Up To 1m (40") Of Snowfall in 48 Hours in SW Europe

Ski areas in The Pyrenees and the Southwestern Alps are celebrating after a big snowfall has brought deep cover to the region.

Whilst large parts of the alps have not had any snow for three weeks and some not since November, this is the second successive week that a front has brought fresh snow to the continent's southwest corner, this time heavier than last.

With snow still falling, ski areas in the Pyrenees have reported up to 60cm (two feet) of snow so far and those in the southern French Alps such as Isola 2000 up to 40cm (16").

However the biggest falls have been reported in the southwestern Italian Piedmont region with Prato Nevoso in the Mondole ski region closing in ion a metre of snowfall since Sunday.

So far the snowfall has not moved as far north or west as earlier forecasts had projected but larger ski areas further north and west including Cervinia, la Plagne, Montgenevre and Zermatt have posted 5-16cm (2-6") of new snow.