2010-11 Season Gathers Pace in Northern Hemisphere

(Picture shows Copper Mountain, Colorado's snow guns today)

The 2010-11 ski season is starting to take off on both sides of the Atlantic. Copper Mountain in Colorado has joined Arapahoe Basin and Loveland in starting snowmaking. On the East Coast of North America, Sunday River in Maine is snowmaking too.
Although there are still less than 20 ski areas open in the northern hemisphere, last weekend (October 9/10) saw the switch from there being MORE areas to ski in the northern than southern hemispheres as only three ski areas are now left operational in New Zealand.
Another big change is that the first non-glacier ski area in Europe will open this Friday – Ruka in Finland, which already has a 2km cross country track open, will start downhill ski operations this Friday, October 15th.
It joins Tignes in France, Passo Stelvio and Val Senales in Italy; Engelberg, Saas Fee and Zermatt in Switzerland and seven glacier ski areas in Austria – including Hintertux, olden, Pitztal and the Stubai – which are all open.
Another new opening this weekend will be the Diavolezza glacier near St Moritz.
Currently Passo Stelvio in Italy has the deepest snow of an open ski area with two metres lying. Hintertux has the most skiing available with 42km, and Zermatt the biggest lift served vertical with 900 metres.

I have heard that it's snowing quite hard in Breckenridge village today 8)

Watch out for Joe Bastardi European winter forecast due out on the 15th Oct.

Follow Joes blog: http://www.accuweather.com/ukie/bastardi-europe-blog.asp

The Alps

France
In France, only Tignes is currently offering any skiing but, with no recent snowfall to speak of, the glacier pistes are hard and icy. A little snow is likely over the weekend (which will improve conditions) and a more substantial fall is possible later next week.

Switzerland
Glacier skiing is possible in three Swiss resorts this week: Engelberg, Zermatt and Saas Fee; with a fourth, St Moritz (Diavolezza, pictured), scheduled to open one piste on Saturday. Conditions are ok, but fresh snow would be welcome, and only Engelberg is likely to receive this in any quantity this weekend.

Italy
The glacier at Val Senales is currently Italy's only option, with five pistes open on a healthy 150cm base. Fresh snow is forecast over the weekend.

Austria
Several glaciers are open for business in Austria. Stubai is running 13 lifts but Hintertux has the most available terrain in the Alps, with 42km of groomed pistes. Cold and snowy weather is expected over the weekend.

North America

The annual race to be the first (non-glacial) US resort to open is still on. However, fluctuating temperatures have prevented the snow guns from working as efficiently as they did last year when Loveland pipped Arapahoe to the post on 7th October. Generally speaking, natural snow is thin on the ground in North America but there is plenty of time before most resorts are scheduled to open. This winter the odds are in favour of a bumper snow year for the northern Rockies and Pacific north-west (Whistler). This is thanks to La Niña, an occasional climate anomaly that strongly influences weather patterns across the continent.

According to metrosnow.