Blue skies and empty pistes, life is good in Chamonix!

If it's sunny, then heading to the south-facing slopes of Brevent and Flegere is probably the best call just now, enjoying the views of the Chamonix Aiguilles whilst basking in the warmth, or at least the less cold, of the sun. Le Tour's front face is also a great choice on clear days at the moment, particularly for less confident skiers, with wider pistes than at Brevent or Flegere.

When the cloud level has dropped, as so often happened this past week but hopefully less frequent in the next few days, then the lower parts of Grand Montets or Les Houches with their tree-lined pistes have been better choices. Alternatively, in the Evasion Mont Blanc area which is included in the Mont Blanc Unlimited ski pass, St Gervais and Megeve have reportedly been giving much better skiing than expected for their altitudes, and again the tree-lined pistes help give some definition when the light has gone flat.

Through the Mont Blanc tunnel, in Courmayeur, the resort has more or less fully re-opened after heavy snowfall closed most of the lifts in the middle of the week. The pistes through in Italy are in outstanding condition right now and, combined with today's sunny weather and Italian food, it's hard to think of a better way to spend a day than cruising about the resort.

The storm that closed the Courmayeur lifts and cut off large sections of the Aosta Valley has dropped plenty of snow off the pistes too and Italy is currently the best choice for powder skiing. As ever, though, a big snowfall brings increased avalanche risk and today's skiing in Courmayeur was frequently interrupted by halts to watch huge slides sluff off the Italian side of Mont Blanc, a reminder that it's not just the snow you're standing on that can avalanche but everything above you too!

The off-piste in the Chamonix valley is a little more varied. Below 2000m to 2300m, depending on aspect, the snow is quite crusty with a grabby, humid, layer below. This will slowly improve over the next few days but another snowfall would be good. Above 2300m conditions are mixed. If you can stay in the lines where the wind has deposited the snow then there's some great skiing to be had, however, exposed ridges have been a bit wind scoured and the snow there can be quite firm.

The first few reports from the Midi have been coming through as well, with skiers reporting conditions much as expected (i.e. good powder snow where it's been sheltered from the wind, scoured where the wind has been strongest) and no issues navigating through the Salle a Manger and lower glacier or the return track from below Montenvers to Chamonix. However, the arete is not fully equipped and crampons and ice axe are essential to descend it.

The weather forecast models, a skier's constant friend and foe, are still showing a divergence into next week. The next couple of days look to be about seasonal average temperature and mostly sunny with no precipitation. However, from about the 16th onwards, some models suggest lots more snow with cold temperatures bringing snow low into the valleys, whilst others suggest the same cold weather, but drier conditions. The odds are more favourable for the snowy outcome but let's just enjoy the sunshine for now first!