Austrian ski resorts have been hit hard during the recent years. Avalanches, accidents and to top an already bad situation: no snow yet. It seems as if the Alps have turned to a stage, where they will only bless one site with snow at once. Last year the Southern Alps had virtually a drought and this year? It's the best early season for many years and ski resort are packed with winter sport refugees from the Austrian, French and German Alps.

Check it out on WeatherOnline's great and unique snow-history diagrams and keep track of the snow conditions at your favourite resort during the recent years!

However, this year so far, it's the same general European weather pattern, that causes flooding in England and spring in the Alps. For weeks the usual way for polar air is blocked by a stable high-pressure ridge across eastern Europe. Lows are trapped on the northeast Atlantic, between the Bay of Biscay and the British Isles scooping mild air into central Europe.

Fortunately, the Austrian Glaciers are high enough to have pretty good conditions and - three weeks after the snow-train desaster -- Kaprun reopened yesterday. Some said they still go there with mixed feelings, though, but live goes on. Pitztal and Kaunertal have best conditions. New snow will fall around the region of St Moritz in southeast Switzerland and maybe the best European winter-sport conditions can be found here. Winter-sport in the Americas looks much better this year, with a winter that is eventually "average", rather than too mild, as in recent years.