January in Austria offered many days of dry and sunny weather this year. During last week, Austria experienced temperatures as high as +10°C in many alpine valleys. Despite the warm weather and lack of snow, most ski resorts have remained open; 185 of them are still operating, while 14 are closed.

However, not all resorts have all lift systems running, and they often need to use artificial snow to provide guests with their desired experience.

Even though most ski resorts have chosen to remain open this winter, experts say that the climate crisis means trouble is ahead for the European skiing industry. According to Climate Foresight, impacts from climate change are expected to be more significant on European Alpine tourism than in other areas of the world. 

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It is predicted that 25 percent of European ski resorts will experience scarce snow every other year with a 2C increase in global heating.

How can I check the snow conditions?

There are a few resources for winter enthusiasts to ensure enough snow to enjoy their trip.

On the snow forecast page, you can read about current snow conditions in different ski resorts all over Austria. It is up-to-date and shows snow reports daily. You can search for any desired resort or see which currently offers the best conditions. 

If you want to look at the webcams for specific resorts, Bergfex is one of the platforms offering webcam viewing and updated information. Not only that, but a search for the city you are planning to visit or the resort you want to ski on, plus the word “webcam”, will bring up several results for you to check conditions on the spot.

Is there a snow-guaranteed resort to go to?

Not officially, but some ski resorts are considered safer choices if you want to experience a lot of snow.

St. Anton is one of Austria’s most famous ski resorts in Tyrol, with lifts up to an altitude of 2,811 meters. The resort attracts people worldwide with over 300 kilometres of ski slopes and great entertainment options like après-ski in various bars and restaurants.

Lech is a popular ski resort in Vorarlberg. Situated at a high altitude, it offers good snow conditions throughout the winter season. Lech is part of the Arlberg ski area, which, like St. Anton, provides more than 300 km of slopes. Lech is a family-friendly ski resort that provides entertainment and events in bars and other locations.

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Hintertux Glacier is in the Zillertal Alps in Tyrol and is part of the larger Zillertal ski area. The resort’s high-altitude location, with slopes up to 3,250 meters above sea level, makes the snow conditions great throughout winter. The snow conditions are said to be reliable from late November to early May. Hintertux is considered family-friendly but also offers opportunities for après-ski and other entertainment.

Obergurgl is a ski resort in the Ötztal Valley in Tyrol, located at an altitude of around 1,930 meters. It is one of the highest ski resorts in Austria. Obergurgl offers around 110 kilometres of slopes for all levels. It is a family-friendly resort that offers entertainment such as après-ski in local bars. 

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