Chaos in France Today! 3 Meters of Super Snow Storm Buries Many Homes, Cars in Alps

Описание: France is currently grappling with one of the most intense winter weather events of the decade. A powerful combination of Arctic air masses and moisture-laden Atlantic systems—dubbed Storm Nils and Storm Pedro by meteorologists—has dumped record-breaking amounts of snow across the northern plains and triggered life-threatening conditions in the alpine regions. As of this morning, over 25 departments remain under Orange and Red weather alerts issued by Météo-France, the national meteorological service. The City of Light turned into a city of white overnight. While Paris usually sees only light dustings, the current system has deposited between 5 to 10 centimeters in the city center, with suburban areas like Seine-et-Marne reporting up to 15 centimeters. Local prefectures in the Savoie and Isère regions confirmed that six people have lost their lives in off-piste avalanches over the last 72 hours. The most significant slide occurred near Val d'Isère, where a group of seasoned skiers was caught in a massive slab avalanche. Avalanche danger is currently rated at Level 4 (High) and Level 5 (Very High) in several sectors. Rescue helicopters from the Peloton de Gendarmerie de Haute Montagne (PGHM) are on high alert, but heavy winds have hampered some aerial operations. Meanwhile, The Savoie department in the French Alps is currently facing its most significant winter weather crisis in decades. In the last 48 hours, high-altitude sectors above 2,000 meters have recorded staggering accumulations. 120cm of fresh powder since Friday. Numerous "monstrous" natural avalanches have reached valley floors, covering departmental roads (RD) and threatening residential hamlets. The "heavy, wet" nature of the snow at lower altitudes (below 1,000m) has caused severe damage to the electrical infrastructure managed by Enedis. Temperatures in Savoie are expected to plummet to -18°C in the resorts and -6°C in Chambéry. The Savoie Prefecture has issued an emergency decree, limiting movement across the "Cluse de Chambéry" as the city’s infrastructure buckles under the weight of an unyielding winter storm. The urban highway crossing Chambéry (N201) was officially closed at 4:00 AM today after several heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) jackknifed near the Vrilly tunnel. Temperatures in Chambéry are forecast to drop to -12°C (10°F) on Monday night.


#blizzard #snow #snowfall #snowstorm