Global Weekly Snow Roundup #335

• New Zealand has the most centres open in the world, with six still open as the season winds down.
• 26-27 Ski season underway in Finland and Sweden.
• Number of ski areas open in the Northern Hemisphere climbs above 10 at weekend.
• First snowfall on Japanese peaks.
• Valle Nevado set to be last area open in South America after the weekend. Extends season to 8 November.
• Saas-Fee and Hintertux restarts 26-27 seasons.

We are fast approaching that time of the year when the number of centres open in the northern hemisphere overtakes the number in the southern. In fact, we briefly jumped from two open to double figures for the northern hemisphere at the weekend after resorts opened in Scandinavia, Alpine glaciers and briefly thanks to snowfarming for weekend events in Colorado and Wisconsin (pictured top and below at Trollhaugen) in the US. The numbers open in the southern hemisphere meanwhile have been dropping as the 2026 season reaches its end. This coming weekend looks set to be that seasonal turning point.

Southern Hemisphere ski conditions reflect a late‑season mix of spring warmth and lingering winter. About 12 ski areas are open in the Andes and New Zealand. The latter leads with six areas still open, though several finish Sunday. Recent weather delivered snow showers, wind and sunny slushy laps, with South Island terrain holding firm and North Island bases more limited. Argentina has seen unsettled weather with rain, sleet and occasional high‑elevation snow; most centres have closed, leaving Catedral operating with reduced terrain. Chile remains surprisingly wintry, with sub‑zero nights, intermittent snowfall and deep snowpacks. Four areas are open for now, but Valle Nevado looks set to be the last to continue, especially as it just announced it will be continuing to the historically late date of 8th November!

In the Northern Hemisphere, we had 10 areas open last weekend, kind of, as two more Alpine glaciers opened, taking the total to five; the first areas opened for 26-27 in Finland and Sweden, thanks to snowfarming, joining the only glacier area open there. That took Europe's total up to nine, and two ski areas in the US had a weekend open with farmed snow, as mentioned.

Alas, there's yet to be a big snowfall in the Alps, and daytime highs on glaciers have still been getting above freezing. Overnight lows are regularly subzero, however, and the freezing point has been dropping as low as 2500m for the first time in almost six months, so things are gradually moving in the right direction and snowfall has been reported above 2,000m over the last few days.