With four weeks to go until all the major resorts are fully up to speed we are already looking at a potentially epic season. There is 30cm+ of snow falling from Tignes to Zermatt this morning with some resorts expecting another 70cm over the rest of the week. It's only mid-November and it's the second week this month that some resorts will have boasted 1m of snow!
Switzerland this week is forecast the highest snowfall with Zermatt, Saas Fee and Verbier expecting 38cm, 35cm and 30cm respectively today alone and all three resorts boasting up to 70cm over the week. The likes of St. Moritz and Villars are also looking forward to good snowfall with half a metre expected this week.
France is also enjoying a superb start to the season. Les Arcs, Les Deux Alpes, Tignes, Val d'Isere and Val Thorens are all expecting a good dump of 30cm today. All the major French resorts, such as those mentioned, along with La Plagne, Meribel and Alpe d'Huez are all forecast to receive upward of 40cm of fresh snow this week.
There are many Italian resorts set to benefit from this week's snow storm with Gressoney, La Thuile and Madesimo are hoping for 20cm+ today and a further 40cm this week. Austria is also set for a light dusting this week with Mayrhofen, St. Christoph, Kaprun and Ischgl topping the charts with up upward of 20cm of snowfall.
Across the pond Canada is boasting this week's highest snowfall with Kicking Horse and Kimberley closing in on the 50cm mark and Whistler not far behind with a respectful 45cm of snow. Mt. Hood is the only US resort in the 40cm+ category, followed by Jackson Hole and Steamboat, which are both forecast a welcome 25cm snowfall.
With temperatures dropping, consistent early winter snow storms and our favourite resorts blasting the snow cannons we are looking at potentially one of the best early season bases. Piste skiing in December is looking great right now and if the conditions continue as they are Christmas and New Year will be phenomenal. Now where did I leave my goggles and gloves?
Written by the Snowman