The PlanetSKI 2026 Snow Report
29th December 2025
Last modified on January 4th, 2026
More snow would be welcome in most of the Alps & parts of the USA. Canada remains the place to be, while the Pyrenees is looking good. UPDATED
Sunday 4th January
If ever a ski resort was misnamed…
Sunshine Village, Canada. January 2026. Image © PlanetSKI
Sunshine Village, Canada. January 2026. Image © PlanetSKI
PlanetSKI’s James Cove has been based near Sunshine Village in Canada the past few weeks and here’s his latest report as yet more snow falls:
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Finally there has been some snow in Utah, USA.
We will be updating shortly on the conditions in the Alps that James mentions in the video.
We’ll be hearing once again from the alpine weather expert, Fraser Wilkin from weathertoski.co.uk, plus some of our readers and reporters out in the mountains.
Do check back…
Saturday 3rd January
In contrast to many parts of the Alps, the Pyrenees has seen some fresh snow and has recorded the most snowfall in mainland Europe over the past week or so.
In Andorra most ski areas are fully open.
Andorra’s Grandvalira area (60/90cm) has 90% of its slopes open – 190km (120 miles).
That is more than any ski area in Austria or Italy at the moment.
Pal/Arinsal and Arcalis have 100% of their slopes open.
“Oh boy, has Andorra come good this winter!” said Duncan Gilroy from Absolutely Snow.
See more here about the UK operator: Absolutely Snow in Andorra
In Spain Baqueira Beret (40/80cm) has increased its open areas to 160km (100 miles) of runs.
The temperatures across the Pyrenees have remained cold which has preserved the snow that has fallen and allowed snow-making to continue apace.
Pal/Arinsal, Andorra. Image © PlanetSKI
More to follow…
Friday 2nd January
Some areas in the Alps have now gone over a month without fresh snowfall.
Bases remain well below average for the time of year, but the high altitude areas have managed to open 70-90% of their pistes over the all-important holiday period.
In Austria the Arlberg, that includes St Anton and Lech, remain only about half open.
St Anton, Austria.
Image © PlanetSKI
Our latest update comes from PlanetSKI reader, Helen Gillespie, who is in Val Thorens in France.
“High pressure has been sitting over Val Thorens and The Three Valleys with beautiful sunny views, and cold temperatures at elevation,” said Helen.
“However, snow coverage is sadly thin in places and riding is now a tad icy.
“Much needed snow possibly coming by the 8th.”
Val Thorens, France. Image © Helen Gillespie/PlanetSKI.
Val Thorens, France. Image © Helen Gillespie/PlanetSKI.
Val Thorens, France. Image © Helen Gillespie/PlanetSKI.
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Thursday 1st January
It’s a mostly fine but chilly day in the Alps as 2026 gets underway.
“A weak weather front will bring snow to some of the northern Alps later tomorrow and tomorrow night, heaviest in the central northern and north-eastern Swiss Alps (e.g. Engelberg, Santis) and the far western Austrian Alps (Lech, Warth-Schröcken),” said Fraser Wilkin from weathertoski.co.uk on New Year’s Day.
“Once this front moves away on Saturday morning, most of the Alps can expect several days of cold, dry and sunny weather (above any valley cloud at least).
“The first real chance of any widespread significant snow now looks to be around 9th January but, this far out, forecasts are far from certain.”
The cold temperatures have allowed the snow cannons to fire up.
Here’s PlanetSKI’s reporter in Tignes/Val d’Isere, Steve Angus:
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Wednesday 31st December
Our final PlanetSKI snow report of the year, direct from the mountains, comes from Lake Louise in Canada.
We also have an overview video of conditions across North America, the USA & Canada, at the end of today’s report.
“It has been a record-breaking winter so far in ‘Lake’, as the locals call Lake Louise,” said PlanetSKI editor, James Cove.
“What an incredible start to winter it has been.”
James Cove, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
“The huge amounts of snow in early December just kept on coming, and just over half way through the month there was the most snowfall here in a December in 75-years.
“Now, at the end of the month, it is the most snow since records began in this part of the Canadian mountains.”
PlanetSKI in the powder of Lake Louise. Image © PlanetSKI
“What is noticeable that it has mainly fallen in consistent regular quantities of 20/30cm or so of fresh snow, rather than a few huge snowstorms that have dumped but then closed large parts of the ski area,” added James.
“In short, it has been the perfect start to winter and I have most certainly been in the right place, at the right time.
“Lets hope it continues in Canada for 2026 as the team from PlanetSKI is here till mid-February.”
Heading to Lake Louise, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
Lake Louise, Canada. Wednesday 17th December. Image © PlanetSKI
Here’s his take on the current snow conditions on New Year’s Eve in Lake Louise:
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It was the final video snow report of 2025 from James – he has filed more than fifty video snow reports this year from across the Alps, North America, Turkey and Japan.
James Cove in Hakuba Valley, Japan, 2025. Image © PlanetSKI
PlanetSKI was in Lake Louise earlier in December for the opening of 200 acres of new terrain – Richardson’s Ridge:
Richardson’s Ridge opening day in Lake Louise. Image © PlanetSKI
Riding the Richardson’s Ridge Express. Image © PlanetSKI
Richardson’s Ridge, Lake Louise, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
In North America the meteorologist, Chris Tomer, shares his North America mountain snow forecast for the New Year’s Eve week.
Along with his picks for resorts with the best chance of powder days.
Happy New Year everyone, wherever you are!
Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI
We’ll see you on the other side in 2026…
Tuesday 30th December
The latest update covers conditions in the Alps as some snow may finally be on the horizon for some areas that have missed out over the past few weeks.
It is not certain, but fingers crossed.
It is currently mainly clear and sunny with colder temperatures, and some cloud in parts of Austria.
“New Year’s Eve will bring similar weather conditions with plenty of cool, dry sunny weather but a few flurries again in the far eastern Alps,” said our resident alpine weather expert, Fraser Wilkin from weathertoski.co.uk.
“Then, after a quiet and slightly milder couple of days on Thursday and Friday, the weather in the Alps will become a bit more complicated as the mass of cold arctic air to the north moves further south.
“Until recently, there was hope that this Arctic airmass would bring significant snow to parts of the Alps as it bumped up against milder air to the south.
“However, the weather models are constantly changing and this now looks less likely, at least in the short term.”
Snow conditions in the Alps are holding up with generally good skiing at altitude.
The best area for snow is the far south-western Alps, Isola 2000 & Prato Nevoso, following heavy snow last week.
For most of the Alps snow depths in the Alps are beneath the average for late December.
We’ll keep you posted…..
Do check out weathertoski.co.uk for the very latest.
The next PlanetSKI snow report, and our final one for 2025, will come from Lake Louise in Canada where record amounts of December snow have fallen.
5.2m to be precise – the most December snowfall ever recorded.
The road to Lake Louise, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
Plenty of people have been enjoying the best-ever early season conditions:
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Do check back…
Monday 29th December
PlanetSKI’s James Cove has just filed a 1-minute snow report from Banff in Canada for The Ski Podcast.
James Cove, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
It has just been broadcast in one of the final podcasts of 2025, along with several other reports from around the Alps.
Here is the contribution from James from the best place currently for snow of anywhere on the planet – the resorts of Banff in Alberta, Canada.
Oh, and he’s added a few pictures:
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At Sunshine Village last weekend many were out sampling the conditions.
It was packed at the main bottom lift with the queue snaking back to the car park.
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Once up on the slopes though, if you headed to the right places, it was pretty deserted.
With snowy pistes to dream off on Goat’s Eye.
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Sadly it is all over-shadowed by news of a fatality on Saturday in Sunshine Village when a 47 year 0ld woman died from apparent asphyxiation after falling into deep power near the Banff Avenue green run.
We have reported on the tragedy in a main news report on PlanetSKI:
Sunshine Village, Banff. Image © PlanetSKI
The victim has been identified by her brother as 47-year-old Farah Merchant from Toronto in Canada.
Sunday 28th December
In Europe it is mainly sunny in the Alps with the best snow to be found in the south-west Alps after last week’s huge snowfalls.
The snow drought over large parts of the Alps continues, though there is some in the forecast for later in the week.
Exactly how much remains to be seen – keep the snow dances going folks!
There still remains some decent piste skiing at altitude though lower down it is getting pretty sketchy in places.
For an overall assessment we turn to Fraser Wilkin from weathertoski.co.uk.
“Over the next few days, it will remain mostly sunny in the Alps but will turn much colder, especially in the north-east,” said Fraser on Sunday.
“The next significant snow is forecast for early in the New Year but there is still lots of uncertainty over the detail.
“In the meantime, snow conditions in the Alps remain mixed.
“For most of the Alps, however, snow depths are considerably below par for late December, with some reasonable pistes at higher altitudes, but increasingly worn, patchy or icy slopes in many lower areas.”
More to follow…
Saturday 27th December
In the USA some snow is finally falling 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.
Aspen saw its second-warmest Christmas on record.
Now things are slowly changing.
After a delayed start at Mt. Hood Meadows people were finally able to hit the slopes.
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
The poor snow has also combined with a fall in international visitors in the USA, which some put down to President Trump and his policies.
PlanetSKI editor, James Cove, is currently skiing in the resorts around Banff in Canada.
“I have no facts and figures at this stage but many Canadians wouldn’t dream of heading over the border into the USA after Trump’s comments and policies against Canada.
“In short it is seen as unpatriotic and anti-Canadian to visit the USA.”
📉🛬 Canadian tourists have dropped as much as 25% in one ski town this year. 😕 pic.twitter.com/J4B3TLM91M
— SnowBrains (@SnowBrains) December 27, 2025
“It is very fortunate for the ones I have spoken to who have stayed in Canada as the resorts around Banff have some of the best conditions anywhere in the world with December snow records broken,” added James.
“The Canadian conditions are in stark contract to those in the USA.”
There were big crowds at the bottom of the main lift at Sunshine Village on Sunday 28th.
Sunshine Village, Banff, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
But up top the slopes were pretty much deserted, if you know where to go.
Sunshine Village, Banff, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
For last week’s PlanetSKI snow report to see how things have been developing and to put the current conditions into context as the main part of the season gets underway, then see here:
The Wild West, Sunshine Village, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI
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