High risk skier triggered avalanches in the Northern French Alps this Saturday.
On Saturday, the risk of avalanche will remain high (level 4) at high altitude in the northern Alps, marked (level 3) at medium altitudes.
The heavy rainfall that started during the night of Thursday to Friday continues on northern alpine massifs during the night of Friday to Saturday in the Isère, late Saturday morning in the north of the Savoies. These precipitations are in the form of rain below 2200 to 2500 m altitude (lower in Haute Savoie, higher in the Isère), and in the form of dense and strongly windy snow at very high altitude in the mountains.
Saturday December 24: new wind slabs have formed at the highest altitudes, generally above 2400/2700 m. They may be triggered by a single skier, mobilizing large volumes of snow locally, especially on cold slopes. Below 2200/2500 m, the snow is humid, sometimes in depth. On steep slopes a skier will be able to carry under his skis, all or part of the snowpack.
Sunday, December 25: thanks to a nocturnal refreeze, the snowpack should gradually stabilize at medium altitudes, but the risk may remain Considerable (level 3) on certain very high mountain slopes.
The greatest caution is therefore recommended for backcountry enthusiasts this Christmas weekend.
For more details, consult the avalanche risk assessment bulletins on the Météo-France website https://meteofrance.com/meteo-montagne/alpes-du-nord/risques-avalanche or with the applications on smartphones.