 Poster: A snowHead
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Snow on the palm trees...
Since Monday night heavy falls have been blanketing the coastal areas of South East of France, but as yet failing to bring much needed snow to the likes of Pra-Loup in the southern French Alps (just 15 cms at resort level), or even Isola 2000 and Valberg, within easy reach of the Côte d'Azur.
With snow continuing to fall, restrictions have been imposed on HGV movements along the coastal A8 motorway, and seaside towns such as Menton on the Franco Italian border, unused to such conditions, are struggling to ensure traffic continues to flow.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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PG, Think someone in the Press is winding you up... Looks fine out of the Square window  Can't remember it being this cold for so long in 12 years we have been here. There was some snow on Sunday evening but soon cleared .. drove to Nice on A8 this morning no problem .
Isola has had some snow over the last few days .. about 10 cm I would guess and they needed it.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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[checks date, no, definitely nowhere near "April Fish" day  ]
The report was from the usually reliable France 3 site. No photos though. Still, I believe you're in Grasse? The piece specifically mentioned the snow being restricted to the coast, unsually for once not affecting the hinterland. The snow started on Sunday evening along the coast, and has continued on and off since then, according to France 3.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Two detailed pieces appeared in the online journal.... here and here. Seems like you just missed out.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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PG, Many BIG apologies. Since I posted my incorrect 'facts', I understand that 40cm did fall on Menton this morning and also snow on 'La Turbie' ( the high pass on the A8 above Monaco and Menton) as your picture points out , incredible micro climates down here as nothing in Cannes and Nice ( although someone has said there were a few flurries in MC , next door to Menton) . I was in Nice this morning and given that Menton is no further than 10k along the costs there was nothing there.
Yes, I am near Grasse , and the sun is shining here as it has all morning !!!
Only contradiction to F3 ( says he looking for granules of self-esteem ) is that what has been falling as "snow" is few and far between and very light, but people here are just not used to anything like thatso much ice on the autoroute for a couple of hours ...
Looks like I am not driving to Italy today , but at laest some snow in Isola for the weekend 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Another France 3 report comments on the drought affecting two departments in particular this season, 04 (Alpes de Haute Provence) - resorts such as Pra-Loup, Sauze, Allos - and 05 (Hautes Alpes) - Vars/Risoul, Serre Che, Montgenèvre, Les Orres, Merlette, etc.
Barely any snow has fallen there since December 28th.
"The northern Alps and the southern Alps are subject to two different weather systems. In the south, the snow comes with a south-westerly air flow, with less frequent snowfall than in the north except in the autumn, although snow volumes can be very abundant", Yves Clemenceau, director of the Briancon Meteo France weather station explains. According to him, over the past 30 years, there has been a shortage of snow every four or five years in the southern Alps. The situation was particularly bad in the winter of 1988/89 when the first snows arrived on the 23rd of February, as well as in 89/90 which saw its first snowfall on February 10th. "The lack of snow this year conforms to standard variations in the historical pattern", he suggested. René Borel, departmental Hautes Alpes tourism director, still believes that the situation is better this winter than in previous problem years because "it is cold, so we have been able to keep the snow that fell at Christmas and produce artificial snow as well". In his department, with the exception of the Dévoluy and Champsaur ranges that have a better depth of snow base, "the season has been saved by the snow cannons". "And as we have sunny weather, people are happy and the drop in lift pass sales is only between 5% and 20%", he explained.
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Newbie50, yes I thought the touristofficespeak was rather impressive! Strike the above waffle - a friend who runs a business in Pra-Loup, where he's been all his life feels just a little differently. In his view it's been the most disastrous season he can remember. Mind you, the drought preceding the summer means they haven't even been able to run the snow cannons this season.
Still the weather pattern comments do contain a few (self-evident) facts, seem to remember reading some study on it somewhere.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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pg, Ouch .. that must really be disastrous.
As regards the "earlier snow" bit , I would concur. Although I haven't been that interested before this year, I always have marvelled how the Southern Alps get snow earlier as a 'Rule of Thumb'. I spend a lot of time flying around and the first 'snow' you see is around Isola etc.... however I have to say it is only when you are in the air ( particularly on dark nights) that you realise how close the resorts and ski 'complexes' really are.
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We walked along a very cold beach in Nice on Jan 28th, an d it snowed then too.
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FAQ
P des Brits is in Nice ( well it makes me feel a little less foolish than 3 hours ago) 
