Forecast source
The choice applies to widgets, maps and forecasts. Actual station readings stay unchanged. Automatic tries Open-Meteo first, then available direct sources if a supported request fails.
Snow Atlas
The right mountain matters.
A considered starting point for your next ski trip.
What “best” means here
There is no single best ski resort for everyone. This collection brings together established international destinations and distinctive regional options. We consider terrain variety, scenery, village character, family facilities and the kind of trip each place makes possible. Order and experience tags are editorial choices, not measured scores or an exhaustive world ranking.
Resorts, valleys and linked areas
Some entries describe a single resort, while others describe a valley or linked destination, such as Hakuba Valley or Tignes–Val d’Isère. Individual villages may also sit inside the same larger ski network. Our destination count is a count of guides, not independent lift systems.
Sources and changing conditions
Each destination links to an official resort, operator or tourism source. Travel notes and experience tags are our synthesis of that information. The collection was prepared in September 2026. Indicative travel windows are seasonal guidance, not verified opening dates. Lift operation, snowfall, road access, pass terms and pricing should always be checked with the operator for your travel dates.
Planning a mountain day
Experience labels describe the destination as a whole. They do not mean every piste suits every person. Follow local piste classifications, closures and boundary rules. Off-piste and glacier routes require appropriate training, equipment and qualified local guidance.
Links and bookings
Snow Atlas currently provides destination information and ordinary links to official sources. It does not take bookings or payments, and the current collection contains no affiliate links. Any future commercial links will be identified where they appear.
Weather in other locations
- Agios Stefanos weather — 14-day forecast with GFS, ECMWF IFS, AIGFS, AIFS and GEM
- Weather forecasts for cities and regions of Greece and Cyprus
- Weather forecasts for European cities and regions
- Weather forecasts for locations around the world
- Weather and snow at ski resorts
- Weather forecasts for mountains and peaks
- Weather forecasts for Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia
- Weather forecasts for polar and cold regions
- All weather destinations by country
Forecast sources and model coverage
Open-Meteo
Data service providing forecasts from NOAA, ECMWF, ECCC, DWD, the Met Office, Météo-France and JMA. Available models, variables and grids depend on the location and product.
Direct model sources
XIONIA collects data directly from the model providers. Forecasts and maps are served after the source cycle has been published and collected. The selected product shows its model, resolution, available variables and run.
How models combine
Each available family contributes once per variable. Direct forecasts select the freshest available GFS grid and use equal family weights as the baseline. Local weights apply only where enabled after validation. The comparison shows actual percentages and model cycles.
Additional model forecasts are also shown for comparison and backtesting. Their presence does not automatically add weight to the combined forecast; check the displayed weights.
Coverage and missing values
A dash means unavailable data. Wind and gust may use different models. AIGFS temperature is excluded when it cannot be compared on the same elevation basis. Six-hour precipitation is water equivalent, not snow depth.
Time window
A “Today” label with hours in parentheses covers only the stated time window; subsequent days require full local coverage. Days 8–14 are a less certain outlook. Agreement between models is not a probability from a true ensemble.
Ensemble forecasts
Ensemble systems provide multiple forecast scenarios; the available systems appear in the chart selector and image catalogue. AIGFS is the single forecast; AIGEFS is the separate ensemble. Available variables and forecast horizons differ by system.
Open-Meteo · NOAA · ECMWF Open Data · ECCC Open Data · DWD / ICON · Met Office / UKMO · Météo-France / ARPEGE · JMA