Global Weekly Snow Roundup #319

The southern hemisphere’s 2026 season is slowly starting to pick up pace with southern Africa’s season kicking off last weekend at Lesotho’s Afriski just as heavy snowfall hit the Andes, leading ski areas in Argentina and Chile to confirm their plans to open for 2026 from this weekend, with one already open.

At the same time, after more than a month of unfavourable conditions for New Zealand, which led ski areas there to delay their season starts planned last weekend to this week, it has also finally turned wintery there too, with temperatures dropping and precipitation bringing hill snow to the country's mountains. That said, the snowfall was not as much as hoped and a forecast warm, wet spell this weekend has led some to announce further delays.

However, after Africa's and South America's seasons started, joining Australia, the last centre open in Asia, Japan's Gassan summer ski centre, ended its 2026 season after two months, which saw its initial nearly 9m (30 feet) base largely thaw away almost a month earlier than usual.  The number open in Scandinavia is also set to drop from 3 to 1 after this coming weekend.

In total around 10 ski areas remain open in Europe and North America, though, with two more – Tignes in France and Banff Sunshine in Canada – expected to reopen for summer skiing and boarding from the coming weekend.