After one of the worst years on record in terms of snowfall, snow is finally falling over the mountain skiing resorts of the Alps.
This winter season has been marked by a distinct lack of snow, crippling the mountain tourist economy as tourists cancel or shorten their trips. The new snowfall has been brought in by a large frontal system moving in from the west, dumping up to 75cm of the white stuff down as low as 800m.
Typically the Alp resorts can rely on good snowfall but there has been a trend for less snowfall in recent years, which has been seen by many observers as a sure-sign of global warming. Worries persist that the winter skiing resorts will be decimated if the traditional Christmas skiing trip is no longer possible due to a lack of snow.