Meteo France has issued a bulletin warning of a high risk of avalanche in the Alps this Wednesday following the fresh snowfall.

The Haute-Savoie, Savoie and Isère are concerned by this bulletin as well as the Champsaur, Devoluy and Tabor. Fresh snow, accompanied by north westerly winds has fallen on weak snow layers on shaded slopes (principally but not only north aspects) above 2200-2500m. The storm cycle will pass on Thursday and the risk of spontaneous avalanche will decrease but the risk of skier/snowshoer triggered avalanches will persist. MF warns that extreme caution is needed by anyone venturing into the mountains over the next 48 hours.

Snow has fallen in the Haute-Savoie from 700 meters on Tuesday with 50cm at 2500m. These levels will increase today, Wednesday and will settle from 1200 to 1400 m. An additional 40-60cm of snow is expected at 2000 m.

There will be purges of fresh snow from 1500m, this risk will increase through to Thursday am. A single skier will be enough to trigger large slabs that have formed on weak layers. With the sun expected at the end of the week there may be full depth avalanches on sunny slopes.