Weather Alert: Heavy rain and snow, risk of avalanche

From Tuesday February 27 at 12:00 to Wednesday February 28 at 9:00.

Situation

This Tuesday, the weather remains very unsettled in the far south, under the influence of a vast depression in the Mediterranean.
The heavy precipitation blocks the Pyrenean foothills and also rises to Southern Corsica. After the Southern Alps, the Pyrenees are affected by heavy snowfall occurring from 1000 m altitude. Snow amounts could reach 40 to 60 cm around 1800 m by this evening. The risk of avalanches is high in the west of the Pyrenees. Elsewhere, in the north of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Seine-et-Marne and Pas-de-Calais, the precipitation stops, but the decline is very slow this Tuesday.

Observation

This Tuesday

At 12, precipitation remains sustained over the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. Over the last 24 hours, we recorded 93 mm in Banca (64), 92 mm in Urepel (64), or even 72 mm in Mendive (64). Snow always falls heavily from around 800 to 1000 meters above sea level. It continues to rain in Corsica-du-Sud, but the intensities no longer exceed 2 to 4 mm/h on average.

At 9 o’clock, in the northern flow, precipitation blocks on the Pyrenees chain with heavy snowfall from 1000 meters. Eastern returns are still in place in the extreme south-east with heavy showers and snow, particularly in Mercantour. Floods are still ongoing from Gironde to Dordogne and in the north, despite the cessation of precipitation.

Evolution

Tuesday

Afternoon: heavy rains persist on the Pyrenees chain and snow appears from 800 to 1000 meters on average. The rains are weakening in Corsica.

Next night: the bulk of the snowfall will shift towards Ariège and the Pyrénées-Orientales. A lull occurs in Corsica and the rains stop.

Wednesday

Morning: snowfall stops to the west of the Pyrenees while it continues, while weakening to the east of the range. The rains are starting again in Corsica, but mainly on the eastern slopes of the Corsican Mountains.

Afternoon: snowfall stops in the Pyrenees, but sustained and sometimes stormy rain continues on the Isle of Beauty.

On the episode, until this Wednesday morning, we are waiting for:

– 30 to 50 mm in the Pyrenean Piedmont, i.e. approximately 1 to 2 weeks of rain
– 40 to 50 mm of rain on the Corsican Mountains, i.e. 2 weeks of rain
– 15 to 20 cm around 1000 meters altitude on the Pyrenees
– 20 to 30 cm around 1500 meters altitude on the Pyrenees
– 40 to 60 cm from 1800 meters altitude on the Pyrenees

List of departments concerned