Snow Report 14th December

14th December 2009

As temperatures are set to plummet across Europe this weekend, many of our winter trip destinations are looking set to receive a blanket of lovely fresh snow…

Resorts across France are due to open this weekend, profiting from the early snowfall.  Ax-les-Thermes in the Pyrenees has recorded temperatures of -6°C today and with snow depths between 20-50cm the tracks are ready for some great cross-country skiing and skating action.  Chamonix in the French Alps is all set for a white Christmas with 150cm snow depth being recorded on the top slopes and more snow due over the next few days (CEB | CEC trips).

After a great week of snow out in Austria and the Dolomites, almost all downhill ski lifts are now open to the public. The locals have also been waxing off their cross-country skis ready for a great season on the loipe too with 20cm and 40cm dropping in the respective valleys of Dobbiaco and Trins at the end of last week. With more snow set to fall this Wednesday and Friday and temperatures staying low, we are surely set for another excellent season of snow! Below is a webcam link of Lago di Dobbiaco, one of the cross country ski trails on cross country ski trails on CXD 

Lago di Dobbiaco webcam  

Looking further afield to Scandinavia, Norway snow has been settling steadily for several weeks now, with some ski centres open since mid November. Gaustatoppen, the area around Kvitavatn (CXK | LCK trips), has approximately 65cm of snow, Mosstrond (CXN | CNM trips), home to cross country skiing and our Norwegian Activity week, on the edge of the Hardangervidda National Park has 25cm of snow. The skiers and snowshoers currently in Rondablikk (CNK | CXR trips)  have sent back reports of great conditions and are currently enjoying 50cm of Norway's finest.

Finnish Lapland is also looking good. In Kuusamo there has already been enough snow and sub-zero temperatures to drive a car across the beautiful frozen lakes. Right now there are over 30cm of snow and temperatures are as low as –20°C during the day meaning conditions are perfect for a skidoo trip as the sun sets or a thrilling dogsledding ride.

So why be cold and snowless in the UK? Grab a warm jumper and sense of adventure and head out to one of our fantastic snowy destinations!