Global warming will do this sort of thing. </sarcasm>
More than 10 feet (3 m) of snow fell in parts of the southern Swiss Alps and northern Italian Alps this week.
Thanks to two giant snowstorms, some ski resorts have opened more than a month ahead of schedule.
After receiving more than 2 feet (60 cm) of snow, Verbier in Switzerland was able to open a handful of slopes yesterday in what is believed to be its earliest start to the season.
Portugal’s only ski area, Serra da Estrela opened some slopes on Thursday while Massella in the Spanish Pyrenees also enjoyed its earliest opening.
Other resorts in the Alps have opened, too, including Tignes in France and Hintertux in Austria.
Patrick Thorne, editor of InTheSnow magazine, who has “followed snowfall stats in the world’s ski areas for the past three decades,” told the Times: ‘I can’t recall seeing ski resorts reporting up to six feet of snow in October.