed to open until just after Christmas for lack of snow, up to 55% open, although it still only has a 20-30cm base. Bansko is looking better with a metre lying up top.
Further north, things are more like a normal, decent winter at ski areas in Czechia, Slovakia and Poland, with Jasna's slopes now 80% open.
North America
Canada
Conditions have continued to be superb across much of Western Canada, with another 20-50cm of snowfall reported this week. Lake Louise has reported that it has reached 100% open, and Revelstoke has reported that it has passed 7m of snowfall this season to date.
Ski areas on the Pacific Coast of BC that had struggled pre-Christmas now have mostly good snow cover, and Whistler Blackcomb reports its slopes are 90% open.
There has been less snow in the East, and there have been reports of gales shutting slopes at times, but overall, conditions are good too, with most slopes open in Quebec, Ontario and neighbouring provinces.
USA
It continues to be a mixed picture in the US, with a return to predominantly dry weather for the western half of the nation after some good snowfalls last week. Those snowfalls left a much improved picture for states including California and Utah, but a less dramatic improvement for others like Colorado, where world-famous Vail still has less than half its runs open, having had so little snow this season to date.
The East Coast is having a much better season with consistent low temperatures and regular snowfalls, seeing more top-ups over the past few days.