Following consecutive days of heavy snowfall in the mountains, weather forecaster Météo France, along with regional authorities in the Alpes du Sud, has issued high-level avalanche warnings for numerous ski resorts in the south of France.  

According to the weather service, numerous spontaneous avalanches described as medium to large in size are to be expected in the coming days due to the instability of the snowpack. 

Given the particularly heavy snowfall in the Mercantour range, which has been coupled with a strong northeasterly wind, Météo France has warned that road access to popular destinations such as Isola 2000 may also be threatened by avalanches.  

Avalanche bombing and blasting is taking place on a daily basis in many of the region’s resorts in a bid to limit the threat to those out on the snow, but warnings remain high, often at a 4/5 level. 

See more: Explained: The rules about snow tyres and chains in France

Those out on the slopes are encouraged to follow all signage and avoid travelling off-piste.  

“Drifts forming in fresh wind-blow snow [are] easily triggered by a single skier, even far from ridges,” warns Météo France’s mountain report. “They are sometimes tricky [to detect] because they have a powdery appearance.” 

The daily updated Météo France’s mountain report can be found here.

Read related: 

From Monaco to the mountains: a guide to the best ski resorts these school holidays

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