The world's ski resorts where snow is guaranteed in 2024 have been named

Less snow is falling around the world, according to an analysis of data collected since 1973 by the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service. In the middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere (the area north of the tropics and south of the Arctic), the decline is most noticeable.

Last winter, ski resorts in places such as Austria, Vermont, Switzerland, and the Spanish region of Sierra Nevada unexpectedly closed due to unseasonably warm winter temperatures. Therefore, this year, tourists are closely monitoring the weather forecast when choosing a place for an active winter vacation, CBC writes.

Planning a ski vacation requires careful consideration of optimal conditions. According to the latest forecasts, the following resorts will have snowy slopes in the winter of 2024.

Kirkwood Mountain Resort, California

Last year, South Lake Tahoe had its snowiest season on record, with Kirkwood Mountain Resort leading the resort pack with more than 700 inches of snow (1,778 centimeters).

Of course, this has been an unusually epic season for the mountain (although Kirkwood's average snowfall is around 871 centimeters). But the resort's base elevation of 7,800 feet (about 2,377 meters) and its peak elevation of 9,800 feet (almost 2,987 meters) make it a reliable, snowy favorite for skiing in the Sierra Nevada.

Alyeska Ski Resort, Alaska

The ski season usually lasts from late November to late April in Alaska's largest ski resort, Alyeska, located just 45 minutes from Anchorage in the Chugach Mountains and the resort town of Girdwood.

Billed as the longest continuous double black diamond ski run in North America, the resort's north side receives an average of 382 inches (about 970 centimeters) of annual snowfall, giving new meaning to the steep and deep slopes.

Zermatt, Switzerland

The Swiss mountain town, known for its Matterhorn, is one of the largest ski areas in the world and has the highest cable car station in all of Europe at over 12,700 feet (about 3,870 meters).

You can usually ski year-round in Zermatt at the top of the glacier at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, where 13 miles (21.1 kilometers) of groomed runs offer views encompassing some of the highest mountains in France, Italy, and Switzerland in addition to the iconic Matterhorn peak.

Whitewater Ski Resort, British Columbia, Canada

The ski resorts in Whistler and Banff are unrivaled. But don't forget about Whitewater Ski Resort along Canada's Powder Highway in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia, which also has some of the most snowy skiing conditions in Canada.

According to OntheSnow.com, the resort receives approximately 222 inches (about 564 centimeters) of annual snowfall on more than 3,200 acres of total skiable terrain with a season that typically runs from December to April.

Val Thorens, France

France's Val Thorens, part of the 3 Vallées (the largest connected ski area in the world), holds the title of the highest ski resort in Europe at over 7,500 feet (about 2,286 meters).

The slopes here usually stay open until May, with an average snowfall of more than 201 inches (about 510 centimeters) and more than 90 miles (145 kilometers) of runs.

Hokkaido, Japan

The island of Hokkaido, a popular destination for enthusiastic Australian skiers and other intrepid hounds from Japan and abroad, typically receives around a whopping 1,500 centimeters (590 inches) of snow per year thanks to Siberian winds that blanket the region with a light and dry powder.

This makes for predictably epic skiing conditions at places like Hanazono Niseko and Rusutsu, to name just a few of Hokkaido's more than 100 ski resorts.

Alta, Utah

Last ski season, 13 of Utah's 15 ski resorts broke all-time snowfall records. But the best of them all may be Alta, located just 45 minutes southeast of Salt Lake City in Utah's Wasatch Mountains and consistently ranked among the best ski resorts in North America for snowfall, averaging 352 inches (about 894 centimeters) annually.

The 2022/2023 season at Alta was the snowiest on record: 903 inches (2,294 centimeters) of white stuff.

Wolf Creek Ski Area, Colorado

Breckenridge, Aspen, Steamboat, and Vail are often in the spotlight in Colorado. But for a ski resort that's often the snowiest in the state, head to southwest Colorado and the Wolf Creek Ski Area, where OntheSnow's average annual snowfall is 319 inches or 810 centimeters (compared to Vail's average of 234 inches).