Some fresh snow has been reported in the Alps over the last 36 hours with some Austrian and German resorts reporting up to 40cm of snowfall in the last 24 hours.
The biggest accumulations claimed include the Nordkette ski area near Innsbruck (pictured above) posting 40cm, the Dachstein Glacier reporting 30cm and Saalbach and Mayrhofen reporting 25cm each since yesterday.
The snowfall was accompanied by strong winds at times. The Dachstein glacier has been closed today because of the strength of the wind.
More snowfall is expected over a wider area over the next day or so. It's the most snowfall in the past week in the Alps.
The picture for the start of the 18-19 season in the Alps is starting to firm up. For most resorts it is one of good snow higher up but for those with slopes and/or their resort base below 1000-1500 metres, the valleys are often still snowless with temperatures at lower elevations also frequently too warm for snowmaking so far.
But most skiers are declaring themselves happy (especially compared to many recent season starts) thanks to the generally good, deep snow higher up and so far regular fresh snowfalls through November and December.
Where ski areas are at a high altitude even at the base conditions are good top to bottom and lower resorts are pushing snow down the mountain to cover home runs in most places. It is also getting colder again.
Only smaller, low altitude, local hills are suffering from little or no snow so far and little prospect of getting any in the near future. More than 50 of this type of small area in France alone have been unable to open so far this winter according to reports.