The PlanetSKI Snow Report…
2nd March 2026
Last modified on March 9th, 2026
It’s late season conditions in the Alps with some decent on piste skiing for the time of year. PlanetSKI is in France & Austria. UPDATED
Monday 9th March:
PlanetSKI’s Jane Peel has travelled across from her base for the week in St Anton in Austria with Inghams Ski to another of the ski resorts in the Arlberg – Lech.
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Heavy going on the way down to Lech, Austria, on Monday afternoon. Image © PlanetSKI
Meanwhile here’s the overall assessment for the week in the Alps from Fraser Wilkin from weathertoski.co.uk
A man who knows about these things.
“Over the next few days, many parts of the Alps will remain dry with some sunshine,” said Fraser.
“However, there will be areas of cloud drifting around, especially in the far west and south-west where some showers or flurries are possible.
“These could become more consequential for a time in the far south-west (e.g. Isola 2000, Prato Nevoso) on Monday night and Tuesday, when 5-15cm of snow is possible.
“The best of the sunshine over the next few days is likely to be found the further north-east you are.”
There are early indications that there might be some snowfall in the Alps at the end of the week, but it is too early to say so.
PlanetSKI’s editor, James Cove, will be in the French & Swiss Alps later this week, so look out for his updates.
He is currently driving out and stopping en route.
Driving to the French Alps with LeShuttle. Image © PlanetSKI
Driving to the French Alps with LeShuttle. Image © PlanetSKI
Driving to the French Alps with LeShuttle. Image © PlanetSKI
Sunday 8th March
It was sunshine and late season conditions in the Austrian resort of St Anton for PlanetSKI’s Jane Peel.
“The temperature first thing this morning was around 10 degrees Celsius in the town, which is at 1,300m altitude,” Jane said.
“It was not a surprise to find that it felt more like April up on the mountain with the first turns on hard pistes that quite quickly changed to soft spring snow.
“There’s no snow in the immediate forecast so it’ll be a case of choosing our runs carefully this week.”
St Anton, Austria, Sunday. Image © PlanetSKI
St Anton, Austria, Sunday. Image © PlanetSKI
Saturday 7th March
Clearer skies are back across the western Alps.
“Conditions are superb here in Val d’Isere,” said PlanetSKI reporter, Max Cove, who has just arrived in the French resort.
Max Cove, Val d’Isere, France. Image © PlanetSKI
“It is cold and sunny and, though the snow is hard-packed, the conditions are great overall.”
“Sadly there is no fresh powder to be found, but the heavy snow of last month means there is full coverage on most of the slopes.”
Val d’Isere, France. Image © PlanetSKI
Sand and dust from the Sahara have been hanging over parts of the Alps in the last couple of days.
It is clearing but it remains hazy in the distance in Val d’Isere.
Val d’Isere, France. Image © PlanetSKI
Here was the scene in Tignes on Friday as there was more sand and dust at altitude.
“It was sunny and warm until Thursday when Saharan dust arrived and turned the sky yellow,” said PlanetSKI reader, David Morgan, from the French resort.
Tignes, France. Image c/o David Morgan.
Tignes, France. Image c/o David Morgan.
“It’s now like April with freeze-thaw conditions.
“Much of the snow that fell a couple of weeks ago has melted, but pistes are still pretty good although softening in the afternoon.”
Here’s a post from western Switzerland from PlanetSKI reader, Valais Dude, where the sand also had an impact:
A yellow haze has settled over the 4 Valleys during the last 36 hours. Saharan sand carried in by southerly winds perhaps? pic.twitter.com/7gw7xACHD6
— Valais Dude (@ValaisDude) March 6, 2026
And lets not forget Scotland, that is having a great season so far.
PlanetSKI’s reporting team, Dianne and Rod Frazer, is out on the slopes of Glencoe:
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Meanwhile over in the USA snow is finally falling in Utah, that has seen its worst season in decades.
It has though brought danger of avalanche and the Utah Avalanche Centre is advising caution off piste in some dangerous conditions.
It has been a poor winter with low levels of snow across many of the ski resorts of the US Rockies.
Now some is also finally falling in Colorado and there will even by some in the city of Denver in Colorado.
Friday 6th March
The fine and sunny weather is continuing across the Alps with no snow in the immediate forecast.
This weekend PlanetSKI’s chief reporter, Jane Peel, is heading to St Anton in Austria so look out for her reports on the snow conditions in that part of the Alps.
While PlanetSKI editor James Cove is heading off to France and Switzerland.
He is starting off in Tignes.
Our weekly video snow report from the slopes of Tignes/Val d’Isere comes from Steve Angus.
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Wednesday 4th March
The stable weather in the Alps continues.
It has been sunny across most of the mountain range with generally mild temperatures for the time of year.
There remains plenty of good piste skiing on offer in the Alps, though fresh powder is in short supply.
Here’s a social media post from the 4 Vallees in Switzerland from one of our regular readers.
Long sunny days and a distant Matterhorn. It’s a very quiet time in the 4 Valleys resorts, with great morning skiing but things pretty slushy as the afternoon wears on pic.twitter.com/Y8wcTgTqez
— Valais Dude (@ValaisDude) March 4, 2026
Another PlanetSKI reader, Helen Gillespie, is in Grindelwald & Wengen in central Switzerland.
Grindelwald/Wengen, Switzerland. Image c/o Helen Gillespie/PlanetSKI.
Grindelwald/Wengen, Switzerland. Image c/o Helen Gillespie/PlanetSKI.
Grindelwald/Wengen, Switzerland. Image c/o Helen Gillespie/PlanetSKI.
There is no snow in the forecast for the next week or so.
But there is sand.
Pardon?
A vast plume of Saharan dust is drifting over Europe and has already reached parts of the Pyrenees and the western Alps.
It has been lifted from the deserts of North Africa and comes to Europe on warm southerly winds lifting the fine Saharan dust/sand high into the atmosphere.
There is no rain or snow forecast so it will not fall on the slopes like it does in some winters, but it has made conditions hazy in places.
It is not an unusual weather event.
Sahara sand in the Alps. Image © PlanetSKI
And lets not forget Scotland.
The PlanetSKI reporting team of Dianne and Rod Frazer has been out on the slopes of Cairngorm:
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Monday 2nd March
It is turning slightly cooler in the Alps after the high temperatures of last week, but it is still generally remaining mild for the time of year.
There are now some fabulous March conditions.
High pressure is sitting over the Alps, which means plenty of dry and fine weather this week.
Here’s Crans-Montana in Switzerland.
“The weather in the Alps will be mostly dry with plenty of sunshine,” said Fraser Wilkin from weathertoski.co.uk as the week got underway.
“There will also be some areas of cloud drifting around with a few showers or flurries here and there, again most likely in the south-west (e.g. southern Piemonte) where some more significant precipitation is possible later in the week.
“For most of the Alps, though, no significant snow is on the cards any time soon.
“Temperatures this week will be relatively mild without being excessively warm, with freezing levels typically between 2,000m and 2,600m.
“This means that while spring snow conditions will develop in places, they will be mostly confined to lower slopes or those exposed to the sun, and many north-facing slopes will stay quite firm.”
Overnight the temperature has been dropping with the clear night skies.
The Swiss Alps. Image c/o Helen Gillespie/PlanetSKI.
There remains some great on piste skiing, especially in the resorts that saw the best of the new snow in the second half of February.
One such place is Val Thorens in France:
The snow is one factor that has led to a sharp increase in bookings and interest for late-season holidays according to UK ski tour operators and holiday agents.
“Easter is early this year and is benefiting from a triple whammy of a February with very big snowfall, the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy and the early school holiday dates,” said Richard Sinclair from the ski agent, SNO.
“It is lining up to be one of the best ends to a ski season in recent years.”
If it is spring sunshine you are after then take a look at this report we have just posted from Inghams Ski:
Grindelwald, Switzerland. Image c/o PlanetSKI/Helen Gillespie.
More to follow…
Saturday 28th February
The temperature has dropped in the Alps after the warm conditions this past week.
Sadly, no snow worth talking about has fallen.
Next week will be mostly dry and mild, but not as warm as this week.
Here’s our weekly report from the Tignes/Val d’Isere ski area from Steve Angus.
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While PlanetSKI reader, David Morgan, updates us from his winter base in Tignes.
Tignes, France.Image c/o David Morgan/PlanetSKI.
“Piste, picnic and party weather!
“Sunshine and spring April like temperatures dominated the weather during the first week of the Paris fortnight.
“After the recent heavy snowfalls there is ample snow on the pistes.
“Conditions were warm enough for families to picnic by the slopes and workers took the chance to party on a sunny terrace on their days off.
“Avalanche risk levels dropped over the week but great caution is still needed off piste.
“Next week should be much quieter with continuing sunny weather.”
Tignes, France.Image c/o David Morgan/PlanetSKI.
PlanetSKI’s editor, James Cove, is passing through Tignes next week as he returns from Canada and heads out to the Alps on a month-long road trip.
Visiting some of the finest resorts across France and western Switzerland.
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