The PlanetSKI Xmas Snow Report
20th December 2025
Last modified on December 29th, 2025
Heavy snow fell in the far south west as Christmas week got underway, but most of the Alps remains dry. Check out the latest PlanetSKI snow report from Europe & North America. UPDATED
Saturday 27th December
Some snow is finally falling in the USA after a poor start to winter across many of the main resorts in the western USA.
Resorts have had to delay openings as little natural snow has fallen and December has seen unseasonably warm temperatures.
Most have been able to open some terrain over the Xmas period.
“While natural snow has been slow to fall this year, our operations teams have been working hard around the clock to get the best possible product ready for the holiday season,” said the Breckenridge and Keystone communications manager, Sarah McLear.
Most ski resorts only had a fraction of the amount of terrain open over Xmas compared to past seasons:
- Breckenridge in Colorado had 550 acres of terrain open – 19% of its total.
- Aspen-Snowmass had about 1,170 acres of skiing open 21% of its total.
- Arapahoe Basin had 11% open
- Keystone had 16% open
- Vail had less than 10% open
- Steamboat Resort had 9% open
- Beaver Creek had 10% open
Many resorts warned of “variable conditions” and a thin base coverage.
Now things are slowly changing.
After a delayed start Mt. Hood Meadows was finally able to hit the slopes this week.
It was the latest start to the ski season at the resort in more than 30 years.
In Mammoth Mountain in California two ski patrollers were caught in an avalanche as they worked to secure the slopes after heavy snowfall.
They were conducting avalanche mitigation work after more than 5 feet of snow fell at the resort in three days.
“One patroller sustained serious injuries and is being transported out of the area for further care, the second patroller is being evaluated with possible broken bones,” Mammoth Mountain said.
There was a Level 3 risk at the time meaning there was ‘considerable’ threat.
Mammoth Mountain. Image © PlanetSKI
More to follow…
Friday 26th December
In the Alps the place to be for fresh snow is the south west area, where more than 1.5 m has fallen in places this week.
Here’s a video from Prato Nevoso in Italy:
The current views of the snow depths in the Italian alps at the moment. Always a good idea to clear snow off a roof so it doesn’t fall off during driving and hit another windscreen. #Snow #Severeweather #extremeweather pic.twitter.com/3hRo3b5hbr
— WEATHER/ METEO WORLD (@StormchaserUKEU) December 26, 2025
See lower down this blog for full details of the recent snow.
In many other areas in the Alps the snow drought is into its third week, though piste conditions remain decent enough at altitude.
Lower down the runs are somewhat threadbare, especially with the large number of people out on the slopes over Xmas.
In general there remains below average snow depths for late December.
Here’s PlanetSKI’s Steve Angus from Tignes/Val d’Isere.
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PlanetSKI is out in the powder of Lake Louse, Canada, where there’s been yet another top of Xmas snow.
It is officially the snowiest start to winter in Lake Louise for 75 years.
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In the resorts around Banff (Lake Louise, Sunshine Village, Mt Norquay) more snow is in the forecast for the New Year period.
In the Alps it’s a different story.
Here’s a look-ahead at conditions in the Alps from weathertoski.co.uk:
“For those wondering when the northern Alps will next see any significant snow, there is some hope that storms may come down from the north around or early in the New Year, though it currently remains uncertain as to just how much snow can be expected.”
Keep the snow dances going folks!
More to follow…
Wednesday 24th December:
There are some mixed snow conditions across the mountains of Europe and North America over Xmas.
There is fabulous snow in parts of the SW Alps and some areas in Canada, but otherwise it is below par across many other areas.
In the Alps the place to be for fresh snow are the Italian areas of Prato Nevoso and Limone Piemonte, where at least 1m has already fallen this week with perhaps another 50cm by the end of Boxing Day on Thursday.
Weathertoski.co.uk predicts that Isola 2000, the Queyras, Sestriere, Prali, Cervinia, Zermatt, Saas-Fee and the Monte Rosa region should pick up 10-30cm, while the Dolomites should see 5-15cm.
Elsewhere in the Alps the snow drought continues across Xmas and snow levels are generally below average for the time of year.
There remains some decent piste conditions at altitude in many resorts in the Alps after the significant early season snow back in November, but more snow is needed.
Les Menuires, France. Image © PlanetSKI
Lower down it is bleak in places.
St Anton, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI
In North America the places to be are undoubtedly the resorts around Banff in Alberta – in particular Lake Louise and Sunshine Village.
PlanetSKI in the powder of Lake Louise. Image © PlanetSKI
The Wild West, Sunshine Village, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
Revelstoke in British Columbia and Marmott Basin in Alberta are also doing well.
PlanetSKI has been enjoying the record-breaking conditions in Canada and is there until the end of February.
See here for more on current conditions in Canada and our rolling blog on our adventures in Canada:
Further south in the USA it has been a pretty dismal winter so far in many resorts, with warm temperatures and precious little snow.
The situation is changing with some snow finally falling and more in the forecast, but there is a long way to go to get winter back on track in the west of the USA.
We will have a more detailed report on conditions in the USA once the latest storms have passed.
The resorts in the east of the USA have had a very decent start to winter and are set for a good Xmas and New Year.
Do check back for PlanetSKI updates over the festive period….and a very Happy Xmas from the team at PlanetSKI.
Xmas lights in Banff & Canmore. Image © PlanetSKI
Monday 22nd December:
It’s good news if you’re in skiing in the far south-western Alps this Christmas week.
Heavy snow is falling across the region and likely to continue in some places – such as Isola 2000 – until Thursday.
It’s not so good elsewhere in the Alps, however, with little or no snow in the forecast to follow what has been a long, dry spell.
Fraser Wilkin of WeathertoSki.co.uk says as much as 1 metre could have fallen by Thursday in the southern Piedmont and around 50-70cm in Isola 2000.
Some other southern French resorts, especially those close to the Italian border, are also going to see some welcome top-ups.
These include Sestriere (10-20cm) and Prali (40-50cm).
“For most other parts of the Alps, there will be little if any snow over the next few days,” Fraser said on Monday 22nd December.
“Only on Wednesday night could we see any snow showers in the far south-west becoming a bit more widespread, but these will still mostly be contained to the southern Alps, with the north (eg Avoriaz, Verbier, Engelberg, St Anton) remaining mostly dry.
“Anyone looking for relief for the northern Alps (or indeed most of the Alps away from the south-west) will need to wait until the end of the year at least, at which point some weather models are indicating that there could be some heavy snow on its way. It is far too early to be sure at this stage, however.”
Even if you’re in one of the dry areas you, then as long as you’re at high altitude, you should still find some good conditions on piste.
Sunday 21st December
As promised here is PlanetSKI’s general look at overall snow conditions in North America as the season gets underway.
Most of the main areas in the west of the USA have seen a very poor start to the season.
Ski areas in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho and California have had a start they would rather forget.
Precious little snow and warm temperatures.
Delayed openings, and then poor snow when things finally did get going.
Here’s Park City in Utah – the US state that claims to have ‘The Greatest Snow on Earth’ and has even trademarked the phrase.
Er?
However, things seem to be finally improving with some much needed snow falling and more in the forecast.
Resorts in the east of the USA though have done well with areas in Maine and New Hampshire reporting good Xmas conditions.
Vermont’s Killington Resort and Pico Mountain have about 100 trails open for “by far the best conditions I have ever seen for this time of year,” said resort spokesman Josh Reed.
Back in the west USA the resort of Brundage Mountain in Idaho is typical of many of the smaller ski areas in the western USA.
It opened with optimism in November, but then had to close as conditions deteriorated.
“Skiers and snowboarders eager to get back on the snow have another chance this weekend, as Brundage Mountain Resort has reopened on Saturday December 20th, with the Easy Street Triple chairlift spinning,” said the resort to PlanetSKI.
“If snowfall and snow levels cooperate, additional lifts and terrain could open during the weekend.”
In Canada the resorts around Banff in Alberta have been the polar opposite – the best conditions of anywhere in the world with record breaking snowfall.
Many skiers from the USA are in the area – partly due to a favourable exchange rate ,and partly due to the more than favourable snow.
Lake Louise, Canada. Wednesday 17th December. Image © PlanetSKI
It has been poor in Whistler in British Columbia so far, with rain rather than snow.
The resort has also seen very long lift queues for the terrain that is open.
Things are set to improve in Whistler with snow and colder temperatures forecast over the next few days in the run up to Xmas.
And where is PlanetSKI in North America?
Sunshine Village, Banff. Image © PlanetSKI
We are delighted to report (and we’re trying not to be too smug about it), that we are in the resorts around Banff – Lake Louise, Sunshine Village and Mt Norquay.
THE best place to be skiing anywhere in the world right now.
No ‘probably’ about it.
Sunshine Village, Banff. Image © PlanetSKI
Right place, right time.
On Sunday 21st December, we headed for another day in the powder of Lake Louise.
The road to Lake Louise. Image © PlanetSKI
The road to Lake Louise. Image © PlanetSKI
Another amazing day in Lake Louise for James Cove and the PlanetSKI team.
There was the usual charge for fresh tracks as the lifts opened.
PlanetSKI heads to the powder of Lake Louise. Image © PlanetSKI
But there was no need as powder was once again in plentiful supply.
PlanetSKI in the powder of Lake Louise. Image © PlanetSKI
PlanetSKI in the powder of Lake Louise. Image © PlanetSKI
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Other resorts in Canada including Kicking Horse, Marmot Basin and Revelstoke got off to a slow start to winter but that has changed, with all three resorts reporting good Xmas snow.
Kicking Horse has now had over 3m of snow so far this season.
PlanetSKI will be visiting all three areas in the New Year as we continue our Canadian adventures and take to the road:
Watch this space….
Saturday 20th December
The resorts are filling up fast as the first main holiday week of winter gets underway.
It has been mild in the Alps, but the huge snowfalls in the north and western Alps a few weeks ago have set things up nicely in many places for the festive season.
Off piste is limited but many of the high-altitude French resorts that are popular with the British over the Xmas period have good piste skiing.
The snow depth is about 1m at 2,000m in many popular French resorts.
More snow is always welcome, but overall it is a solid enough start to the season.
The place for fresh snow is the southern Alps that could receive more than 30cm in places by Monday as a big storm is set to hit.
Some forecast up to 1m in places.
“Over the next few days, rain or snow showers will continue to affect the south-western Alps,”said our resident alpine weather expert, Fraser Wilkin from weathertoski.co.uk.
“The rain/snow limit will also drop over the weekend, with snow falling to 1,000m or lower by the end of Sunday.
“Regions that may see some useful snow over the next few days include the Milky Way (e.g. Sestriere), the Monte Rosa region (e.g. Alagna) and, to a lesser extent, Zermatt, Saas-Fee and possibly even Val Cenis, Val d’Isère and Tignes.
“The northern and eastern Alps will generally miss out, although it should turn colder everywhere next week.”
PlanetSKI reader, Helen Gillespie, has been in St Anton in Austria this past week.
There are decent enough pre-Xmas conditions at the top of the resort, but lower down there are bare patches.
St Anton, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI
Resort runs remain open.
St Anton, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI
Further afield in the Arlberg area it is similar.
Decent enough for early season, but more snow would be very welcome.
Lech, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI
Lech, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI
Lech, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI
Lech, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI
The Xmas crowds have yet arrive, so securing a table is a straight forward affair.
Lech, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI
Lech, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI
More to follow…
Friday 19th December
We start today in Canada where the resorts around Banff probably have the best conditions of any ski area in the world right now.
December records continue to be broken, though it is chilly at -10c.
PlanetSKI editor, James Cove, is in Sunshine Village.
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James wasn’t the only one getting into the Xmas spirit in Sunshine Village.
Sunshine Village, Banff. Image © PlanetSKI
Up the mountain there was evidence of the huge amounts of snow that have fallen so far this winter.
Sunshine Village, Banff. Image © PlanetSKI
Sunshine Village, Banff. Image © PlanetSKI
Back in the Alps it has been mild though some of the major resorts and ski areas in France and Switzerland can rely on the heavy snow from a few weeks ago.
PlanetSKI reader, Vanessa Fisher, is in Les Menuires in Les3Vallees in France with friends and family.
Les Menuires, France. Image © PlanetSKI
“It’s the last Friday before Christmas and Les Menuires definitely feels like there is an influx of locals up to the village for the festive few days ahead.
“Today’s weather started glorious with blue skies but there were signs of some weather over Mont Blanc in the distance.
“Locals say it won’t bring the much needed snow but thanks to the huge dump of a few weeks back, the piste bashers are doing an incredible job of moving snow to where it is needed.
It’s possible to ski all the way to Saint Martin de Belleville at 1450m , to Meribel Village at 1400m but we’ve yet to test the runs down to La Tania, another local friend said there is less snow on the Courchevel side.
“The run from the top of Saulire down to Meribel Village was fast and brilliant.”
Les Menuires, France. Image © PlanetSKI
“La Masse side of Les Menuires has been stunning in the morning sunshine, and sitting at La Loy restaurant in the sunshine just above Saint Martin, it felt like spring today.
“Once the sun goes down mid afternoon, the chill reminds you it is still early season.
“Most of the lifts are open with the few closed ones, scheduled to open this weekend.
“For anyone heading out to Les Menuires for Christmas or New Year, there is plenty of great piste skiing and lovely chalky firm snow off piste.
“I’m off to sing some carols in the church in Saint Martin this weekend, and maybe pray for some more snow!”
Les Menuires, France. Image © PlanetSKI
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