Weather Alert: Snow, high risk of avalanche and ice

From Sunday March 3 at 6:00 p.m. to Monday March 4 at 9:00 a.m.

Situation

An episode of bad weather concerns the Alps and Auvergne until Monday morning. These bad weather conditions are linked to a depression which has deepened over the Gulf of Lion, causing significant deterioration. Snow accumulations are becoming significant in the southern Alps and the border Alps where the risk of avalanches is becoming maximum on certain massifs. In the Massif Central, after the winter weather this Sunday when up to 50 cm of snow fell, snowdrifts and ice are to be feared tonight from Lozère and Ardèche to the Pilat massif.

Observation

This Sunday

At 6 p.m., the rains weaken in Provence Côte d’Azur, but they remain significant in Languedoc. Heavy snowfall persists in the border Alps as well as from the Cévennes to the Pilat massif

At 15h, the situation is very delicate in the south-east and in Auvergne. Since yesterday, the total rainfall amounts to 135 mm in Moulinet (06), 110 mm in La Martre (83), 100 mm in Mayres (07) and 70 mm in Cannes (06) for the most remarkable values, which corresponds to 1 month of precipitation. Snow falls in abundance in the south of the Alps and in Auvergne. The layer of fresh snow since yesterday reached 70 cm at Isola 2000 (06) and 30 cm at Tarentaize (42). These are the heaviest snowfalls this winter in the east of the central massif and the south of the Alps.

At 9 a.m., thehe situation continues to deteriorate with intense rains affecting Provence Côte d’Azur where the accumulations since yesterday evening have reached on average 30 to 60 mm between Cannes and Nice, up to 100 mm in the hinterland, which corresponds to 3 weeks to 1 month of precipitation.

In the Cévennes, after the heavy rains of the night (90 mm of water in Mayres in Ardèche), the cold sets in with the snow falling at increasingly lower altitudes. Since yesterday evening, there has been 20 cm of snow in Lioran (15). Traffic conditions are difficult on the high-altitude road network in Auvergne.

In the Alps, snow falls from 800 meters in the Alpes-Maritimes. A blizzard is hitting the Isola 2000 region where nearly 50 cm of snow has fallen since last night. Access to ski resorts in the south of the Alps is very complicated.

Finally, in the Pyrenees, snow arrived as far as Lannemezan (09) located at an altitude of 500 meters with 5 cm on the ground this morning. Generally speaking, the layer of fresh snow has reached 15 to 30 cm across the entire Pyrenees chain around 1500 meters above sea level since yesterday evening, which complicates access to ski resorts.

At 6 a.m., it snowed heavily between Lozère, Ardèche, Haute-Loire and Loire from 500 meters. The layer already reaches 5 to 10 cm above Saint-Etienne and 20 cm in Lioran (15). It also snows in the south of the Alps, from 1000 meters towards Mercantour as well as in the Pyrenees from 500 meters. The layer reaches 10 cm in Lannemezan (09). In Provence Côte d’Azur and in Ardèche and Lozère, the cumulative rainfall since yesterday evening has already reached 20 to 60 mm, with locally 80 mm in Villefort (48) and 70 mm in Moulinet (06), which corresponds 3 weeks of precipitation.

Evolution

Until 8 p.m.
Snowfall continues in the south of the Alps and the east of the central massif, from 400 to 700 meters depending on the massif, with accumulations becoming very significant and the formation of numerous snowdrifts on the high-altitude road network. The heavy stormy rains are quickly weakening in Provence Côte d’Azur and Corsica.

From 8 p.m. to Monday 12 a.m.
Snowfall will begin to weaken in the Massif Central and the Alps. Between Provence Côte d’Azur and Corsica, the weather remains unstable, but no more bad weather is expected.

From Monday 00:00
Despite still a little snow in the Massif Central and the south of the Alps as well as a few showers in the south-east, the improvement is general. But, due to the heavy snowfall in the Alps this weekend, the risk of avalanches will increase, which is why this special press release has been extended until 9 a.m. Monday.

On the episode we expect:

– 50 to 70 cm in the Alpes-Maritimes, Hautes-Alpes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence from 1800 meters, in particular in Mercantour and Queyras as well as in Haute-Maurienne
– a very high risk of avalanche on certain massifs of the Alps
– a risk of icy conditions in the east of the Massif Central

List of departments concerned