Alpine snowfall has continued, the heaviest being in Switzerland and western Italy. The off-piste avalanche risk will reduce, allowing more terrain to open for skiing. Scottish resorts have suffered this week as a result of rain and high winds. Colorado (US) and Big Sky (Montana) received 30cm of new snow.

Swiss Crans Montana (150-180cm) has 70cm of fresh powder with 11 lifts operating while Saas Fee (71-345cm) leads Switzerland in snow depth on the upper slope. Lower resorts such as Engelberg (45-210cm) and Arosa (80-110cm) had rain on lower slopes.

Slopes in Italy's Cervinia (170-270cm) are superb, reports the Ski Club of Great Britain. Austrian Kaprun (50-200cm), Flachau (90-115cm) and Lech/Zuers (130-170cm) all have at least 50cm of new snow. Igls (10-50cm) should open today.

Conditions are ideal in the French Alps with high-season depths and blue skies in Tignes (160-243cm), Alpe d'Huez (119-210cm) and Les Deux Alpes (40-180cm). It was still snowing yesterday in Flaine (62-230cm) and La Plagne (150-290cm), but should stop today.

The eastern and western US expect snow over Christmas. In western Canada there will be heavy fresh snowfall (up to 107cm in Whistler) until the New Year. Current snowfall may turn to rain in some resorts such as Austrian Kitzbuehel. It will cease completely in France, shortly followed by the rest of the Alps, to give ideal sunny skiing on fresh snow for the Christmas holiday.