ADVERTISEMENTNorthern Europe was plunged into a deep freeze last week, with temperatures plummeting to almost -43C in parts of Sweden.
The Arctic blast has descended south this week, bringing joy to skiers in the French Alps after a mild December.
More than a metre of powder has landed in resorts like Chamonix, Les Gets and Morzine.
Italy’s slopes have also cashed in with up to 50cm of snow, while Austria and Switzerland have seen 30cm, according to ski weather reporter On the Snow.
This brings hope that the bumper snowfall that allowed resorts to open early in November is back.
The shift is in line with predictions based on previous El Niño years, where Europe’s winters tend to start out mild and wet before becoming colder and drier between January and March. It could bring one of the best ski seasons in years with heavier and extended snowfall.
It’s a welcome change for Europe’s ski resorts, which have struggled with a lack of snow in recent years sparked by global warming.
Looking to hit the slopes? Here’s the snow outlook for ski destinations across Europe this January.
Will this winter be good for skiing in Austria?
At least 50 resorts in Austria are expecting snowfall this week. Snowpack levels are currently more than 150 per cent above normal, according to On the Snow.
Head to Austria’s high-altitude resorts for the country’s best ski conditions. St Anton am Arlberg in the Tyrolean Alps and Stuben am Arlberg in Vorarlberg currently have snowpacks of over three metres in parts.
Will January be good for skiing in France?
Skiing in the Pyrénées bounced back over the weekend after the area was hampered by dry and mild weather in December.
In the French Alps, a metre of snow has fallen in some of the region's top resorts. Courchevel has seen 140 cm of snow in the last 72 hours, while Val Thorens has seen 117 cm.
Will winter 2024 be good for skiing in Italy?
Low pressure descending from the North Atlantic brought Italy its first taste of ‘real winter’ on Friday. Snow descended at low altitude in the Italian Alps and plummeting temperatures are expected to continue until 14 January.
Make a beeline for La Thuile in the Aosta Valley, Livigno in the Alps or Val Gardena in the Dolomites to cash in on over half a metre of snow above 1,000 metres this week.
The Apennines will also be covered in snow over 1,500 metres above sea level, according to Meteo.it.
Will this month be good for skiing in Switzerland?
Switzerland’s Verbier ski resort opened three weeks early after major snowfall in November.
After this week’s snowfall, some resorts have snow depths of two metres and over, including Davos Klosters in Graubünden, Melchsee-Frutt in Obwalden and Engadin in St Moritz. In Saas-Fee near the Italian border, snowpack has climbed to over three metres.