Western Europe Buried in Snow

The last two weeks have brought some of the heaviest snowfalls in years to several European countries.  mapsales.com takes a look at which areas in Europe have had to dig their way out of one of this year’s biggest snowstorms. 

Use a Europe wall map to locate these countries: Austria, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, France, and Germany.  These countries are experiencing some of the worst snowstorms in years, leading to cancelled flights, closed roads, and snow-buried homes. 

The Austrian weather service reported as much as 85 inches of snow on the ground this week in at least two villages.  Many of these places haven’t seen snow this deep in over 30 years.  In the village of Nauders, its current snow depth of 47 inches breaks records dating back to the 1960s. 

The same low pressure system that has brought heavy snowfalls to Austria has covered parts of Switzerland, France, and Germany in a thick blanket of powder.  Strong winds have also swept through the Alpine countries, making the frosty weather even more biting.  Residents of these snow-covered regions continue to plow roads, dig out their cars, and do whatever it takes to endure a particularly arduous winter. 

Today in the UK, London’s Heathrow Airport cancelled about 60 flights, while 24 vehicles cleared runways.  Planes were eventually given the go-ahead to take off, even with continuing snowfall.  Closures were in place at three other airports - Cardiff in Wales, Bristol in southeast England, and Southampton on England's south coast. 

The copious amounts of snow covering Western Europe occur once every few years or so.  But while heavy snowfall means inconvenience and bitter cold for many people, it can also transform Europe into a beautiful, surreal landscape.

Click here to view a zoom-able Europe wall map.  Use the map to identify the countries mentioned in this article and find major geographic features like the Alps, the English Channel, and more. The next time you see or hear a news story about an unfamiliar area, take a look at a wall map.  Maps can help us learn more about what’s going on in the world.  

Winter Ski Guide

The winter season doesn’t end with Christmas and New Years. You’ve still got a few months to grab your skis, head up the mountains, and find some great snow-covered trails. mapsales.com gives you some great winter skiing destinations.

Vail, Colorado
Vail is a unique skiing environment. It is home to the country’s largest ski school (with over 1,000 instructors), and it offers more groomed terrain than any other resort. Alpine skiing is popular in Vail, as is its cross–country skiing. Enjoy a beautiful view of the Southern Rockies on one of the many ski lifts before you head down the mountainside.

Big Sky, Montana
Big Sky welcomed its first skiers in the 1970s. Although it is a newer resort, its reputation has quickly spread and it is now one of the most popular winter destinations. At Big Sky, you have access to 5,512 skiable acres with 25 lifts and over 220 runs.

Cortina, Italy
One of the world’s oldest ski resorts sits atop the Dolomite Mountains, about 3 hours outside of Venice, Italy. For 2 centuries, skiers have been flocking to Cortina d’Ampezzo to enjoy unrivaled slopes, local pubs, and traditional homemade Italian dinners.

Mt. Tremblant, Canada
Mt. Tremblant is distinguished as Canada’s first ski resort, and the second in North America. Nestled in the mountains just outside Quebec’s capital city, the village surrounding Mt. Tremblant is rich in French cuisine and heritage. In the next decade, the resort will expand its skiable acres from 625 to 1,000, increasing the number of skiers from 12,000 a day to approximately 20,000.

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