Massive Snowstorm Dumps on the Alps as More Resorts Open
25th November 2025
Last modified on November 29th, 2025
The latest storm started in the western Alps hitting France and Switzerland first, and it then progressed east with large parts of Austria seeing significant snowfall.
Italy saw generally less snow than the other main alpine countries.
Here was Verbier in Switzerland as the storm hit:
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It left snow down to the valley floor as the temperatures fell.
Here’s La Chable that sits at 820m, beneath Verbier.
La Chable, Switzerland. Image c/o Lynsey Devon.
“The really big snow snowfalls have been in the north-western Alps, more specifically the northern French and western Swiss Alps,” said Fraser Wilkin from weathertoski.co.uk on Thursday 27th November.
“These regions have seen 1m of snow at altitude since , including in ski areas and resorts such as L’Espace Killy, 3 Valleys, Paradiski, La Rosière, La Clusaz, Portes du Soleil, Chamonix valley, Gstaad-Glacier 3000 area, parts of the Bernese Oberland and as far east as Engelberg.
“Indeed 1.5m+ was recorded in a few spots, with 174cm between and in L’Ecreleuse (at 2252m), an official Swiss measuring station near the Dents du Midi just to the south of the Portes du Soleil.”
Ischgl in Austria opened on Thursday with 32 lifts running and 142kms of slopes on offer.
More resorts are opening this weekend including Val d’Isere, Alps d’Huez, Flaine, La Clusaz, Montgenevre and Les2Alpes in France.
Obertauern, Zauchensee, Saalbach, Fieberbrunn & Schladming in Austria.
Cortina, Courmayeur , La Thuile & Madonna di Campiglio in Italy.
Wengen, Laax, Champéry-Les Crosets & Crans-Montana in Switzerland.
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30cms of snow has fallen on the upper slopes of Crans-Montana and 20cm’s on the lower slopes on top of what was already there.
Good conditions are expected on-piste this weekend.
“Conditions in Crans-Montana are looking great for the start of the winter season, the best in years,” said a statement from the resort.
“We have had fresh snowfall turning the resort and the mountain white, even down to the valley.
“There’s also more snow in the forecast and the cold weather looks here to stay.”
See here for an earlier PlanetSKI feature about Crans-Montana and what is on offer in the Swiss resort this season:
Chamonix has just announced that the Grands Montets and Flégère sectors will open this weekend.
We’ve heard Avoriaz is also opening early.
On Monday alone over 1m of snow fell – the resort said it hadn’t seen this much snow in November since 2012.
Staff at the UK operator, SkiWeekends, took this picture of the company van on Wednesday and sent it to PlanetSKI.
Avoriaz, France, Wednesday 25th November. Image c/o SkiWeekends.
“This is the best start to the winter season we have seen in years and here in Avoriaz right now the snow is up to our waist outside the chalets and we can’t keep up with the amount that’s falling,” said Dan Fox from SkiWeekends.
“We have guests arriving soon and they are in for a treat.
“The best thing of all is that more snow is forecast and the temperatures are remaining cold.”
Some have been hiking up to the snow, if lifts have not yet opened.
Here’s PlanetSKI reader, Campbell MacDougal, in Avoriaz last weekend.
French Pyrenean resorts such as Les Angles and Porte Puymoren are also expected to open.
In Spain Baqueira Beret & Formigal are opening this weekend.
Many resorts that are already open will be offering more slopes this weekend.
In all more than 100 ski areas are now open.
Last weekend ski areas open in the Alps included:
- Austria: Pitztal, Hintertux, Stubai, Axamer Lizum, Soelden, Kaunertal, Kitzsteinhorn, Molltal, Obertauern, Schladming, Obergurgl & Kitzbuhel.
- France: Val Thorens & Tignes.
- Italy: Cervinia, Sulden, Passo Tonale & Val Senalis.
- Switzerland: Andermatt, Verbier, Zermatt, Saas-Fee, Murren, Arosa, Davos, Glacier 3000, Titlis Glacier (Engleberg) & Diavolezza Glacier (St Moritz) and Adelboden.
Opening w/end in Val Thorens, Sunday 23rd November. Image © PlanetSKI
Jasna in Slovakia is also opening this weekend.
In Norway Beitostolen, Geilo, Oppdal and Trysil are opening this weekend.
It has brought risk of avalanche and the authorities are advising caution for those heading off piste.
Eight off piste skiers were partially buried in Stubai in Austria on Thursday morning.
All survived with two needing hospital treatment for minor injuries.
See here for PlanetSKI’s updated report:
In many areas of the Alps the avalanche risk is described as ‘considerable’ – Level Three.
Here was the current risk in the Swiss Alps on Wednesday 26th November, with some areas on Level Four – ‘High’:
Image from Swiss Institute for Snow & Avalanche Research, SLF.
The danger level is decreasing as the fresh snow settles, though it remains at ‘considerable’ in many places.
Here is the current risk in Switzerland on Friday 28th November:
Image from Swiss Institute for Snow & Avalanche Research, SLF.
Another storm is forecast for the Alps this weekend, though it is not expected to bring much snow.
It has been one of the best early season periods in recent memory as we have reported on PlanetSKI:
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Our reporter Felix Milns was in the high-altitude French resort of Val Thorens last weekend as it opened with some fabulous conditions.
Felix was in the snow last Monday as the latest storm struck.
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On Wednesday it remained cold in Val Thorens: -7c in the resort at 2,300m, and -10c at the top of the ski area at 3,200m.
The resort claims 90cm of fresh snow in the latest storm and the avalanche risk was put at Level 3 (considerable) on Wednesday 26th November.
Here on PlanetSKI we will be updating this post and assessing what it means for the winter ski season.
Do check back…
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