Avalanche bulletin and weather forecast Haute Savoie

This avalanche translation of the Meteo France avalanche bulletin is produced mainly through an automated translation tool. Please use it in conjunction with the French bulletin found at the above link.

N74221211
BULLETIN SNOW AND AVALANCHE FOR HAUTE SAVOIE
(VALID OUT OF OPEN AND MARKED RUNS)
PREPARED ON SATURDAY DECEMBER 22
FOR SUNDAY DECEMBER 23

ESTIMATE OF RISK UNTIL SUNDAY EVENING:
Chablais and Aravis: low risk (level 1).
Massif du Mont Blanc: limited risk (level 2).

WEATHER OVERVIEW UNTIL SUNDAY EVENING:
Calm and dry temperatures, a little hazy sunshine. Maximum temperature at 1500 m: +3 GD.
Isothermal 0 1900 2200 m.
Wind at 2000 m: Is 10/20 km / h.
Wind at 4000 m: South-east 20 km / h.

SNOW CONDITIONS:
They are very good for late December. It is possible to ski slopes at 800 m in the north, approximately 1000 m in the south. In altitude, there are wide variations of snow to be found following the winds that blew hard in many different directions. The ridges are sometimes dégarnies and bowls are well loaded. Caution with fragile snow bridges on the lower parts of the glaciers.

Quality of snow on Sunday: an average mountain slopes northwest to north-east sheltered from the old Bise are pleasant to ski powder. In the southern slopes, snow is usually croûtée. In areas exposed to wind and in the high mountains, the snow is hard and cardboard.

STABILITY OF SNOW COVER: a few slabs in some places

The snowpack is well stabilized as a whole. On average mountains, a slab avalanche could be triggered with the passage of one or more skiers confined in steep mainly west, north and north-east slopes.  Stay vigilant in the vicinity of ridges where the wind blew and sub breaks slopes. In high mountain in the Mont Blanc massif, the wind has blown in recent days. The risk is a little more important: the slabs were formed, probably quite hard but sensitive to the passage of a group of skiers and hikers.

On the other hand, a low risk of a small avalanches persists in mid mountain. On some south-east to south-west facing slopes, slabs can crack on soil and steep grassy areas and then stall carrying snow to the ground.

TREND FOR MONDAY:
Risk stationary or slightly decreasing.

Meteo-France updates this newsletter everyday at 16h or sooner if conditions warrant.