The skiing season has started well with cold snow-laden weather blanketing most of the Alps and the Dolomites. France, Austria, Switzerland and Scotland also have excellent conditions.

The Italian Dolomites lead, with Cavalese (30-150cm) benefiting from 130cm on Wednesday and Thursday, while La Thuile (70-140cm) had 70cm new snow. The SCGB described skiing in Val Gardena (50-120cm) and Cortina (40cm new) as 'fantastic'. Swiss skiing is also good. Resorts in the Bernese Oberland (15/55cm) open this weekend. St Moritz (40-150cm) is ideal on and off piste with 17 lifts operating after 40cm fresh snow. Many Austrian resorts had 10-15cm this week enabling Hintertux (20-155cm), Zell am See (20-100cm), Mayrhofen (10-50cm) and Westendorf (20-50cm) to open.

Most French resorts will be open tomorrow; Courchevel/Meribel (30-86cm) from the Saulire lift, Alpe D'Huez (30-45cm), Chamonix (20-130cm) and Les Deux Alpes (30-125cm). Tignes (48-58cm) had it all this week; 25cm fresh snow, -17C and sunshine.

Best in Scotland this weekend are Cairngorm (40-90cm), Glenshee (25-60cm) and the Lecht (30-65cm). Much of Europe expects fresh snow today, followed by a weekend of sunshine and snow showers.

Temperatures will rise next week, bringing rain to lower slopes, but the mercury will fall as next weekend arrives. The best US snowfall this week should be at Vermont (20-30cm), while Canadian Whistler expects up to 80cm.