Snow levels in the Southern Alps are alarmingly low this winter, with meteorologist Paul Marquis going as far to describe the situation as "catastrophic." According to the Marquis, ski resorts in the region may be forced to close earlier than expected due to the lack of snow. Snow has been scarce across the Southern Alps. "In Gap, we’ve only recorded 10 cm of snowfall this winter, compared to about a meter in previous years. That’s ten times less than usual,"
The Champsaur and Écrins mountain ranges have maintained relatively normal levels but lower-altitude areas have been hit hard. "Ceillac has recorded just 13 cm of snow, and Col Agnel only 48 cm, which is exceptionally low," Marquis explained. He has also pointed out how quickly the snow is melting: "Snow depth at SuperDévoluy (1,915m) has dropped by nearly 20 cm in just 48 hours, while Ceillac (1,665m) has lost around 10 cm in 72 hours."
Over the past two weeks, snowmelt has accelerated due to unfavorable weather conditions. "With clouds, rain, and wind, we lost 20 cm of snow in just 48 hours in the Dévoluy and Queyras regions," Marquis told France 3 Provence-Alpes.
Contrary to popular belief, cloudy weather can be more harmful to snow cover than sunshine. Humidity from cloud cover speeds up melting, making the situation even worse.
Looking ahead, there is little relief in sight before the second week of March with afternoon temperatures expected to remain mild and sunny, further accelerating snow loss.