By Friday, some snow had finally fallen in most countries, but the picture remained very patchy. Zermatt, in Switzerland, had bumper snowfalls, but many top resorts, particularly in France, remain closed. If you have booked a holiday for the next couple of weeks, keep your eyes glued to the snow reports and check regularly to see if your resort is open.

France
Many resorts that had decent conditions this time last year have still not started a single lift. Chamonix has very little snow and the local tourist office predicts no lifts will open before 23 December. Some snow is expected there this weekend, but not enough to bring forward the opening. Argentiere is not yet open either, nor are La Tania, Les Arcs or Flaine - which has postponed its opening that was planned for yesterday. All of the Portes du Soleil area resorts are closed. They were due to open this weekend, but now plan to open next weekend so long as it snows (Avoriaz looks definite to open by then). Courchevel, La Plagne and a small area of Meribel are due to open today. Despite the stubborn season elsewhere, there is some decent skiing to be found on Alpe d’Huez ’s upper slopes, and Val Thorens where skiers can make it back down to the village - both received 20cms of fresh snow in 24 hours last week. Glacier skiing in Val d’Isere and Tignes is available and has been improved by the recent snow.

Switzerland

New snow fell across the country last week giving all the open resorts a boost of around 20cms. St Moritz opened with packed conditions, and there was powder skiing on the fresh 30cms that fell in Laax. Zermatt has 26 lifts open, and there’s a whopping 120cms at the top, though it’s not yet possible to ski back to the village. Saas Fee is also open, including the board park but not its half pipe and there’s skiing on groomed runs in Davos, Verbier and Klosters. Grindelwald and Wengen were due to open this weekend, but had no new snow at time of going to press so this may be delayed. Crans Montana and Murren are still closed, as are the Swiss Portes du Soleil resorts, though Morgins at least should open next weekend.

Austria

A little snow fell across the country last week, and quite a lot of resorts are open. Ischgl has 17 runs open and there’s decent snow. Kaprun ’s upper runs are open, Hintertux has 80cms of icy, packed snow at the top and 10 out of 35 lifts are running in Solden. There’s limited skiing in Mayrhofen and Obergurgl. St Anton was due to open last Friday, but the opening has been postponed indefi nitely until snow arrives. Zell Am See and Kitzbuhel are also closed.

Italy

Up to 10cms fell last week in some places, but many resorts remain closed. In the Aosta Valley, the Champoluc tourist office was praying for snow. The resort usually opens in the first week of December but there is still no snow, and temperatures are not low enough to use the artificial snow cannons. The tourist office is advising its visitors to go walking instead and said it could not predict then they might be able to ski. The best conditions in Italy are in Cervinia where there is over a metre on upper runs.

USA

As Europe struggles, America has had another great opening. There is snow in most resorts, with mainly packed conditions, though there’s some powder in Vail (65cms of snow in total at the top) and Timberline (180cms at the top). There’s great sunny weather in Breckenridge, Heavenly, Aspen, Mammoth and Jackson Hole, which have good conditions for this time of year on well-groomed pistes.

Canada

There are excellent conditions in western resorts. Whistler (168 cms at the top), Kicking Horse (145cms) and Big White (101cms) have the best snow, also decent conditions in Sun Peaks and Banff , though Fernie hasn’t opened yet.

The rest

Geilo and Are are open with a little fresh snow, but none of the resorts in Andorra are open yet. Data courtesy of the Ski Club of Great Britain, for daily snow reports see
www.skiclub.co.uk.