For those of you heading out to the mountains for Easter ski trips, most European resorts are forecast new snow over the next 9 days, setting them in great stead to end the 2013/14 season with a bang. It seems there could be plenty of powder days and bluebird conditions – perfect for those of you wanting to get their last ski fix before the summer begins!Over in France, Alpe d’Huez is expected to see 37cm of fresh snow over the next 9 days, Chamonix 40cm, Les Deux Alpes 41cm, Tignes 49cm and Val d’Isere 57cm. Most French resorts have another 10 days or so left before closing down for the Summer. Tignes and Val d’Isere will stay open until the 4th of May, with the Tignes glacier closing a little later on the 11th May. The high altitude of Val Thorens will also stay open until 11th May.
Italy also has plenty of snow forecast for the next 9 days, with Cervinia expecting to see 82cm, Champoluc 57cm, Gressoney 65cm, Livigno 30cm and Passo Tonale 29cm. Again, most resorts will stay open for about another week after Easter. For later skiing, Livigno is due to close on the 4th May and the Presena glacier in Passo Tonale usually offers skiing until mid-June.
In Austria, the Hintertux glacier is forecast 17cm of snow over the next 9 days and is expected to remain open all through the summer. St Anton is forecast 20cm of new snow, Obergurgl 21cm and Ischgl 24cm. The majority of Austrian resorts will stay open until the end of April.
Finally, in Switzerland the next 9 days will see 101cm of snowfall in Zermatt, 55cm in Verbier, 100cm in Saas Fee and 49cm in Crans Montana. Zermatt and Verbier will stay open until May, with most other resorts ending their seasons at the end of April.