Spring has arrived early in ski resorts across Europe

Skiers heading to the Alps this weekend will find unseasonably warm, spring-like conditions. Last-minute bookers looking for powder should head to North America instead. Here’s a roundup from the Ski Club.

AUSTRIA
No snowfall is predicted in the Tirol, Arlberg or Salzbugerland for a while, so clients should pack some sunscreen! In St Anton the temperatures are expected to rise to at least five degrees, with the snow conditions getting softer sooner in the day. There’s still 210cm base at the top of the mountain so the slopes should be well prepared.~ Over in Saalbach, it should hit seven degrees this week. It’s much of the same over in Solden.

FRANCE
Clients should be prepared for late-spring skiing conditions this week. Resorts at higher altitudes have seen temperatures drop below freezing, helping to maintain the quality of the snow and the loftier resorts like Chamonix, Val Thorens and Espace Killy have good conditions. However, as you head into resorts situated lower down the valleys, such as Morzine, La Tania or Samoens for example, pistes are softer. Resorts in the Soutern French Alps are faring noticeably worse, having hardly seen any snow since the start of February, and being more susceptible to the warming weather.

SWITZERLAND
Despite the unseasonably warm weather, many resorts continued to offer excellent skiing. The upper slopes in the Jungfrau, Davos, and Saas Fee were all reported to be in excellent shape this week, becoming more sprin- like as you descend the mountain. A combination of this consistent sun and lack of recent snowfall has limited available off piste to those prepared to make more substantial journeys to find it. There will be little opportunity to find untouched snow unless you put on skins and head for north facing runs away from resort boundaries. For the most part however, there is plenty to enjoy across the fantastic groomed terrain. There is no new snow currently on the horizon for Switzerland. One saving grace however is that many resorts in Switzerland are at least enjoying somewhat cooler days than elsewhere, preserving that snow which is already on the ground.

ITALY
Like most of Europe, Italy is expected to have bright sunshine across all the regions this week. Temperatures are around four to five degrees.

ANDORRA
Grandvalira has been bathed in sunshine throughout the week with winds only reaching 5km/h, so expect the snow to break up quickly.~Over in Vallnord, it’s much of the same with temperatures around eight degrees. All the lifts are open and there’s still a good base of snow.

SCANDINAVIA
In Are in Sweden there’s been a mix of rain, sunshine and snow this week. Over in Hemsedal in Norway, it’s been pretty cloudy but there was a welcome sprinkling of snow overnight on Wednesday. Temperatures on the whole are just above freezing.

EASTERN EUROPE
It’s even warmer in Bulgaria than in much of the Alps. With such balmy conditions, the snowpack is holding better in Borovets and Pamporovo than in Bansko.

NORTH AMERICA
Resorts in southern Colorado have enjoyed some impressive dumps of snow in recent days, with Purgatory alone getting more than 50cm last weekend. Resorts in the Pacific North West, including Timberline and Mount Hood, were expecting more fresh snow earlier this week. On the east coast, Vermont and Maine resorts were expecting a combination of rain and snow. Most Canadian resorts were expecting snow this week. Banff has already received a big dump. In Tremblant, temperatures are as low as -17.