Category: Extreme weather

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Snow in the Alps this weekend and the week to come

Driving with snow- check if you need snow tyres and/or snow chains. Photo Adrian- Unsplash. Skiers Face Winterisation and Ski Rack Charges Adding up to £179 On Car Hire Bill.

It has been snowing hard this weekend in the Alps, finalising the summer time as the clocks turned.

As per SWI – Swissinfo.ch – Arosa got over 70 cm and the Eastern Alps were affected in particular with snow in low altitudes.

Parts of Graünden got 30 to 70 cm of snow at over 1,200 m over sea level.

You can see here the difference in Davos from Saturday to Sunday, twitted by SRF

https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/1056179352503808000

SRF is also warning of large snowfalls and rainfalls between Monday and Tuesday

SRF Meteo photo - They caution that on Monday and Tuesday there are risks of large rainfall across some Alpine regions.
SRF Meteo photo – They caution that on Monday and Tuesday there are risks of large rainfall across some Alpine regions.
SRF Meteo announces heavy rain from the Upper Valais over the Ticino to Southern Grisons.
SRF Meteo announces heavy rain from the Upper Valais over the Ticino to Southern Grisons.

Arosa got the highest snowfall at 72 cm.

Lenzerheide webcam - Bergfex cameras.
Lenzerheide webcam – Bergfex cameras.

Snow also fell down at 500 meters in some places, such as Zurich airport. But snow needs to fall at over 700 meters above sea level to stay. Southern Valais got 20-30 cm of powder snow and the Jura also got some snow, as you can see with these cows trying to find grass to eat.

Cows trying to find the grass under the snow at the Vallée de Joux in Jura- Photo Keystone -Jean-Christophe Bott- Swiss.ch.
Cows trying to find the grass under the snow at the Vallée de Joux in Jura- Photo Keystone -Jean-Christophe Bott- Swiss.ch.

WeathertoSki reported that there was lots of precipitation this weekend across the Alps, mixed with rain and snow from 600 meters up. Mostly the snow sat from 1000m to 1500 across the north-western half of the Alps, and between 1500 and 2500 across the south-eastern half. 

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Winter tyres laws when driving to the mountains in Europe and North America

Driving to the mountains on route nationale through France- Photo: The-Ski-Guru. Self-drive skiers need to plan now for Brexit.

When driving to the mountains, it is important to know the laws about carrying winter tyres and snow chains. Not all countries and states or provinces oblige you to wear them. I would suggest you to check before you travel. Even if there were no law for using snow tyres, I would at least recommend taking snow chains, because if you are caught in a big snowstorm, you will need them. If you can buy at least second hand winter tyres, do so. It is an investment, more if you are going to drive to the mountains each ski season.

Also, if renting a car, don’t assume the car will come with snow tyres, even if going to countries full of mountains everywhere, remember to request them when booking your car rental, and also reserve snow chains.

Driving to the mountains- check if you need to have snow tyres and snow chains. Photo Jeffrey Wegrzyn- Unsplash. Winter tyres, snow chains. Driving to the mountains
Driving to the mountains- check if you need to have winter tyres and snow chains. Photo Jeffrey Wegrzyn- Unsplash.

Here is a summary of where snow tyres are mandatory – please you need to do your own search, as this is not by any means 100% accurate- we cannot be held responsible for you deciding not to take winter tyres! Do your own homework!

Aperitivo at Dusk with Monte Bianco. Soft pastels art. Register to my Mountain Art Newsletter today.
Aperitivo at Dusk with Monte Bianco. Soft pastels art. Now in exhibition at Isigest Immobiliari in Morgex, Aosta Valley. In my shop for £1300. 

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THREE HURT: Cars swept away by Swiss alpine pass avalanche

An avalanche has swept two cars while crossing the Klausen Pass in Switzerland. THREE HURT: Cars swept away by Swiss alpine pass avalanche. Photo of an avalanche by Caspar Rubin - Unsplash.

Three hurt: Cars swept away by Swiss alpine pass avalanche.  “Three people have been hurt after an avalanche swept away two cars attempting to cross an alpine pass in Switzerland on Sunday. All three were taken to hospital where their condition is described as non-life threatening.
The incident took place at around 2pm on the Klausen Pass that connects cantons Uri and Glarus in central Switzerland. At nearly 2,000 meters high, the mountain pass is still affected by snow and had only opened for road traffic earlier in the week”, reports Swissinfo.ch.



Booking.com


“Canton Uri police report that the avalanche struck 200 metres from the top of the pass, sweeping about 100 metres down the road. The injured car occupants were airlifted to hospital and a fourth passenger escaped from the incident unhurt.

Klaussen pass, where the avalanche struck two cars and pushed them away 200 meters from the top of the pass. THREE HURT: Cars swept away by Swiss alpine pass avalanche
Klaussen pass, where the avalanche struck two cars and pushed them away 200 meters from the top of the pass. THREE HURT: Cars swept away by Swiss alpine pass avalanche. Photo: Worldradio.ch

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Packing list for your family ski holiday

Skiers Over New Year Prepare for a £450 Wipeout at the Car Hire Rental Desk. Photo by Adrian - Unsplash - taken in Mont Saint Helens, USA.

Going skiing with the family is great, but you need to plan your bag ahead, and be sure that your little ones will not be suffering from the cold, or if not, your holiday might be jeopardised if they are too cold for skiing.

A stop in the way when driving - Photo by Easton Oliver - Unsplash - Estes Park, Colorado
A stop in the way when driving – Photo by Easton Oliver – Unsplash – Estes Park, Colorado

When you are packing, I suggest thinking on your ski clothes first, and doing the normal clothes later. You will not need too many normal clothes if you are self catering, a couple of trousers, shirts or t-shirts and warm jumpers if you are planning to dine outside, unless you are staying in a hotel or chalet and you have to go out for dinner or you have included half or full board, that you might want to look smart every evening.

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The Panoramic Mont-Blanc lift, that connected Aiguille du Midi with Punta Helbronner has fallen down and will be closed this coming summer.

The gondolas that go on top of the Mar de Glace, from Aiguille du Midi in France (Chamonix) to Punta Helbronner in Italy (Courmayeur)

The Panoramic Mont-Blanc lift finished in the ground after suffering very weird conditions. A thick ice cover, thicker than the width of the cable covered a very long stretch of cable creating a very heavy mass, which made the cable collapse.

The Mont Blanc Panoramic Lift has fallen to the ground due to the weight of ice on top of its cable.
The Mont Blanc Panoramic Lift has fallen to the ground due to the weight of ice on top of its cable.

Continue reading “The Panoramic Mont-Blanc lift, that connected Aiguille du Midi with Punta Helbronner has fallen down and will be closed this coming summer.”

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Earthquake triggers tsunami warning for coastal Alaska, Canada’s British Columbia and a warning for the US West Coast. – Tsunami warnings cancelled- updated

Massive storm - photo by John Fowler - Unsplash

Updated 1:45 PM GMT time – News from CNN.com

Tsunami warnings canceled after magnitude-7.9 earthquake off Alaska

(CNN)Forecasters canceled tsunami warnings for Alaska and the US and Canadian west coasts Tuesday after an earthquake in the Gulf of Alaska stoked fears of damaging waves.

The tsunami alerts were canceled “because additional information and analysis have better defined the threat,” said the National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska
Tsunami warnings in Alaska and Western British Columbia and US Coast. Photo by Michael Dam - Unsplash
Tsunami warnings in Alaska and Western British Columbia and US Coast. Photo by Michael Dam – Unsplash

Continue reading “Earthquake triggers tsunami warning for coastal Alaska, Canada’s British Columbia and a warning for the US West Coast. – Tsunami warnings cancelled- updated”

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Zermatt, Andermatt and Davos affected with massive snowstorms.

The avalanche risk due to massive snowstorms have again prevented the access by road and rail to Zermatt ski resort. SWI – swissinfo.ch informs that Andermatt and Davos are also affected.

The police of Valais has asked everyone not to travel unless necessary in its territory. The Insitute of Investigation of Snow and Avalanches had elevated the danger of avalanches to the maximum level (5 “very high”) in all the north Cordillera of the Swiss Alps. A combination of very heavy precipitations and winds up to 130 km/h in the mountains have created a very insecure scenario for travel.

In the low lands, very big precipitations have considerably increased the risk of flooding and mudslides.

If you need to travel in the mountains, you can check our tips here.

The risk of avalanches (in the picture black and red, is level 5, the maximum) by this morning.

Switzerland Avalanche risk - SRF - SWI
Switzerland Avalanche risk – SRF – SWI

Now is not the time to go skiing off-piste please – you can check another grim article we covered on avalanche deaths in this region in Switzerland here.

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The UK Ice Maiden Women Only British Army team celebrates Antarctica ski record

Ice Maiden Expedition - largest female only group to cross Antarctica from the UK Army

The largest women-only group composed of six women from the British Army was the largest all-female group to ski coast-to-coast across Antarctica.

Ice Maidens - Antarctic crossing. Unsupported, and with only two resupply points along the route, they have carried all the supplies and equipment needed to survive for up to 600km at a time
Ice Maidens – Antarctic crossing. Unsupported, and with only two resupply points along the route, they have carried all the supplies and equipment needed to survive for up to 600km at a time

This expedition started for the Ice Maiden team on 20th November and went on for 1,000-miles, pulling an 80 kg sledge behind them.

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