Northern Hemisphere To Overtake Southern For Areas Open From This Weekend
Northern Hemisphere To Overtake Southern For Areas Open From This Weekend
Published : 07-Oct-2026 06:24
The number of ski areas open in the northern hemisphere is set to overtake the number still operating in the southern hemisphere this weekend, as more glacier centres open in the Alps whilst further resorts end their 2026 seasons in the Andes and New Zealand.
There are currently 13 ski areas still operating in Argentina, Chile and New Zealand but that number is set to drop to five at the end of the weekend with just Valle Nevado remaining open next week in the Andes, along with up to four resorts in New Zealand.
In the Northern Hemisphere, five glacier centres are open in the Alps and four in Scandinavia, most of those thanks to snow farming. That number is expected to reach at least 11 on Saturday as two more Austrian glaciers at Solden (opening on Friday) and the Kitzsteinhorn (above Kaprun), opening on Saturday, join them.
In terms of conditions, the southern hemisphere is still seeing more snowfall as spring progresses there. Portillo, which ends its extended ski season this weekend, reported a 25cm accumulation earlier this week. In the Alps the wait continues for a significant snowfall but the forecast is looking more promising and most glaciers have reported a dusting of snow in the last 24 hours. The Val Senales glacier is pictured above yesterday.
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