A classic autumn Mediterranean low pressure system has brought up to a meter of snow in the Cuneo region of Italy yesterday. Half a meter on the French border areas in the Southern Alps.

Hot and dry, that’s how Meteo France sees the start to this winter in the southern half of Europe. So pretty much the same scenario as the last two years.

A 19 year old man has been killed in an avalanche incident on Mont Blanc on Monday 23rd October. The accident occurred near the Col du Miage (3358m) shortly after 9am.

With the "little winter" the end of the season has been particularly deadly this year especially along the French/Italian border.

Two avalanches have claimed four lives in the French Alps. At around 10h this morning an avalanche under the col du Greffier (3,086 meters) killed a group of three ski tourers.

With just 7 fatalities in avalanches this winter Switzerland has seen one of the safest winter seasons on record.

Despite generally stable avalanche conditions, the risk is currently between 1 / 2 in the area, two skiers were caught by a large slab avalanche in the Embrunais sector of the Hautes Alpes.

A video has emerged of the moment that a powder avalanche crossed the Carline ski slope in Tignes earlier in the month.

According to an article in today's Dauphine Libere newspaper the Compagnie des Alpes has thrown in the towel at la Grave due to the problems between Denis Creissels and the town hall.

A series of avalanches have left 4 off piste skiers dead and another seriously injured despite his airbag.