Mammoth Mountain, California, just opened... and seem quite happy about it...
The Northern Hemisphere ski season is gaining momentum with major resort openings, while Chile's Valle Nevado extends its exceptional season into December.
The Snow Headlines - November 5th
- Breckenridge, Gstaad, Kitzbühel, Mammoth and Verbier among big names starting their seasons.
- US set to overtake Austria and Switzerland to post most areas open this weekend.
- Number of areas already open in Northern Hemisphere passes 30 mark.
- More centres open ski runs in Japan thanks to all-weather snowmaking.
- Canada's season underway with Lake Louise first to open.
- Chile's Valle Nevado extends 26-27 season to start of December/summertime.
Snow in the forecast this weekend for Europe, Japan and North America (again!).
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World Overview
There are increasing signs that the much-discussed Super El Niño is beginning to influence weather patterns across the Northern Hemisphere. In North America, where impacts are typically felt first, storms have already delivered significant early-season snowfall to higher elevations in the southern mountains, although heavy rainfall has also caused flooding in some lower valleys.
Elsewhere, changing ocean and atmospheric patterns are being linked to colder-than-average conditions across parts of Europe and Japan, with cool air pushing further south than usual despite generally limited snowfall so far.
The Northern Hemisphere ski season is also gathering momentum. After Arapahoe Basin last week, several more US resorts opened over the weekend, with more due to follow this week including big names Breckenridge, Copper and Mammoth. Canada's 2026-27 season has begun too, with Lake Louise opening first. Europe still leads for open resorts, with around two dozen operating, most on glaciers, although snow-farming continues to play an increasingly important role at lower-altitude locations.
Meanwhile, the Southern Hemisphere's exceptional 2026 season is refusing to end. Chile's Valle Nevado has announced a further extension, with skiing now scheduled through to December 1 following a winter that delivered more than eight metres/24 feet of snowfall. The resort says lift operations will continue on selected dates through November, making it one of the latest-closing southern hemisphere ski areas in recent years.
Europe
Austria
Austria remains just ahead in the race for the most open ski areas, with six glacier resorts already operating and two more due to join them this weekend. Open terrain continues to expand, with Sölden (0cm to 50cm/0 to 20 inches) now offering around 36km/22 miles of runs and Hintertux (0cm to 45cm/0 to 18 inches) offering more than 30km/19 miles.
This weekend also sees the opening of the Mölltal Glacier and the Alps' first non-glacier skiing of the season at Kitzbühel's Resterkogel, made possible by snow-farming.
Recent snowfall reached relatively low elevations, bringing a more wintry feel across the Alps. Looking ahead, mostly dry and sunny weather is expected, although occasional weak fronts may bring light snowfall to western regions including the Arlberg and Ötztal Alps. Freezing levels should generally range between 1,800m and 2,400m/5,906 and 7,874 feet, with the best conditions continuing on glacier slopes and the highest terrain.
France
The French Alps have enjoyed a mostly dry, sunny week, although temperatures have fallen steadily, with the freezing point dropping to lower elevations. Snow returned on Wednesday, with fresh accumulations reported down to around 1,300m/4,265 feet and some resorts seeing snowfall to the valley floor.
France is the only major European Alpine nation with nowhere open yet, but the season start is getting closer with Tignes and Val Thorens due to open in a fortnight. The French forecast is increasingly wintry, with several weather systems expected to bring fresh snow over the coming week. The biggest accumulations are forecast above 2,000m/6,562 feet, where 20cm to 35cm/8 to 14 inches is possible, particularly in the Southern Alps.
Italy
Italy remains on three open ski areas, although Sulden is expected to join them this weekend after delaying its planned opening.
The already-open Passo Stelvio, Val Senales and Cervinia all enjoyed fresh snowfall on Tuesday as moist air was forced up the mountains, delivering snow at higher elevations. After a brief return to sunny, dry weather, fronts arriving from the west should bring fresh snow to higher slopes this weekend, particularly in the Aosta Valley, Via Lattea and around Cervinia.
Switzerland
Switzerland is moving up to at least eight ski areas open from this weekend, possibly nine, as Verbier and Gstaad's Glacier 3000 launch their 2026-27 seasons on Saturday, joining other early starters competing to offer the widest November terrain. Recent colder temperatures and fresh snowfall this week have now allowed Verbier to announce it will open its Lac des Vaux sector, initially on weekends only through November.
Switzerland has enjoyed mostly sunny weather over the past week, although conditions have become more unsettled with light snowfall on higher slopes in the past few days. The outlook points to further snow this weekend, particularly across the higher Alps, before milder conditions return next week.
Scandinavia
There remains a handful of centres open in Scandinavia, with snow farming continuing to underpin most early-season operations.
High pressure has delivered plenty of sunshine this week, although daylight hours are shrinking rapidly as winter approaches. Several resorts have reported snowfall reaching valley level, reinforcing the increasingly wintry feel.
In Finland, Levi says some of its all-weather snow cross-country tracks have partly melted, although its downhill terrain remains open.
Norway's Galdhøpiggen glacier continues to offer the most reliable natural snow conditions, with the coldest temperatures and the region's deepest snowpack, although it is coming to the end of its 2026 season.
The outlook remains cold, with valley-level snow possible and good snowmaking conditions across much of Scandinavia.
North America
Canada
Canada's 2026-27 season has started earlier than expected, led by Alberta resorts capitalising on cold autumn temperatures and strong snowmaking conditions. Lake Louise opened on 1 November, a week ahead of schedule and its second-earliest opening on record, while Norquay will begin operations on 6 November after bringing its launch date forward.
Banff Sunshine is also expected to start its seven-month season this Friday, and a fourth area, Nakiska - Calgary's closest resort - may also open for 2026-27.
The early openings come as resorts across British Columbia have reported significant early-season snowfall, with some receiving up to 50cm/20 inches. Looking ahead, the best conditions remain in Western Canada, where further snowfall and cool temperatures are forecast for BC and Alberta.
On the eastern side of the country, Quebec is expected to stay milder, although cooler nights should aid snowmaking ahead of wider openings later this month.
USA
The US season is gathering momentum, with openings accelerating across the West and Rockies. Mammoth Mountain kicked off California's 2026-27 season on Thursday after receiving up to 15 inches/37.5cm of snow and bringing its opening forward by more than a week.
Nevada's Mount Rose follows on Friday, while both resorts continue expanding terrain as conditions allow.
In the Rockies, it has been the most wintry spell of the autumn so far, with up to 20 inches/50cm of snowfall reported on higher slopes.
Keystone and Wolf Creek joined Arapahoe Basin on the open list at the weekend, while Breckenridge and Copper Mountain are among resorts expected to follow shortly.
Utah's season had been expected to start at Brian Head too, but it announced a delay late on Wednesday.
On the East Coast, no areas appear close to opening yet, but regular overnight frosts have allowed snowmaking to ramp up at resorts including Whiteface and Smugglers' Notch.
The outlook remains encouraging nationwide, with further mountain snowfall expected in the West and Rockies, while cooler nights continue to support snowmaking across the Northeast.