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Avalanche Alert for the Northern French Alps
Posted: 06 January 2012 12:35 AM  
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The Mont Blanc massif, all of the Savoie and the Belledonne range in the Isere are all on extreme avalanche alert tonight with a risk of 5/5 (road closures and buildings liable to be damaged). In Val d’Isere where two vehicles were buried up to their windows on the road to la Daille earlier today people in buildings at risk have been told to keep shutters closed and a number of footpaths are out of bounds.

The road between les Menuires and Val Thorens has been cut by three avalanches. One of them is 4 meters high and has hit a number of cars without injuring anyone. People are being found emergency accomodation in les Menuires tonight. The road to les Arcs is closed. In the Maurienne Bonneval and Bessans are cut off, no road, no power. In the Isere an avalanche has blocked the road at Clavans near l’Alpe d’Huez and another slide had hit the main Grenoble Briancon road at Livet et Gavet.

High winds at Geneva airport this evening where a fallen try by the autoroute was causing traffic chaos at 6pm.

I drove across the whole of the Savoy tonight and it can only be said that driving conditions were appalling. High winds and rain. Given the avalanche forecast I think the police should have been more proactive at closing access to ski resorts. The Col du Lauteret and Vars in the south have both been closed until tomorrow morning (despite the Isere highway’s dept website claiming the col is open).

 
 
Posted: 06 January 2012 12:47 AM   [ # 1 ]  
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Hailstones like marbles falling outside now!

 
 
Posted: 06 January 2012 09:16 AM   [ # 2 ]  
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10 foot high wind lip outside my backdoor in Alpe d’huez. Hasnt been that high in the last 10 years

 
 
Posted: 06 January 2012 10:00 AM   [ # 3 ]  
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can you post a photo, that would be good?

Any lifts opening your way today? Risk 4 I think in resort, but some of the side roads down the hill are closed due to the avalanche risk (purges)

 
 
Posted: 06 January 2012 10:14 AM   [ # 4 ]  
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Will try and post some photos later. Swirling winds outside and 50-70 kph at weather station on Combe de bras http://isaw.ch/index.php?lang=en&nav=data_meteo_station&code=FHUE1 Just about to go out and see if I can find anywhere to ski.

 
 
Posted: 06 January 2012 10:34 AM   [ # 5 ]  
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Looks like one drag lift open in the resort and the risk is pretty much 5 everywhere.