J2Ski Snow Report - February 19th 2026
J2Ski Snow Report - February 19th 2026
Published : 19-Feb-2026 17:56
Les Carroz, France, with abundant snow right now...
Huge falls across the Alps, Pyrenees and the US Pacific Coast, forcing closures and pushing avalanche danger to the maximum. Scotland, the Pyrenees and eastern North America are enjoying their best seasons in years, while Japan continues to report huge bases.
The Snow Headlines - February 19th
- Further huge snowfalls in the Alps after avalanche danger levels hit the maximum.
- Big snowfalls at last for the Western US, country's worst skier avalanche disaster occurs.
- The Pyrenees and Scotland enjoying their best season in years.
- Eastern North America's epic season continues.
- Japan still getting loads of snowfall, world's deepest base there remains at around 6 m/20 ft.
...and we're running out of snow-related superlatives! Northern French Alps currently have ridiculous amounts of snow!
And still it comes, more Snow forecast.
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World Overview
It's been one of the most dramatic weeks of heavy snowfall in the Alps, Pyrenees and along America's Pacific Coast in the many years we have been compiling these reports.
The Western Alps have just seen their biggest week of the season for snowfall, with, at the most extreme, close to 3 m/10 ft of snow falling on higher French slopes from three separate major fronts moving through. The intensity has pushed avalanche danger to the maximum rating of 5 in the Tarentaise and beyond, and forced full‑area closures in some resorts just as peak half-term week arrived.
Snow also reached western Switzerland and Italy, while further significant (if not quite so dramatic) falls spread across much of the rest of mainland Europe. The Pyrenees continued their strong winter, adding more heavy snow and now holding deeper bases than many Alpine areas after a more consistent season. Even Europe's most southerly resort, Spain's Sierra Nevada, was temporarily closed by the weight of ice weighing down lifts, and strong winds have caused further short shutdowns.
Avalanche danger is very high to exceptionally high almost everywhere.
Scotland's ski centres remain in excellent shape, all five open with most terrain available. Scandinavia stays extremely cold with limited new snow, and eastern Europe is similarly chilly but generally skiing well.
Across the Atlantic, Western North America is finally turning wintry, with colder air and major storms, especially in California which also saw the best of the last significant falls six weeks before, bringing more than a metre to the luckiest resorts. Initial reports were of up to 4 feet in 24 hours. Sadly, the US recorded its worst ever skier avalanche tragedy this week.
The US East Coast and most Canadian regions continue their solid seasons with regular snowfall and sustained cold.
Europe
Austria
After a rather dry spell with just light snowfalls, Austria has finally turned more wintry again.
Since the weekend, resorts have seen steady daily top-ups of 5–20 cm/2–8 inches, improving surface conditions despite reduced visibility under persistent cloud. Temperatures have dipped, with valley highs around +3°C and lows near –10°C.
The Arlberg, which has had more than 60 cm/24 inches of snowfall, remains the country's strongest area, offering roughly 80% of terrain, but the Skiwelt and Ischgl have only a few kilometres less terrain open.
It's looking brighter and colder going into the weekend. Although there has been less snow here than further west, authorities are warning the avalanche danger is high here too, up at level 4 on the scale to max 5.
France
It's been an epic week for snowfall in the French Alps with resorts including Chamonix, La Plagne and Les Arcs reporting their totals from the storm at the end of last week when we published last week's report had exceeded 2 metres/7 feet of snow. That pushed several centres into lockdown as the avalanche danger hit the maximum 5 of 5.
Things did calm down and the sunshine returned to end the week, but it has been snowing again since Monday, with significant falls, if not quite as huge as last week (but not far off in places). Avalanche danger level is back up to 'exceptional' and there have been further resort closures.
In the longer term there's now plenty of snow to see out the season with a growing number of resorts (so far including Chamonix, Alpe d'Huez and Les 2 Alpes) reaching 3 m/10 ft on their upper bases.
Italy
Western Italian resorts, that have (like the Pyrenees) enjoyed some of the best of the snow in Europe this winter, picked up another big dump of snowfall, boosted first by a front crossing the western Alps late last week and then by further heavy falls to start this one.
Eastern areas have been drier with long sunny spells, ideal for Olympic events, although most regions have still seen some fresh snow and freestyle events were delayed by snowfall at Livigno on Thursday.
Bases in the west now approach 3 m/10 ft, with Artesina–Mondolè Ski reporting the deepest cover.
Mostly cold, wintry weather persists through the Games, with sub-zero summit temperatures and further light to moderate snow, especially in the Dolomites.
Switzerland
It's been the snowiest week of the season to date for some resorts in western Switzerland.
Crans-Montana posted the most fresh, 1.2 m/4 ft over 72 hours, while Champéry in the Portes du Soleil added almost 1 m/3 ft in the same spell. Many resorts then enjoyed a largely bright, dry weekend, though avalanche danger stayed high.
Saas-Fee and Verbier were among areas closed on Tuesday by the high avalanche danger, Saas-Fee remaining so.
Since Monday, conditions have turned more changeable, with up to 25 cm/10 inches falling daily to refresh bases. Sub-zero temperatures continue across the country, with –8°C to –16°C at altitude. Light to moderate mid-week snowfall is expected, especially in Valais and Graubünden.
Scandinavia
Scandinavian ski regions have stayed extremely cold, dry and mostly sunny over the past week, continuing the pattern of the past six weeks. Temperatures have mostly been between –10°C and –20°C, with far northern areas dipping well into the –20s.
Most resorts are fully open, though pistes are hard-packed and powder is ever harder to find.
The outlook remains very cold with lots of sunshine, continuing at –10°C to –25°C across major Norwegian and Swedish resorts and –20°C to –30°C in Finnish Lapland, plus occasional light snow.
Pyrenees
Snow has continued to fall, once again heavily at times, across the Pyrenees, with many resorts adding another 1 m/3 feet over the past week. Several areas now hold bases above 3 m/10 ft, but the relentless snowfall is keeping avalanche danger high and causing periodic closures. Last week's storm shut several resorts including Spain's largest, Baqueira Beret, due to 100 kph/62 mph winds.
It's proving an exceptional winter for snowfall, although terrain access can be limited by it all at times.
The outlook stays mixed, with cold temperatures, regular snow showers and brighter spells between fronts.
Scotland
Scottish ski centres continue their best season in years, possibly decades. All five centres remain open and, although temperatures have warmed from frigid January, nights are well below freezing and daytime highs only a little above, so little snow has been lost.
In fact, there have been more light to moderate snowfalls over the past week, so if anything, conditions are better than seven days ago.
With the half term holidays underway it's been close to ideal, and last weekend bright, blue-sky days left centres totally full by 9am each morning. Nevis Range, recently re-opened for snowsports for the first time since 2024, has only limited terrain open so far and is opening for a few days each week around the weekend, but it plans to open more as soon as it can resurrect dormant lifts.
Eastern Europe
Ski conditions across Eastern Europe remain generally strong, with most major resorts open and offering good cover. Bulgaria's Bansko is fully open with up to 150 cm/59 inches on upper slopes, while Borovets reports a solid 110 cm/43 inches base. Slovakia's Jasná has around 90 cm/35 inches up high and the Czech Republic's Špindlerův Mlýn reports 105 cm/41 inches on upper terrain.
Slovenia and Romania continue to offer reliable mid-winter conditions, supported by regular top-ups and cold temperatures.
Many areas are operating close to full capacity, providing consistent skiing across Bulgaria, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czechia and Romania.
North America
Canada
A run of steady 5–15 cm/2–6 inches daily accumulations has delivered 25–50 cm/10–20 inches totals for the last 7 days across Western Canada, giving resorts in Alberta and BC a welcome boost after a fairly dry first six weeks of 2026, and keeping most resorts in the area close to full operation.
Quebec shifted from a bitter –25°C last weekend to milder (but still well sub-zero) days with light top-ups through the week. Ontario's Blue Mountain has the deepest base in the east at 1.1 m/4 ft, Tremblant in Quebec the most terrain open. As in the west, most resorts report 90–100% of their slopes currently skiable.
USA
At last, heavy snowfall has transformed conditions along the Pacific Coast, with California seeing up to seven feet (2 m/7 ft) of new snow this week. It's the strongest snowfall in six weeks and a welcome shift after a long spell of mild, dry weather.
Further north, Oregon and Washington have dropped to their coldest temperatures of the season. The Rockies are also finally seeing winter take hold, with a wider storm bringing up to two feet of snow here as well by week's end, though Colorado may see more modest totals. Most areas remain partly open with thin bases.
On the East Coast, steady light snow, freezing temperatures and regular top-ups are keeping slopes in good shape.
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