After Swiss ski resorts warned that the official start to the ski season would be delayed because of a lack of snow, it seems the weather has answered their calls. After the hottest October on record in Switzerland, areas of the mountains have been gifted with up to 50 centimetres of snow, with more forecast for this weekend.

Winter in Switzerland arrives in November

A summer-like October has given way to a wintery November, according to a report by MeteoNews. In the early hours of Friday, parts of the southern, central and eastern cantons of Switzerland were coated with snow. For many ski resorts, like Arosa and Leysin, the flurry on Friday was their first proper snow of the season, with up to 40 centimetres falling overnight as the snowline plummeted to between 1.200 and 1.400 metres above sea level.

The sudden influx of snow also meant treacherous conditions for Swiss drivers on roads above 1.200 metres, with authorities in Canton Graubünden making snow chains mandatory on a number of high alpine passes. Others have already closed for the winter season. You can check the rules and closures on alpine passes in Switzerland on the Alpen-paesse website.

More snow forecast for the Swiss mountains

The snowfall is expected to continue on Saturday, with sunny periods expected in the Alps in the evening. Unfortunately, there is no such luck for Swiss cities, who like on Friday will see rain instead of snow, with temperatures in Zurich and Basel hovering around 11 degrees Celsius until Monday.