As we enter Spring there is still very good snow cover on all mountain ranges with snow from 600-800 meters. In the Pyrenees snow cover has broken 30 year records in some areas.
There was fresh snow early last week in the Pyrenees with a few cm at valley level. At 1500m altitude there is 150cm of snow in the Hautes Pyrenees and Atlantic Pyrenees. Snow cover is close to average on the Mediterranean side of the range where there is continuing snowfall. Some figures from the Meteo France stations:
Soum Couy (Pyrénées-Atlantiques, 2150 m) : 341cm
Lacs d’Ardiden (Hautes-Pyrénées, 2445 m) : 385cm record since 1995
l’Hospitalet (Ariège, 2300 m) : 323cm
Canigou (Pyrénées-Orientales, 2150 m) : 102cm
In the Northern Alps there has not been fresh snowfall since the weekend of the 23/24 February and then only localized, at altitude due to clouds on the mountains but the cold weather has conserved the snowpack. The last significant snow was mid-February. We were skiing fresh powder in the woods of the Chartreuse yesterday. Around Grenoble there has been 53 days of snow cover at 600m altitude, the area hasn’t seen those conditions since the 1980s but it is still a long way from the 1980-81 with 103 days of snow cover or 1985-86 with 83 days of cover. In the Haute-Savoie there is 260cm of snow at Avoriaz (1800m), 170cm of snow at le Grand Bornand (1300m). In the Savoie 200cm at la Rosiere (1850m), les Aillons (Bauges, 1400m) and the Col de Porte (Chartreuse, 1350m).
Fresh snow in the Belledonne last week
Snow cover is also above average in the Southern Alps with 115cm at Put St Vincent (1600m). and 180cm at Monetier (Serre Chevalier, 2100m). Isola (1870m) has more than 200cm at the top of the resort. There was some localized snow last weekend but like the Northern Alpes the last generalized snowfall dates to mid-February. Once again strong winds have affected the quality of snow, particuarly at altitude.
Despite early snowfalls Corsica suffered something of a drought mid-winter. However things have improved with a series of falls in February with 60-70cm over the weekend of the 24/25th February. This brough level 4 avalanche risk to the island’s mountains. Snow depths are now above average with 140cm of snow at Asco (1400m) and Vergio (1800m). In time for the Spring touring season.
The Jura has good snow cover with most of the popular ski touring routes possible from trail heads with a skiable 30cm at 800m altitude and more than 100cm at 1100m, the situation is similar in the Vosges with 30cm depth at 700m and over 100cm in places at 1000m. The Massif-Central has less cover with just 15cm at 1000m altitude and 100cm from 1400m.
-- source Meteo France