Fresh snow over the past few days in the Alps, Scandinavia and North America has got pulse rates racing among skiers tracking resort's pre-season snow posts. To add to the excitement the Co-op has got its first mince pies of the season on sale.
Solden in the Austrian Tirol has announced it will be open several weeks ahead of schedule, this weekend, thanks to the fresh snow there.
Ski areas across the Central and Eastern Alps in particular have been posting picture of several centimetres of snow. This is seen as good news for Austria's glacier areas in particular. Although only two are currently open, and all have lost serious snow cover during the long hot summer, Hintertux, open year round for snow sorts was among those posting fresh snow images. Along with Solden five other Austrian glacier areas are scheduled to open from mid-September to early October.
Saas Fee in Switzerland, which is currently open for snowsports, reported 30cm of fresh snow had accumulated and posted images of skiers enjoying unexpected early September deep powder conditions on its glacier.
At the Grossglockner, Austria's highest peak, what could be the first snowman of 15-16 was built and photographed (as above).
Snow was also reported at lower levels, for example on the tops at Jasna in Slovakia.
In northern Europe images of fresh snow near Riksgransen in the northern Scandinavia have also appeared.
Across the Atlantic snow has been reported and photographer in the Canadian and US Rockies and in Washington state on the West Coast. The latter was greeted with particular excitement as a 'strong E Nino' bringing heavy snow id forecast after four years of drought, last winter's being particularly severe. Two seasons ago Washington state areas like Crystal Mountain opened briefly in late September after an unexpected heavy snowfall but then the winter snows failed to really arrive. Hopefully the El Nino forecasts will prove correct this time.