Northern Hemisphere Weekly Snow Roundup #324
Weekly Snow News for Northern Hemisphere, updated 23 July 2026: Saas-Fee launches the 2026–27 season as Europe’s first opener, while North America’s last lift-served skiing ends and glacier terrain continues shrinking.
- Europe: Saas-Fee has opened for the 2026–27 season, with Zermatt and Passo Stelvio also skiing.
- Alps: Warm weather is limiting terrain, with only light snowfall in the forecast.
- Scandinavia: Norway's Galdhøpiggen Glacier remains fully open despite midsummer conditions.
- North America: Timberline has closed, leaving only Copper Mountain's hike-to park and Big Snow indoor skiing open.
EUROPE REPORT
Switzerland’s Saas‑Fee has become the first area to begin operations for 2026–27, with the Allalin 2 and 3 T‑bars spinning on Saturday despite 20 °C temperatures at 1,800 m. Two other glacier centres remain open in the Alps: Zermatt’s Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (0/100cm / 0/40”) (also reached from Cervinia), and Italy’s Passo Stelvio (0/150cm / 0/60”). Zermatt now has the most terrain open, around 14km (9 miles) of slopes after Hintertux dropped from 24km (15 miles) of slopes open a few weeks ago to 7km (4.5 miles) now.
The freezing level has dipped slightly to around 3,000 m overnight, bringing a few centimetres of new snow, but daytime warmth continues to push it back toward 4,000 m, keeping surfaces soft and limiting terrain. The formerly year-round centre of Hintertux (0/45cm / 0/18”) in Austria has begun its 6-10 week period of closure, which looks set to be its new normal. It ended its 25-26 season last Sunday.
In Scandinavia, Norway’s Galdhøpiggen Glacier is still operating with all slopes skiable. Light snow showers and overnight lows near –5 °C have helped preserve cover, though daytime highs around +10 °C underline the midsummer conditions.
EUROPE FORECAST
A settled, mostly warm pattern is expected to dominate the weather in the European Alps, with only isolated light high‑altitude snowfalls. Zermatt and Saas‑Fee show light showers possible but mostly freeze–thaw conditions, bright spells, and no meaningful new snow expected. Passo Stelvio is the warmest of the group, with highs 21–23 °C and sunny to partly sunny skies through 24–28 July, plus only brief showers later. Farther north, Galdhøpiggen in Norway stays cool and mostly dry, with occasional cloud but no significant snowfall indicated.
NORTH AMERICA REPORT
Timberline in Oregon, the last lift‑served outdoor skiing option in North America for 2025–26, closed last weekend. Formerly operating until early September, then in recent years to mid-August, its early closure follows the poor snowfall winter in the western US. With Timberline now closed, only Copper Mountain’s hike‑to summer terrain park remains available for outdoor freestyle skiing in the United States. It remains open to the public from Thursdays to Sundays.
Indoor skiing continues at Big Snow in New Jersey, offering a year‑round alternative as the continent transitions fully into its off‑season. Big Snow is located right next to the stadium that hosted World Cup matches, including the final last Sunday and was closed for each match day due to the crowds going to the soccer, but that's all behind us now.
NORTH AMERICA FORECAST
Copper Mountain’s hike‑to summer terrain park stays in a warm, dry pattern. Expect overnight lows in the upper‑30s °F with afternoon highs in the mid‑50s °F, light winds, and strong sun. Snow surfaces start firm early, softening quickly by late morning. No new snowfall is indicated, so conditions remain consistently spring‑like.
