Low temperatures across the northern hemisphere have allowed for snowmaking to operate a maximum efficiency through the world?s now hundreds of thousands of snow guns, but this has hardly been needed at many resorts where the Alps, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Scotland and both coasts of north America reporting at least a foot (30cm) of new snow in the past week and in some cases as much as 1.2 metres (four feet). In most ski areas the snow is currently still falling.

Conditions in France are continuing to improve in the Alps with most resorts reporting snow over the past few days, and this is continuing right now.

La Clusaz appears to be doing the best, posting yet another powder alarm for another 35cm (14 inches) of snow overnight this morning.  It has received the most snow in France over the past week, with 117cm (nearly 4 feet) in the past week and now has the deepest reported base in France as a result, with 1.4m (nearly five feet).

Many other major French resorts are not far behind however and conditions are currently great at most, with fresh powder on a solid base. Les Contamines Montjoie and Peisey Vallandry each have 130cm (4.3 feet) bases with La Plagne and La Rosière1850 only 5cm (2 inches) less.

Switzerland continues to top the list for powder alarms in Europe. Today Vercorin reports a remarkable 90cm (three feet) of new snow, and eight out of the top ten snowfall reports in Europe are in Switzerland.

Andermatt-Gotthard claims the most snow in the country with 2.5m (over eight feet), St Moritz has 1.8m (over 6 feet), Laax 168cm (5.6 feet) and Engelberg 165cm (5.5 feet).  After Vercorin with 1.6m (5.3 feet), Champoussin on the French border in the Portes du Soleil has had the most snow in the past week with a metre of fresh.

Austrian ski areas typically received another 20-30m (8-12 inches) of snow at the start of the week, Wilma Himmelfreundpointner of St Anton Tourism commented, “I had the pleasure to enjoy the perfectly prepared slopes and the great mountain view on Sunday and I can only say it’s a winter’s dream.”

St. Anton currently has 28 lifts opened and 68km of slopes prepared. After the powder alarm on Monday (20 cm) and 5cm of new snow so far today (Wednesday) the resort has 130cm (4.3 feet) of snow on upper slopes now and 30cm (a foot) in the valley.

Across Austria the Mölltal glacier continues to have the most snow with 230cm (7.6 feet) , the Kaunertal glacier 191cm (6.3 feet) and the Hintertux glacier 170cm (6.6 feet).

Großglockner/Heiligenblut has had the most snow in the country in the past week with 40cm (16 inches). A quarter of it falling today. Bad Kleinkirchheim had 30cm (a foot) yesterday.

It snowed all weekend In Germany. The Allgäu Alps reported the biggest snowfalls in the country, but there were many powder alarms in the central uplands, too.  Temperatures reached a low of  - 28C and immense snowfalls caused traffic chaos while hundreds of skiers and snowboarders entered the slopes in the Sauerland region and enjoyed up to 35cm (14 inches) of new snow that had fallen over the past week.

Western Canada is still receiving plenty of snow after the record falls of November. Red Mountain in British Columbia says it has received 73 cm (29 inches) of new snow since last week and Fernie 35cm (14 inches) in the past 48 hours.

Whistler continues to build its incredible base ahead of the Olympics, with healthy falls through the past seven days meaning another 1.2m (4 feet) has fallen.  Whitler’s seasaon-to-date snowfall is now already nearing 7 metres (21 feet) and its mid-mountain base 2.5m (8.3 feet).  Currently it recommends The Saddle GS course as one of the best on the mountain.

Eastern Canada is also looking good. Mont-Sainte-Anne has the largest open terrain in the Province of Quebec with 30 slopes open and nearby Stoneham Mountain Resort is following close by with 9 slopes. In total, almost 50km of slopes are available to skiers and riders, in addition to the 109km of XC trails open at the Mont-Sainte-Anne Cross-country Skiing Center.

It’s a similar picture in the US where, like in much of Europe, cold temperatures and heavy sow have brought chaos to metropolitan areas as well as plenty of snow to the ski slopes of New England in great time for Christmas and the New Year.  Whiteface mountain reports it has “a ton” of snow, most other resorts in the region are claiming several feet of new cover (30-60cm).

At Squaw Valley USA in California it just won’t stop snowing. Three weeks into December and the resort has already received 100 inches (2.5m) of snow. Days-on-end of snow accumulation have allowed resort operators to get the mountain 100% open for the Holidays.

Revelers can catch Santa and his Elf in the Village or out on the slopes, enjoying the phenomenal conditions.