Kiltarlity, Scotland, UK - Although snowfall has eased in the Alps from a week ago, it is still continuing with at least a few inches of fresh on the upper slopes at many European ski and snowboard resorts. Italy was a major beneficiary over the weekend and its resorts now have some of the world's deepest present snow cover. At the start of this week it's Switzerland that is posting the most powder reports with resorts reporting 20 or 30cm of new snow. Elsewhere the western U.S. is seeing some big snowfalls with Squaw Valley above Lake Tahoe, Calif., reporting 60cm (two feet) of snow on Monday.
The biggest snowfalls in Italy were in the northwestern portion of the country (Piemonte, Lombardia, Valle d'Aosta) and in the last few days in Alto Adige. The snow cover, however, isn’t universal and in Friuli a lack of snow has led to the start of the season being postponed.

The biggest accumulation of the past seven days has been in Val d'Ultimo which reports 190cm (6.3 feet) of new snow. Val Senales / Schnals is not far behind with 160cm (5.3 feet) and Santa Caterina is on 130cm (4.3 feet), Cortina d'Ampezzo 110 cm (3.65 feet). The Arabba Marmolada glacier currently reports the deepest snow anywhere in the world with 312cm (10.5 feet) on upper slopes, 55cm (22 inches) at the base. It’s a similar picture, just a few centimeters less, on the Presena Glacier above Passo Tonale. Bormio, one of the winter’s early openers six weeks ago, has 190cm (6.3 feet) on upper slopes, 30cm (a foot) below. Madesimo and Cervinia - Breuil each has about 1.5 meters (five feet) on upper slopes.

Thirty resorts have already partially opened their ski areas in France, of which six are currently only open on weekends. That number will grow to at least 40 this weekend.

After a warming period following last week’s snow, with some rain damage to lower slopes, more snow has started falling again and Orelle, lift-linked to Val Thorens in The Three Valleys (each of which is now at least partially open) in the northern Alps, issued a powder alarm yesterday with a 20cm (eight inch) snowfall.

Resorts scheduled to open this weekend include La Plagne, Serre Chevalier, Flaine, Vars and Avoriaz. La Clusaz currently reports the best snow depth in the country with 120cm (four feet) of snow. In the Pyrenees, Bareges and La Mongie have the most snow with 90cm (three feet) lying. Val d’Isere will host the 54th edition of the "Critérium de la Première Neige" this weekend for women and the following weekend (Dec. 18-20) for men.

There has been limited new snowfall in Austria, but the country’s glacier ski areas are reporting some of the deepest snow available anywhere. The snow line in Austria is between 500 and 800 meters today and the Austrian Broadcast Corporation ORF predicts more snowfall for Saturday and low temperatures between -6 and 0 degrees (Celsius) for Sunday.

The Molltal glacier has among the three biggest snow depths in the world at present with 2.2m (7.3 feet), while Pitztal, Solden,Stubai and Hintertux glaciers all have at least 1.5m (five feet)of snow. Kaprun has reported 40cm of new snow in the past 24 hours. Austrian resorts which will open this weekend include more of the SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser with 15cm (six inches) of snow in Brixental and Kleinwalsertal (opening on the 12th) with up to 40cm (15 inches) of snow at the Nebelhorn ski area. Seefeld – Rosshütte, Gerlos/ Zillertal and Lermoos/ Tiroler Zugspitz Arena will also open with 30cm (a foot) of snow.

It’s a similar picture over the border in Germany where the Zugspitzplatt has the most snow with 125 (4.1 feet). Oberstdorf has 30cm (a foot).

After heavy snow last week in Switzerland almost cut off the resort of Engelberg and other resorts reported big falls, Swiss resorts have again been announcing substantial snowfalls of at least 20cm in each in the past 24 hours. Davos, Gstaad and Les Diablerets are among the latest to note substantial new snowfalls, with Engelberg also reporting another 20cm (eight inches). Verbier had the biggest single snowfall, with 30cm (a foot) of new snow.

Swiss resorts are now reporting some of the deepest snow depths in the world, with Andermatt recording some of the deepest snow, a 1.3m (4.3 feet) base at the bottom of the slopes and 1.9m (6.3 feet) on upper runs.

In Andorra and Spain the news is less good as pouring rain and warm weather ruined some of the great conditions reported only a week ago. Only Spain’s largest resorts of Baqueira (30-60 cm and 77 km) and Formigal (10-80 cm and 64 km) continue to offer good conditions. However Panticosa (30-60 cm and 22 km), Cerler (20-65 cm and 18 km), Astun (20-80 cm and 20 km), Candanchu (15-65 cm and 29 km), Boi Taull (15-30 cm and 20 km), La Molina (10-20cm and 3 km), Masella (10-25 km and 9 km) and Grand Pallars ski resorts (Espot, Port Ainé and Tavascan, 15-40 cm with 60 km) all in the Pyrenees, are still open. Outside the Pyrenees only Sierra Nevada with 10-30 cm and 5km of runs is open for skiers.

A cooling trend is expected for the weekend, allowing Spanish ski resorts to put snowmaking facilities back in to operation.

In Scandinavia there has been a similar roller coaster of weather to the Alps and Pyrenees with just a few centimeters of snow for some resorts. Åre in Sweden is hosting the women's World Cup this weekend and they are giving away one free day pass to all spectators who come to watch the competitions. The ski resort of Säfsen will open up two slopes this weekend.

In Scotland, Cairngorm remains open and has extended the terrain available, with a descent to the bottom of the funicular on a narrow band of snow possible this week. Low temperatures should help to maintain this possibility. The country’s other four centers have insufficient snow to open.

There are no reports of any ski areas open yet in Eastern Europe, although Bansko in Bulgaria has said it plans to open this weekend and the webcams are showing a snowy picture in the Czech Republic.

Across the Atlantic most areas of North America have seen improved conditions. The exception is possibly British Columbia where conditions couldn’t really actually improve much on the record breaking November snowfall. The only problem there is that it’s very cold – as low as -40C overnight, so wrap up well! Kicking Horse and Fernie are now open, joining the rest. Virtually all of the province’s ski areas are now open, although Panorama still has to join them, with opening scheduled for this Friday. At Fernie conditions are described as “fantastic” with over six feet (1.8m) of settled snow base in the five alpine bowls.

Heli-skiing is the latest snow sport to benefit from the great snow in B.C. with Great Canadian Heli-Skiing announcing that its first paying guests went heli-skiing last Sunday, three weeks before the normal start date. This lucky private party, which included the only North American delegate to be invited to judge the snowboarding events at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, shows that amongst Great Canadian’s guests, snow is definitely trumping the economy.

In Alberta, Sunshine’s famous Delirium Dive opened over the weekend, the earliest opening in its ten-year history. As one of Sunshine Village’s three freeride zones, the Dive offers some of the most extreme inbounds terrain in North America.

“We’ve had fantastic snow this season enabling us to open the Dive earlier than ever before. Expert skiers and snowboarders will be very happy,” said Dan Markham, of Ski Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine.

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