Poster: A snowHead
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Heavy snowfalls finally hit the northern Alps over the weekend, sending piste machines into action to pack down a base for Christmas and New Year skiers.
By midday Sunday an average of 50cm new snow was lying on 1800m slopes in the northern French Alps and Jura. Switzerland reports similar new cover on many slopes, and Austrian conditions are improving. From Italy we've received a report of "knee-deep" new snow in Cervina - click here.
For initial indicators, check out the French national snow reports and 3-day snow deposition map for Switzerland. Austrian reports are here.
[Photo: Webcam at Pila, Val d'Aosta, Itay Click here for larger image.]...
"It's a miracle" said Jean-Pierre Ladvie, an operations manager at Chamrousse - the resort near Grenoble which hosted ski racing at the 1968 Winter Olympics "We have waited for this since 20 November!"
This report (in French, with English translation button at bottom of text) from Le Nouvel Observateur.
Check out the snowHeads snowReports section for any reports which reach us from the mountains. Any other reports from snowy places welcome, with five skiing days left 'til Christmas!
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 20-12-04 20:00; edited 4 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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... and with the first serious snows of winter come the avalanche warnings, especially due to the high winds which have drifted and packed snow into slabs and cornices. Parts of Austria are on high alert, according to this report in The Scotsman. Most of Switzerland was rated '3' on the 1-5 avalanche hazard scale this morning.
In France, one fatality and two serious injuries have already occurred. See this snowHeads thread from davidof.
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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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Flaine had a warning of 4 yesterdy I think, useless information to those us stuck in Morillon without a connection to the rest of the Massif though.
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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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An avalanche has come down in Lech, Austria, killing one skier and critically injuring two others. This report from The Guardian.
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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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From that Grauniad report
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Dozens of avalanches strike Austria each year |
A bit of an understatement? More like thousands I would've thought.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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kuwait_ian, I note three were not even wearing avalanche transmitters, while the austrian lady did have one but it was not switched on. Astounding!
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