As autumn begins setting in, the first falls of snow arrive to the Alps this season.

In the Bavarian Alps above 1200m to 1600m, the precipitation will occasionally fall as snow, so that in the Chiemgau Alps in Germany, for example, it could turn white for the first time this autumn, in the coming week.

In the Pennine Alps, ski mountaineers are already carving their way through the high alpine slopes of Lyskamm, a 4532m high mountain lying on the border between Switzerland and Italy.

However autumn skiing comes with caution, as although there may look a decent covering of snow on the surface, the small falls can hide big crevasses, as strong winds create 'snow bridges' over the top.

The snow can be deceiving after the hot, dry summer, and according to a local ski resort, a rocky Alpine path between two glaciers in Switzerland is appearing for the first time in 2000 years.

The reason for this early winter greeting however, is a strong area of high pressure that is rising over the eastern Atlantic, which then extends far north to the North Sea.

At the same time, a low pressure area over Scandinavia is due to strengthen and move towards the Baltic States. Between these two pressure centres, colder, moist air is then able to move in from the sea north of Iceland.