The PlanetSKI Snow Report

Saturday 1 February

In the Alps the snowstorms have passed with just a few flurries in the south-western Italian Alps.

The recent snow has set things up nicely for February and the approaching half-term break.

PlanetSKI’s Jane Peel is now in Kühtai, another of the ski areas in the Innsbruck region of Austria.

Check out some of the recent posts from resorts on social media:

More to follow…

Friday 31 January

We start in Japan where huge amounts of snow have been falling in the past few days in the Hakuba Valley on the main island of Honchu.

80cm and counting.

PlanetSKI’s James Cove is in the Hakuba Valley.

First there was the small matter of digging out the car.

Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

Then he headed to the resort of Kashimayari at the southern end of the valley as the weather finally clears.

Here is the local village just below Kashimayari:

Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

Hakuba Valley, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

See here for the first post from James on the ski resorts in Japan as he hit the so-called JaPow:

• PlanetSKI is Skiing in Japan

Meanwhile in the Alps, PlanetSKI’s Jane Peel, has been skiing in a small, little-known ski area in Austria where it’s been overcast with a few light flakes of snow.

The temperatures have been above freezing but there’s been no sign of a thawing of the snow.

So, where is she?

Thursday 30 January

After a stormy couple of days, the weather in the Alps has cleared with broken cloud and some decent sunny spells for most.

The new snow has improved conditions in many areas, though there have been some avalanche fatalities.

• 5 Killed in 2 Separate Avalanches in the Alps

“A veil of cloud will return to the western Alps later in the day, heralding the arrival of a new storm,” said Fraser Wilkin from weathertoski.co.uk.

“This will deliver localised snowfalls over the next few days to some western parts of the Alps, especially in the south-west (e.g. Piedmonte).”

PlanetSKI’s Chief Reporter, Jane Peel, is currently in Innsbruck in Austria, where she will be skiing at four of the city’s local resorts.

She spent the afternoon on the slopes of Axamer Lizum, just 19km from the city centre.

The city can be seen in the valley in this photo.

Axamer Lizum, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

“Wow, what a revelation,” Jane says.  “A great little ski area that’s new to me with probably the best on-piste conditions I’ve experienced so far this winter.

“The snow was consistently good from top to bottom – chalky, grippy and fast.

“This was, no doubt, helped by the 50cm of fresh snow that fell a couple of days ago in the big storm and the fact that most of Axamer Lizum’s slopes are north-facing.

“It was quiet too, with so much space, especially towards the end of the afternoon, that it felt like I had the slopes pretty much to myself.

Axamer Lizum, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

“The weather was slightly overcast with the sun peeping through the clouds but visibility was excellent.”

Jane will be reporting separately on her Innsbruck-based trip shortly.

Axamer Lizum, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

Wednesday 29 January

Today we start not in Europe where there have been huge falls of snow, but in Japan.

The Japanese Alps to be precise, on the main island of Honchu

There have also been huge falls of snow and it has been coming down all day in the Hakuba Valley where PlanetSKI’s editor James Cove is.

His first video snow report was posted on Wednesday morning.

Here’s a few images of the snow from the morning including one chairlift that remains partially buried.

Iwatake, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

Iwatake, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

Iwatake, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

And the second video from James was posted at the end of the afternoon in Iwatake.

What a difference a few hours makes.

Tuesday 28 January

It’s arrived.

PlanetSKI reader, David Morgan, reports very heavy snow in Tignes in France, with about 20-30cm having fallen.

This was Val Thorens first thing this morning.

Fresh snow in Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI

“Just over 40 centimetres of snow fell overnight and this morning in VT and almost half a metre at the top, at 3,200 metres altitude,” says PlanetSKI’s Jane Peel, who’s in resort.

“It’s great to have the fresh snow but the day has been a real mixture of really awful low light, along with some beautiful bright spells.  It’s been windy up at the top too.

“I was lucky enough to hit Orelle, often called the fourth valley of Les3Vallées, which is a favourite spot, in a weather window.”

Orelle, France. Image © PlanetSKI

Orelle, France. Image © PlanetSKI

Orelle, France. Image © PlanetSKI

Orelle, France. Image © PlanetSKI

Monday 27 January

PlanetSKI’s chief reporter, Jane Peel, is in Val Thorens in France.

Her first snow report from Sunday is below, but here’s the latest update from the resort, on Monday afternoon, in rather different weather conditions.

The alpine weather experts at  weathertoski.co.uk confirm that very mild Foehn wind conditions have affected some central and northern parts of the Alps today, but cooler conditions will return tomorrow, along with some snow.

“The biggest snowfall totals from this storm are likely to be in two different areas,” they say.

“The first will be the high French resorts, including the likes of Tignes, Val Thorens, Alpe d’Huez and Les 2 Alpes. The second area will be in the central-southern Alps, including resorts such as St Moritz and Madesimo.

“All these areas could see 40-70cm of new snow above 2000m by the end of tomorrow.

“Many other parts of the Alps will also see some useful snow higher up but, with so much mild air and rain in the mix at first, many lower areas won’t see much if any net gain.”

Sunday 26 January

“Not a bad morning in Val Thorens in the French Alps,” said Jane as she made her first turns.

“A significant snowfall overnight followed by sunshine all the way.”

And here’s Jane’s full video snow report:

Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI

Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI

Powder on a red run in Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI

Look out for more from Jane shortly.

As she mentions in the video, she is in the resort to report on the second round of the 2025 Freeride World Tour.

• Freeride World Tour heads to Val Thorens

By Sunday afternoon, the cloud had come in, showing signs of the snowfall forecast for later, which means the FWT will not take place until at least Wednesday.

Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI

The weather in the Alps remains changeable and will remain unsettled this week with significant snow for some, especially in the south and west.