SKI: With half-term looming, which resorts offer the best skiing?
The Alps are in prime shape right now thanks to regular snowfalls and consistently low temperatures, says snow guru Fraser Wilkin of www.weathertoski.co.uk.
Austria
There have been further snow flurries in Austria today where conditions remain excellent at all levels. High altitude Obertauern (215/250cm) has particularly impressive snow depths, but the cold weather is also allowing lower lying resorts such as Kitzbühel (75/170cm) to hold their own.
France
Fabulous conditions continue across the French Alps with further snowfalls today (Tuesday). Alpe d’Huez (220/380cm) is doing particularly well this week with a further 30cm of fresh snow in the last 24hrs. Further north, La Clusaz (90/360cm) reports 40cm of new snow and offers perfect powdery snow right down to resort level.
Italy
Conditions are also excellent in Italy with 15cm of fresh snow and near perfect pistes today in Madesimo (60/250cm) where weathertoski.co.uk is currently based. Most other resorts have also seen new snow in the last 24-36hrs with at least 20cm for Courmayeur (80/190cm) in the far north-west.
Switzerland
Plenty of fresh snow has been falling across Switzerland this week, particularly in the northern Alps where Villars (60/230cm) reports powder at all levels. On the other side of the country, St Moritz (35/173cm) has missed out on the heaviest snow, but on-piste at least conditions are still excellent.
Rest of Europe
Amazing snowfalls continue in the Pyrenees with another metre falling over the last week in Andorra’s Pas de La Casa (200/250cm). There hasn’t been a huge amount of snow in Bulgaria in the last few days, but conditions are still pretty good in Bansko (80/220cm) where heavy snow is in the forecast. It’s good news too for Sweden’s premier resort, Åre (38/75cm), where conditions are excellent despite the modest sounding snow depths.
USA
The dry spell continues in California, but they won’t be too concerned in Mammoth (457cm upper mountain) due to the huge snowfalls it received earlier in the season. Conditions are fresher across in Colorado with 13cm yesterday in Aspen, where the upper base is now 117cm deep.
Canada
Conditions remain good right across western Canada with a little new snow today in Revelstoke where the upper-mountain base is 187cm deep. Snow flurries are also expected further south in Fernie (223cm up top).
See Today in the Alps for daily updates.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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