When Europe's ski resorts will be opened and why the 2023/2024 season is already being hailed as one of the best in decades

This year's ski season may start early, as resorts across Europe have experienced heavy snowfall. After the warm weather last month, the first weeks of November saw a cold snap and heavy snow in the Alps.

This is reported by EuroNews. More than a meter of snow fell on some slopes and this is just the beginning.

According to Ski Solutions, a "winter fairy tale" is expected next week with up to half a meter of snow forecast for Alpine destinations. "The last two weeks have seen heavy snowfall in the Alps. Now, on the upper slopes, the snow cover reaches more than a meter," said managing director Ian McLeod to Travel Weekly.

"It will provide a solid foundation for the winter ahead, and with much more snow expected, it will be one of the best starts to a winter ski season I can remember," he explained. According to him, such conditions have led to a surge in bookings.

When will the 2023 ski season start in Europe?

Due to the thick snow on the slopes, several ski resorts have postponed their opening dates.

Although the slopes of France are not yet covered with a snowy layer, the famous resorts of Tignes and Val Thorens announced the opening a week earlier than expected - on November 18. In Tignes, 1300 meters of slopes will be available for skiing.

In Austria, Kitzbühel  was opened two weeks earlier, as did Sölden, where skiers can enjoy 60 kilometers of vertical runs.

In Switzerland, nine zones have  been already opened, including Davos, Zermatt and Verbier, the latter of which opened three weeks earlier.

Over the past week, almost one meter of snow has fallen on Italian ski resorts. One of them, Madonna di Campiglio, postponed its opening day a week to November 18.

European ski resorts suffer from climate change

The heavy snowfall has been a blessing for European ski resorts that are suffering from global warming. Some ski centers located at low altitudes were forced to close due to the lack of snow.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA told about the closure of the famous ski resort of La Sambouille in France. Why it happened - read in our material.

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