Snap from Marmot Basin - check out this weeks snow report

Over the past week the big snow news has been in the Western US where resorts in California have reported an average of almost a foot (30cm) of snow per day for the past week. Squaw Valley says it received more than six feet (1.9m) in seven days, and expects more at the weekend. The snow was greatly needed to boost base levels, which are now up around 1.5m (five feet) and represented nearly a fifth of the usual annual snowfall at the resort.

In Europe the best news of the past week has been a dramatic lowering in temperatures. This has led to double-digit below-zero temperatures at higher elevations, but more importantly means lower slopes are seeing subzero temperatures enabling the snowmaking guns to work even if mother nature isn’t providing enough of the natural stuff in some places.

It has been very cold since Sunday in France, just in time for the big increase in skier numbers expected at the weekend. Nearly all of the major resorts are now open, more than 40 in total and all are expected to open this weekend.

Overall there has been little fresh snow in France in the past week with about 10cm (four inches) falling on the Pyrenees and both the north and the Southern Alps. A little more snowfall is expected this Friday.

La Clusaz currently reports the deepest snow in the country with 140cm (4.6 feet). La Plagne and Alpe d’Huez all have at least a metre. World Snowboard Day returns for its 4th edition this Sunday, December 20th. The idea is to discover for free the joys of snowboarding and the snowboard culture.

Austria has had some new snow with lower temperatures helping to bring the freezing point further down the slopes.

Most Austrian resorts that are not yet open will open this weekend.

Alpbach opens this Friday December 18th and will have their longest slope in operation and all the lifts at the Wiedersbergerhorn.

Parts of Switzerland have received up to 55cm (nearly two feet) of snow in the past week. Laax, which is reporting the second deepest snow base in the country at present with 168 cm (5.6 feet) was one of the major beneficiaries with 51cm (20 inches), Disentis got the 55cm. Arosa and Kanderstag added 30cm (a foot) each.

Italy continues to report some of the healthiest snowfalls in Europe, with another 70cm (2.3 feet) in Val Gardena in the Dolomites, and 60cm (two feet) for Limone Piemonte in the west of the country. Arabba Marmolada has the greatest snow depth in the country, and in Europe at present with 312 cm (10.5 feet), the Presena Glacier above Passo Tonale has 300cm (10 feet).

The Sky Mountaineering World Cup will be staged this weekend (18 -20 December) in Pila and the Aosta Valley. The race makes ski mountaineering manageable in small stages and participation is limited to athletes with ski mountaineering licences from official bodies in Italy or any other country.

Cold weather has arrived in the Pyrenees too and last Monday has snowed in Madrid and today snow is expected again all over Spain. At the moment Baqueira Beret, with a 30-60cm (1-2 foot) base has the most terrain open with73km of runs. Outside the Pyrenees in Spain only Sierra Nevada with 20-40cm (8-16 inches) and 10km of runs available is open for skiers.

In Eastern Europe, Bansko in Bulgaria had its annual celebrity opening last weekend with its biggest swathe of former ski stars yet in attendance including Permin Zurbriggen, Mark Girardelli, Paul Accola and Patrick Ortlieb. It reported 50cm of much needed snow arriving just in time for opening day and Bulgaria’s other leading resort, Borovets, has received fresh snow too and aims to open shortly.

As reported above the biggest snowfalls of the past seven days have been in the Western US states, but further north the snow is still falling with Whistler reporting another 10cm (four inches) overnight.

The picture has further improved on the East Coast too, especially in Quebec with resorts like Mont Ste Anne and Stoneham reporting up to 50cm (20 inches) of fresh snow and new snow and lower temperatures in New England to the south too, where resorts like Attitash in New Hampshire, Stratton in Vermont and Sunday river in Maine have reports 12-18 cm (5-7 inches)

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