Snow Report & 7-Day Ski Forecast 2025/26
Last updated: Monday 1 December 2025Quick Snow Summary
Winter continues to switch on across the Alps with another strong late-November cold spell bringing fresh snow to large parts of France, Switzerland and Austria. After the first key opening weekend of the season, high resorts are now running with solid early-season cover and more terrain opening each week.
In France, a sustained cold pattern is supporting solid early-season bases. Val Thorens and Tignes are already open, and Val d’Isère officially opened over the weekend (29–30 November) with its First Tracks sessions. Meanwhile, Avoriaz has completed its first special pre-opening weekend (29–30 November) and will run another on 6–7 December ahead of its full opening on 12 December.
Austria and Switzerland also join the early-season momentum: Ischgl and the wider Silvretta Arena area opened from 27 November, delivering one of the largest linked ski areas currently available, while the Saalbach–Hinterglemm–Leogang area and Geilo (Norway) enjoyed their first full operating weekend of the season.
Where the Best Snow Is Right Now
Here are some of the stand-out areas for snow and conditions heading out of the opening weekend and into the first week of December:- High French Alps (Val d’Isère, Val Thorens, Tignes, Avoriaz)
France is having one of its stronger early starts in recent years. Val d’Isère is now open following its 29–30 November First Tracks weekend, Val Thorens and Tignes are already running, and Avoriaz is offering pre-opening weekends thanks to exceptional November snowfall. All are served by our French ski transfers. - Swiss Alps (Zermatt, Verbier, high Silvretta Arena slopes)
Excellent early-season conditions continue, especially at altitude. The cross-border link with Ischgl in the Silvretta Arena is now open, providing one of Europe’s largest open areas this early in the season, alongside high, snow-sure terrain in Zermatt and Verbier. Explore via our Swiss ski transfers. - Western Austria (Ischgl, Arlberg, Sölden, Saalbach)
Ischgl and Saalbach are now open following their late-November openings on 27 and 28 November, and Sölden continues to expand terrain with strong snow cover. This first week of December looks excellent for early-season Austrian skiing, all easily reached with our Austria ski transfers.
Opened Over the Weekend (29–30 November)
Several major ski areas started their season over the weekend thanks to strong November snowfall:- Val d’Isère, France – Official season opening with First Tracks sessions on 29–30 November.
- Avoriaz, France – Special pre-opening weekend (selected lifts & pistes) on 29–30 November, with another pre-opening weekend on 6–7 December ahead of the full opening on 12 December.
- Ischgl, Austria – First full ski weekend after opening on 27 November, with access to the wider Silvretta Arena area.
- Saalbach–Hinterglemm–Leogang, Austria – Opened 28 November and moved straight into its first full weekend.
- Geilo, Norway – Season start around the last weekend of November with early runs and strong snowmaking support.
Snow Summary by Country / Region
| Country / Region | Current Situation | 7-Day Outlook | Best Early-Season Bets | Transfers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France (Alps) | Firmly wintry now at altitude. High resorts such as Val Thorens, Tignes and Les 2 Alpes are open, with rapid improvements in cover elsewhere after repeated November snowfalls. Val d’Isère is now open following its 29–30 November First Tracks weekend, while Avoriaz is running two pre-opening weekends ahead of its full opening on 12 December. | Remaining cold with further snow showers and periods of more organised snowfall, especially in the northern and western Alps. High slopes could see substantial additional accumulations into early December. | High-altitude areas such as Val Thorens, Tignes and Val d’Isère (all open), plus pre-opening weekends in Avoriaz ahead of the wider Portes du Soleil and other major domains opening through December. | France Ski Transfers |
| Austria | Very good early-season cover on glaciers and higher slopes, with Sölden and other big-name areas already open. Ischgl opened 27 November and Saalbach followed on 28 November, adding even more terrain for the first full ski weekend. | Cold pattern with bright spells midweek, then further snow from late week into the weekend, especially in Tirol and the Arlberg. | Sölden, Ischgl and other high / glacier areas in Tirol and the Arlberg region, plus the newly opened Saalbach Ski Circus. | Austria Ski Transfers |
| Switzerland | Early-season skiing focused on high, snow-sure resorts and glacier terrain, with excellent cover on upper slopes in the likes of Zermatt and Verbier. The cross-border Silvretta Arena link with Ischgl is now open from late November, creating one of the largest high-altitude domains available this early in the season. | Very cold with a mix of sunshine and light to moderate snowfalls through the week, especially around the weekend. | Zermatt, Verbier, and the high linked slopes of the Silvretta Arena above Ischgl. | Swiss Ski Transfers |
| Italy | Higher and glacier areas have a decent base and are benefitting from recent and ongoing snowfall, while many mid- and lower-altitude resorts are in the final stages of pre-season. | Colder air and passing disturbances may bring useful top-ups to parts of the Aosta Valley and Dolomites over the coming days. | For an early-season trip, high resorts such as Cervinia and Livigno are strong options, alongside the French, Swiss and Austrian high resorts. | Italy Ski Transfers |
| Scandinavia (Norway & Sweden) | Pre-season underway in key Norwegian resorts, with early runs open and snowmaking in full swing in places like Geilo, Trysil and Hemsedal. Swedish resorts such as Åre and Sälen are also moving into early-season operations as temperatures drop. | Generally cold, with a mix of natural snowfall and strong snowmaking windows helping to build a solid base into early December. | Norway’s larger areas such as Geilo, Trysil, Hemsedal and Lillehammer, and major Swedish resorts as they open. | Norway Ski Transfers |
| Andorra | Resorts such as Grandvalira and Arinsal remain in pre-season, with openings scheduled for early December. | Cooler, more wintry conditions building. Snowfall on higher slopes helps set up the base ready for early December openings. | Ideal for trips from early December onwards once the main Andorra domains open. | Andorra Ski Transfers |
| Bulgaria | Resorts like Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo remain closed for now, with openings projected for early to mid-December. | Cooler air and some high-level snowfalls help kick-start the base ahead of the early December start to the main season. | Great value option from December onwards once full operations begin. | Bulgaria Ski Transfers |
| USA (Rockies) | Several Colorado resorts are already open on a growing range of terrain, with early-season snowpack building in the central and northern Rockies. | Mixed sunshine and snow showers over the next week, with further top-ups likely for high resorts in Colorado and Utah. | Early-season options around Colorado and selected Utah resorts as they open through late November and early December. | USA Ski Transfers |
| Japan (Hokkaido & Honshu) | First proper snowfalls are arriving in Hokkaido, with light to moderate snow reported down to resort level in Niseko and surrounding areas. | More snow expected in northern Japan over the next week, setting up an encouraging start for late November and early December openings. | Planning now for trips to Hakuba, Shiga Kogen, Rusutsu and Niseko from late November onwards. | Japan Ski Transfers |
Snow Forecast by Country
France Snow Forecast
France is in the midst of a very snowy late-November and early-December spell. Polar air has pushed south, dropping temperatures and bringing frequent snow across much of the Alps. Expect further falls at altitude in major ski regions over the next few days, particularly the 3 Valleys, Paradiski, Espace Killy and the Portes du Soleil, with some western resorts among those seeing the highest totals.Austria Snow Forecast
Austria continues to benefit from this early-season reset, especially on north-facing slopes. The Arlberg, parts of Salzburg and key resorts in Tirol should see additional snow as the current storm cycle moves through, with snow falling to progressively lower levels.Switzerland Snow Forecast
In Switzerland, early-season skiing remains focused on the big-name high resorts and glaciers, with Zermatt/Cervinia and Verbier among the best options. Fresh snow from the ongoing cold pattern is expected to further improve conditions on upper slopes through the week.Italy Snow Forecast
Italy has a mix of conditions: higher and glacier areas have a solid base and are benefitting from recent snow, while lower resorts look set to gain more cover as colder air and new fronts arrive. Keep an eye on high resorts in the Aosta Valley and Dolomites for fresh top-ups.Beyond the Alps – Scandinavia, Andorra, Bulgaria, USA & Japan
If you’re looking beyond the Alps, there are more options on the radar for this season:- Scandinavia (Norway & Sweden): Pre-season skiing is already possible in some Norwegian resorts, with cold temperatures and reliable snowmaking helping to build up the pistes. Sweden’s big names such as Åre and Sälen will follow as winter tightens its grip. Perfect for those wanting quieter slopes and long seasons. Check out our Norway ski transfers.
- Andorra: Grandvalira, Pal-Arinsal and Ordino Arcalís are gearing up for early December openings. A great choice for December and New Year trips from Barcelona, Girona or Toulouse. Check out our Andorra ski transfers.
- Bulgaria: Resorts like Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo are fantastic value once they open in December, with improving snow cover expected as colder air settles. Check out our Bulgaria ski transfers.
- USA Rockies: Multiple Colorado resorts are already spinning lifts on early-season terrain, with more slopes opening as snow builds. Ideal if you want to mix skiing with a longer North American trip. Check out our USA ski transfers.
- Japan: Northern Japan (especially Hokkaido) is seeing its first significant snowfalls, and long-range forecasts again point to an excellent winter. Plan ahead for deep powder in places like Niseko, Rusutsu, Hakuba and Shiga Kogen with our Japan ski transfers.
7-Day Alpine Snow Outlook ❄
- Today & Tonight: Cold air remains firmly in place. Snow continues across higher parts of the French, Swiss and western Austrian Alps, with rain turning to snow at increasingly low levels in many valleys.
- Next 24–48 hours: Temperatures stay well below seasonal norms. Snow showers persist in the northern Alps, with further accumulations on upper slopes, especially in the French Northern Alps and central Switzerland. Expect continued improvements in already-open high resorts.
- Later this week & weekend: The cold, unsettled pattern persists with additional disturbances likely, bringing top-ups to many Alpine regions. This will continue to support excellent conditions in early-opening resorts such as Val Thorens, Tignes and Val d’Isère and set up very promising cover for Avoriaz’s next pre-opening weekend on 6–7 December.
Snowfall Intensity Key
❄ = light | ❄❄ = moderate | ❄❄❄ = heavy | ❄❄❄❄ = very heavy| Resort | Country | Status | 7-Day Outlook | New Snow (Next 7 Days) | Transfers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sölden | Austria | Open | Cold all week. Several periods of snow through Thu–Sat, with excellent glacier conditions and an increasing amount of non-glacial terrain open. | ❄❄ Up to 10–15 cm | Book Now |
| Zermatt | Switzerland | Open | Very cold. Mostly clear early in the period with light to moderate snow returning towards the weekend and into early next week. | ❄❄ Up to 5–10 cm | Book Now |
| Val Thorens | France | Open | Ski area now open for the 2025/26 season with an impressive early base at altitude. Further snowfalls are expected through the week, especially on upper slopes, providing an excellent platform for the wider 3 Valleys opening in early December. | ❄❄❄ Around 20–30 cm | Book Now |
| Tignes | France | Open (Progressive) | The Tignes ski area is now open with a progressive roll-out of lifts and pistes, including the Grande Motte glacier. The link with Val d’Isère is set to expand around the end of November / start of December, with very cold temperatures and regular snowfalls favouring high slopes. | ❄❄ Up to 10–15 cm | Book Now |
| Avoriaz | France | Pre-opening 29–30 Nov (completed) & 6–7 Dec | Thanks to abundant November snowfall, Avoriaz is running special pre-opening weekends at the end of November and early December, with selected lifts and pistes open ahead of the official 12 December start. | ❄❄❄ Significant top-ups possible on upper slopes | Book Now |
| Val d’Isère | France | Open (from 29 Nov) | Cold and snowy, with excellent early-season coverage following the “Premières Traces” opening weekend. | ❄❄❄ 15–25 cm | Book Now |
| Ischgl | Austria | Open (from 27 Nov) | Strong early cover with cold conditions and new snow through the weekend, plus access to the linked cross-border Silvretta Arena area. | ❄❄ Up to 10–15 cm | Book Now |
| Saalbach–Hinterglemm | Austria | Open (from 28 Nov) | Cold with improving snow cover. Select lifts and pistes opened for the first weekend, expanding as snow allows. | ❄❄ 5–10 cm | Book Now |
| Geilo | Norway | Open (late Nov) | Cold with natural snowfall and excellent snowmaking windows supporting early runs for the first weekends of the season. | ❄ Light top-ups | Book Now |
Best Early-Season Options
The following resorts offer the strongest conditions for skiing in the next 7–10 days:- Sölden, Austria: Excellent glacier + high-altitude terrain already open. Book a transfer to Sölden.
- Zermatt, Switzerland: Reliable high slopes with steady top-ups. Book a transfer to Zermatt.
- Val d’Isère & Tignes, France: Both open for the season with great early coverage and further snow in the forecast. Val d’Isère transfers | Tignes transfers.
- Avoriaz, France (pre-opening weekends): Be among the first on the Portes du Soleil slopes during special pre-opening weekends 29–30 November and 6–7 December. Book a transfer to Avoriaz.
- Ischgl & the wider Silvretta Arena area: Newly opened cross-border ski area offering big early-season mileage on high, snow-sure slopes. Book a transfer to Ischgl.
Live Webcams – See the Snow Right Now
Want to check the snow with your own eyes before you travel? Here are the official resort webcam pages for the main early-season resorts we’re featuring:- Val Thorens webcams: Official resort webcams across the ski area. View Val Thorens webcams
- Tignes webcams: High-definition views from Grande Motte, Val Claret, Le Lac and more. View Tignes webcams
- Zermatt webcams: Official Zermatt / Matterhorn livecams across the ski area. View Zermatt webcams
- Sölden webcams: Official livecams from village to glacier in the Ötztal. View Sölden webcams
- Avoriaz webcam: Official livecam from Avoriaz 1800. View Avoriaz webcam