chronicle of a Siberian cold in the Southern Alps

“The North Pole at home” (edition of January 6, 1985)

It is a question of the Southern Alps where it “reigns […]for several days under the effect of the north wind and Siberian temperatures. In the Ubaye valley, the mercury in the thermometers fell to -24° degrees last night,” reports The Dauphiné Libéré.

In the Champsaur valley, “where the Drac is partially covered by ice, we also recorded strongly negative night temperatures, in particular minus 22 degrees in Saint-Bonnet and minus 20 in Ancelle”. The record “was undoubtedly reached in Queyras, in Molines, where the mercury indicated minus 34 yesterday morning shortly before sunrise”.

The Drac “puts on his ice coat” (January 7 edition)

Snow has invaded the Côte d'Azur. It “disrupts the tranquility of the Marseillais” but “sulks the Southern Alps where the stations which are equipped with it must march with cannon”. On the other hand, the cold is there. “Everywhere, mercury…