This breakthrough has created an incredible bidding war in the Alps, with several resorts clamouring to become the first to use artificial snow clouds to give their snow levels a bit of a top up.

The clouds  will be made from a light weight carbon structure carrying a giant envelope filled with helium. Four solar powered engines move the structure via remote control. A mist-dispenser was built into the clouds, but it appears that the temperature controls regularly malfunction, pumping out buckets of fresh powder.

When asked if the technology could help some resorts suffering from a lack of pow in recent years, a spokesperson for the World Cup committee said “we’ve managed to create clouds that can create snow in the literal desert. I think topping up some of these ski resorts will be a piece of your so-called cake”.

It seems that this development will mean that it won’t just be resorts like Zermatt and Tignes that can stay open 365 days a year – it could soon be the case that sleepy little Alpine villages will be offering off-piste action in July.

In response to this, leading British ski tour operator Crystal Ski Holidays have offered to support many of the resorts trying to obtain the cloud making systems. “For us, there are two seasons in our calendar – winter and too warm” said a Crystal spokesperson. “Anything to prolong winter and keep us winter worshippers on the mountain for longer can only be a good thing”.

Skiing in the summer could finally be here – get ready for some serious goggle tans.