Excited by the early media coverage and tour operator promotions for the coming winter and can’t wait to get on the snow? Well the good news is that snow is already blanketing the Alps and www.skiinfo.com has reported more than 20 European ski resorts are ALREADY OPEN for winter 2008-9. The Skiinfo powder alarm service has been alerting skiers and boarders by email to falls of up to 70cm through October, with more heavy snow over the past few days which is currently continuing to fall.

In Switzerland Glacier 3000, above Les Diablerets and Gstaad in Switzerland, has opened, joining year round Zermatt, as well as Engelberg which is running gear test weekends through November, and Saas Fee. Saas Fee reported a foot (30cm) of fresh snow yesterday on the glacier with 10cm (four inches) of snow even down in the resort 1,800m below ahead of staging World Cup snowboarding competition this weekend.

Glacier 3000 has a six month ski season through to May 3rd next year. Currently, the Dôme ski lift at Glacier 3000 is open and parts of the Snow Park are available to skiers and snowboarders. Depending on snow conditions, the rest of the 10 installations and 25 km of ski runs will be made available. The Snow Park is also open with several Lines (small, medium, large) with tables and rails, as well as the Big Mama is also ready for use.

In France, Tignes remains the only ski area open daily, as it has been since September. www.Skiinfo.com reports base depths on the glacier have reached 155cm at the time of compilation with another 10cm (four inches) added today and more falling.

Austria offers the widest choice of ski areas open with the Dachstein, Kaprun, Kaunertal, Pitztal, Solden, Stubai and Tux glaciers all open and all currently receiving heavy snowfalls.

In Italy Passo Stelvio and Val Senales are open. Val Senales reported 20cm (eight inches) of fresh snow today (Thursday 30th October) doubling its base. The area is running Rossignol Demo Tour test weekends over November 8th/9tth and 15th/16th.

Scandinavia is traditionally the continent’s leader for early season skiing thanks to the northerly latitude. The Folgefonn Glacier that has been open all summer and has reported heavy snow over the past few days will be joined by Kvitfjell, Skeikampen and Gaustablikk this Saturday, November 1st, and then internationally better known Geilo on November 7th. Ål, Trysil and Gålå open ion November 8th and the country’s best known resort, Hemsedal on November 14th.

Visit www.skiinfo.com to sign up for powder alarms from your favourite resorts, check current snow conditions and projected snowfalls with snow finder as well as exchange news and views in the Skier’ Lounge.

For the current top five snow depths in countries across Europe please see: www.skiinfo.com/Snowreport-Europe-Top-5-1716-en.jhtml