Heavy snowfall open Alpine ski resorts a month early - Over 3 metres (10 feet) has fallen in parts this week

Ben Clatworthy
The Times
Sat, 03 Nov 2018 12:37 UTC

While much of Europe has been basking in the warm afterglow of summer, winter has arrived unexpectedly early in the Alps in this year of freakish weather. Thanks to two giant snowstorms, the tills are already ringing merrily in some ski resorts, more than a month ahead of schedule.

Yesterday Verbier in Switzerland was able to open a handful of slopes for ardent skiers in what is believed to be the earliest start to the season. More than three metres of snow has fallen in parts of the southern Swiss Alps and northern Italian Alps this week.

More than 60cm fell in Verbier. "The Indian summer has ended and [given] way to winter," Téléverbier, the ski lift company, said.

Comment: See in addition: World snow wrap: Winter kicks off early in the Northern Hemisphere

Then view these reports from 2 countries in North Africa which were not mentioned in the linked article immediately above:

Early snowfall blankets Ifrane, Morocco to a depth of 30 centimeters (almost one foot)

Heavy snowfall in Algeria