Posted on 09 March 2017
Most ski resorts open their doors for the winter ski season in mid-December that is, as long as snow conditions are favourable. The high altitude ski resorts open earlier and close later than ski resorts of a lower altitude. Therefore, the high altitude ski resorts enjoy a longer season with assured snowy slopes.
The high altitude ski resorts include:
Val d’Isère – Tignes – Top Station is 3,450 m
Alpe d’Huez – Top Station is 3,330 m
Chamonix – Top Station is 3,300m
The high altitude resorts are open by the last week of November or the first week in December. These resorts also close later than most, in the last week of April or first week in May.
You can sign up to receive the latest snow conditions to your email, this is a great service to use when you’re heading off to your ski destination. Snow forecasts can usually be predicted up to twelve days in advance. Let’s not forget, ski resorts have umpteen snow cannons to assist with snow making, so don’t despair if you’re at a lower altitude resort and there is only light snowfall.
What to look out for when checking the snow forecasts in the resorts:
General Forecast
Snow fall – usually reported in cm and will indicate, light snowfall, snowfall or heavy snowfall.
Snow storms
Freezing levels
Fog
Cloud
Wind
Air Temperature
Sunshine
Forecast maps
Weather at the top lift
Weather at mid mountain
Weather at the bottom lift
Good piste conditions
Latest powder reports
New snow reports
Snow depth at the top lift
Snow depth at the base
Fresh snow depth
How many days since last snow?
Is the resort fully open?
Are the resort runs open?
The skiing weather and snow forecasts give a huge amount of information you can use, and if you intend to invest in a ski property for sale in the French Alps, the combined information will help you enormously.