twenty second November 2025
There’s recent snow after one more storm, with extra on the way in which. Snow is falling throughout the Alps and the Pyrenees because the temperatures plummet. NEW
We should always prefix what follows with the truth that it’s only November and it doesn’t imply by any signifies that it will likely be a bumper season.
It’s far too early inform.
However the previous few weeks throughout the Alps and at varied altitudes have seen as a lot early season snow and chilly temperatures as we will recall lately.
Right here’s Chamonix city centre, 1,000m.
Greater than 30 resorts within the Alps are providing snowboarding this weekend, and France joins the get together with the opening of Val Thorens and Tignes.
Austria: Pitztal, Hintertux, Stubai, Soelden, Kaunertal, Kitzsteinhorn, Molltal, Obertauern, Schladming, Obergurgl & Kitzbuhel.France: Val Thorens & Tignes.Italy: Cervinia, Sulden, Passo Tonale & Val Senalis.Switzerland: Andermatt, Verbier, Zermatt, Saas-Price, Murren, Arosa, Davos, Glacier 3000, Titlis Glacier (Engleberg) & Diavolezza Glacier (St Moritz) and Adelboden.
World Cup ski racing is underway with three British racers competing in Gurgl on Saturday.
Obergurgl in Austria opened a few days in the past on Thursday twentieth November with 60% of its slopes open.
It’s the first non-glacier resort to supply such an intensive quantity of snowboarding – 69km (45 miles) of pistes on a mixture of pure and synthetic snow.
It presently has probably the most terrain open of wherever on this planet.
Right here at PlanetSKI we subsequently declare the season of 2025/26 underway.
“With France opening for snowboarding this weekend with good opening situations, and becoming a member of the opposite most important alpine nations, it’s honest to say it’s presently probably the greatest opening intervals lately,” mentioned the PlanetSKI editor, James Cove.
“Maybe most significantly is the chilly temperature so the snow falling won’t instantly soften as has occurred in earlier begins to the season.
“The chilly temperatures additionally harden the bottom, so any future snow falls on chilly, not heat, floor.
“We’re nevertheless within the second half of November, and far could occur between now and when many resorts open within the first half of December.
“In the meanwhile although there’s trigger for early optimism with no sudden thaws predicted and it is likely one of the finest begins I can recall.”
And it’s set to get higher.
“The climate within the Alps will stay chilly for the foreseeable future, turning sunny for some time over the weekend earlier than snow returns from the west on Sunday night time, with a really snowy week anticipated subsequent week,” mentioned the alpine climate skilled, Fraser Wilkin, from weathertoski.co.uk.
PlanetSKI reporter, Felix Milns, is in Val Thorens for its opening and is updating us throughout the weekend – on the snow and opening festivities.
He reported flakes of snow falling on the motorway on the valley ground after pulling out of Geneva on Friday – a sign of the place the freezing stage is in that a part of the Alps.
First sight of snow on the way in which to Val Thorens for its opening weekend. Picture © PlanetSKI
By the point he was at round 1,50om on the way in which as much as Val Thorens the snow turned thicker.
Snow on the way in which to Val Thorens for its opening weekend. Picture © PlanetSKI
Then it was time for snow chains.
Snow on the way in which to Val Thorens for its opening weekend. Picture © PlanetSKI
Felix posted an replace very first thing Saturday morning:
Opening day in Val Thorens, Saturday twenty second November.Picture © PlanetSKI
See right here for an earlier PlanetSKI article about what’s new within the resort for the season:
We’ve got talked about Tignes can be opening right this moment and we’ll have some updates later.
PlanetSKI’s Jane Peel can be reporting from Tignes in early December.
Elsewhere in Europe there are additionally wintery situations.
The Pyrenees
There was some snow over within the Pyrenees within the present chilly spell.
No resorts or ski areas are open in Andorra, France or Spain nevertheless it’s wanting good.
See right here for extra about snowboarding in Andorra this coming winter:
The UK
There has additionally been some snow within the UK with Scotland’s ski areas welcoming the white stuff.
There’s even a spot of snowboarding on provide within the UK in the intervening time.
The ski areas of Yad Moss in Cumbria and Cairngorm in Scotland have opened:
Yad Moss. Picture c/o Yad Moss net digital camera.
Scandinavia
There have some bitterly chilly temperatures in Scandinavia with a number of resorts now open.
Levi and Ruka in Finland have been open a number of weeks.
In Sweden Tarnaby and Kabdalis are open.
Resorts in Norway are set to begin opening subsequent weekend, although some cross-country snowboarding is obtainable.
Right here on PlanetSKI we have now a separate report on the snow situations in North America, the place situations are variable:
Sunshine Village, Banff, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
Do verify again for the PlanetSKI updates on the snow situations because the season of 2025/26 will get underway…
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