The first major snowfalls of autumn hit Europe and the USA by Tomasz Schafernaker
Many mountainous regions in the northern hemispheres have received an early autumnal covering of snow over the past few days.
In the northern Alps, a recent cold snap has brought winter conditions to altitudes above about 1,000m in parts of Switzerland and Austria. For some northern slopes in Switzerland, between 5 and 15cm of snow fell during Friday and Saturday. Several high roads and passes have been closed to traffic.
Elsewhere in the world, the Rockies are set to receive the first major snowfalls of autumn. There are winter storm warnings in effect for heavy snow in parts of Utah and Colorado, as a Pacific storm front is moving into the region.
In the UK, Scotland saw its first dusting of snow on Friday, with 2 to 3cm falling over the Cairngorms.
Although it is not unusual for snow to fall in these regions in early October, hopes have already been raised about an early start to the ski season. However, these wintry conditions are not likely to last long, with a return to milder weather forecast for later this week.
