Northern Hemisphere Weekly Snow Roundup #328
Weekly Snow News for Northern Hemisphere, updated 20 August 2026: No lift-served outdoor skiing remains after Alpine glacier closures, marking the first such northern summer in at least 60 years.
- Northern Hemisphere: No outdoor lift-served skiing remains open for the first time in at least 60 years.
- Summer skiing: Over 400 indoor/artificial-snow venues remain available across 50 countries.
- Looking ahead: US resorts are preparing for the 2026–27 season, with snowmaking potentially starting in under 50 days.
- Forecast: Alps remain mostly sunny and warm, with only limited high-altitude snowfall expected.
Northern Hemisphere Snow Report
It is a remarkable week in world skiing, unfortunately for all the wrong reasons. As had been feared following the temporary closure of Saas-Fee and Zermatt-Cervinia's summer ski areas earlier this month, due to high temperatures at high altitudes in the Alps melting snow cover and making glacier skiing unsafe, the last area that had still been open has now joined them, and there are currently no lift-served outdoor snow ski areas open in the Northern Hemisphere. It's believed to be the first time that's happened for at least 60 years, as during previous problem periods – most recently the hot summer of 2022 and the pandemic in the years before – at least one centre managed to keep operating. All three centres do say they'll reopen as soon as conditions improve and they can. That's also the position of the Galdhøpiggen summer ski area in Norway.
For now, though, the only lift-accessed summer skiing or riding is on indoor snow or artificial-surface dry slopes, for which there are more than 400 places to choose from in around 50 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and North America – a very different picture from the limited alternative options available when summer lift-accessed glacier skiing first started in the mid-20th century.
The news isn’t all bleak. There was fresh summer snow reported above 14,000 feet (4,200m) in the US Rockies this week, and it was US resorts that were getting increasingly excited about how close the start of the 26-27 season suddenly appears. Loveland said they hope to start snowmaking in less than 50 days now, and Vail Resorts announced their expected season start dates for their ski areas, saying for Keystone it's "as soon as possible in October" – so potentially in about two months' time.
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE FORECAST
Above 3,000 m, the Alps are forecast to remain in a mostly sunny, late-August pattern, with long clear spells and only isolated afternoon rain showers on lower, warmer aspects. Overnight temperatures will dip back below freezing on the highest glaciers, helping to refreeze surfaces and slow melt. Daytime highs will stay marginal, often hovering just above 0°C at peak elevations. A few weak disturbances may bring light snow showers, mainly during colder nights or in the early mornings, but accumulations look limited. Overall, it’s a bright, stable stretch, with occasional showers and only minor high-alpine snowfall.
