Snow slope
With the start of the ski season in Southern Africa, ski areas are open on six continents simultaneously, as of this weekend.

This is partly thanks to the fact that resorts will open for their winter or summer ski seasons on five continents this weekend.

Fresh snow has also fallen or is reported to be due to fall over the weekend in the Alps, Western North America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand and south America, so it's a snowy June picture on ski slopes worldwide.

About half a dozen ski areas are still operating in each of Europe and North America (with Val d'Isere and Whistler Blackcomb due to re-open for summer glacier skiing this weekend and Mammoth pictured still open since last season) and the Gassan spring and summer ski area in Japan, Asia is also open in the northern hemisphere.

In the southern hemisphere the season began in South America early last month and also started early in Australia from June 1st at four resorts and in New Zealand at Mt Ruapehu. More Aussie, Kiwi and South American ski areas are scheduled to open over this weekend too including Mt Hutt in New Zealand, Falls Creek in New Zealand and Las Lenas in Argentina - all reporting fresh snow.

Finally Southern Africa's two spall ski areas, Afriski in Lesotho and Tiffindell in South Africa are opening this weekend too just as South African media reports "the mother of all storms" or "the storm of the decade" bringing precipitation including snow to the continent - the only one to have ski areas in both northern and southern hemispheres.