Milder weather had moved over Europe last week but this week should see a return to the cold. Snow is also in the forecast. Ski Club reps in France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy all reported excellent ski conditions, with lots of fresh snow falling over the weekend.

The winds in Scotland have subsided, allowing Cairngorm to re-open over the weekend. Not much in the way of fresh snow has fallen but consistent temperatures below zero are helping maintain the existing snow base.

The headline snowstorm on the east coast of America has benefited some of the ski resorts in the area. Stowe received around 20cm of fresh snow over the weekend. It also snowed lots down in California, particularly at Mammoth.

Over in Canada many resorts continue to offer good skiing. It hasn’t snowed much in the past week but snow conditions at many resorts are very good. The Ski Club rep at Sun Peaks reports pockets of fresh powder off piste. Lots of snow is expected at Whistler this week, which is great news for the upcoming Winter Olympics.

AUSTRIA
It snowed in Austria over the weekend. The fresh snow fell right across the country and in some places more than 20cm fell on Saturday.
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The cold weather in the Alps has loosened its grip. It is now much warmer which signals the arrival of fresh snow in many places this weekend. The sun was shining across the Alps on Thursday 4th February and the snow is in excellent condition right from France to Austria.

Soldeu in Andorra offers plenty of excellent skiing at the moment. The Ski Club rep in resort says fresh snow earlier in the week made the pistes excellent and there is some powder off piste.

It’s been snowing again in Scotland but also fairly windy. Large snowdrifts covered the funicular track at Cairngorm on Thursday and they spent half a day digging it out.

Over in America the best of the snow is in the west, although it has improved in the east. Stowe, on the east coast, received around 40cm of fresh snow earlier in the week making for some awesome powder turns.

Olympic preparations at Whistler are well underway. This week is the calm before the storm and the slopes are very quiet despite 90% of the terrain remaining open. The Ski Club rep there at the moment says there is plenty of great skiing on offer and now is an excellent time to be skiing there.

AUSTRIA
Austria had some awesome skiing on offer this week, due to lots of fresh snow that fell earlier in the week. The past two weeks have been very cold and also snowy.
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It is bitterly cold across the Alps at the moment and there have been some big snowfalls to accompany it. Resorts from France across to eastern Austria received up to 30cm of fresh snow at the end of last week and over the weekend. Great powder skiing can be found, especially on the higher slopes.

The Andorran resort of Soldeu enjoyed another powder day on Sunday. 20cm of fresh snow provides excellent conditions at all levels.

It’s been snowing again in Scotland. Fresh snow has fallen at all of the resorts apart from Glencoe and with the temperature below freezing conditions are generally good.

Another 20cm of fresh snow fell across resorts in Utah in America over the weekend. This is on top of the huge snowfall they had at the beginning of last week, providing some awesome powder skiing.

Some of the lifts and runs are now closed at Whistler, in Canada, for Olympic preparations. 90% of their terrain is still open however and the resort is very quiet ahead of the Olympics. Now is a great time to be skiing the area, as the snow conditions are excellent also.

AUSTRIA
A snowy weekend in Austria brought a decent amount of fresh snow with it to many resorts. This means there is plenty of excellent skiing to be found right across the country this week.
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Snow has fallen right across the Alps this week and as you’d expect, the skiing is generally excellent. Wintry weather with temperatures way below freezing across the whole region further helps the great skiing condition. Austria and Switzerland have the greatest amount of fresh snow but France and Italy have similarly good skiing.

The Ski Club rep at Soldeu at Andorra reported lovely powder skiing on Wednesday after a good snowfall overnight.

A light dusting of snow has fallen at most of the Ski Club featured Scottish resorts and further snowfall is expected over the weekend. This should boost their snow depths once more.

Last weeks snowstorms in western America continue to provide some amazing powder skiing in resorts ranging from Jackson Hole to Snowbird and Squaw Valley. There is also better news on the east coast as it has turned colder and snowier. 30cm of fresh snow fell at Stowe on Wednesday 27th January.

Olympic preparations are well underway at Whistler now. It also continues to snow there and they are very close to passing ten metres of snow so far this season. Further inland it is drier and the rep at Banff says they need some more fresh snow now.

AUSTRIA
It was snowing again in Austria on Thursday. Lots of places received around 10cm to 20cm for the first runs of the day, providing some great powder skiing.

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This weekend saw fresh snow fall on western resorts in Europe especially in France and Switzerland. The heaviest snowfall this week is forecast in the eastern resorts of Austria, Switzerland and Italy.

Up to a metre of new snow is forecast in Austria and Switzerland, so this gives you an idea of how much the snow conditions could improve.

All five Scottish resorts were open on Monday providing good riding in the west and excellent conditions in the east. Further snow showers are expected this week and these should follow this pattern. A light dusting could fall on the western resorts while slightly more should fall in the east.

There is some fantastic skiing in America at the moment, with resorts in Utah and California recently receiving over two metres of fresh snow. Unfortunately it is warm and wet on the east coast, which has turned much of the snow to slush.

Loads more snow fell at Whistler, taking their snowfall total for the year so far to nearly ten metres. There is lots of powder on the upper slopes. Elsewhere in Canada it is colder, with fantastic snow conditions from top to bottom.

AUSTRIA
The fresh snow that fell in Austria last week gave some great powder skiing in many places over the weekend. The snow has now packed down giving excellent on-piste skiing.
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As more and more of us take exotic holidays and travel to far off places, it is becoming more important to be aware of the potential dangers of mosquito and insect bites and how to prevent them.

We all know how uncomfortable and “itchy” so called mild bites are along with their red inflammation and swelling but things can actually get a lot worse. Malaria (a disease synonymous with mosquito bites) kills over 3 million people a year, and in the last ten years the insect borne West Nile virus has killed over 250 people in the USA alone.

So now, more than ever, as climate change brings new species of biting insects into areas that we would not expect, prevention is certainly better than cure!

So the question is – How do you prevent Mosquito bites?

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Australia’s government has announced a new conservation zone in the Coral Sea off the country’s northeast coast.

However, it rejected environmentalists’ demands for a fishing ban in the Coral Sea.

Fishing boats and cruise ships would continue to have access to the 375,000 square miles of Australian territorial waters east of the protected Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Although Charter Boats would require a free permit to use these waters.

The area has an extraordinary array of coral reefs and is very important to marine turtles, and humpback whales. An assessment is currently under way for more permanent protection which is due to be completed by the middle of next year.