Météo France has applied a yellow alert in the Savoie department for avalanche risk, in its 6 a.m. bulletin this Thursday, April 25.
“Be attentive, especially if you engage in outdoor activities,” recommends Météo France
As part of this vigilance, the territories of Beaufortain, Vanoise, Haute-Tarentaise, Maurienne and Haute-Maurienne are concerned. The forecaster site recommends remaining attentive, while the alert is in effect throughout the day on Thursday.
The Savoyard sector, particularly sensitive to the risk of avalanches, will be particularly closely monitored. “Be attentive, especially if you practice outdoor activities” recommends the weather forecaster.
Follow the evolution of the situation on the Météo France website.
The phenomenon of the Saint Cavaliers
While the entire metropolitan area is green in terms of avalanche risk by Météo France, Savoie is the only department to resist. In question, The Holy Riders.
They are the precursors of the Ice Saints and brought, in mid-April, cold and precipitation. A phenomenon quite well known since the beliefs of the Middle Ages but which raises questions due to the extent of its thermal amplitude. The weekend of April 12 to 14 recorded early heat temperatures, known as records. On Sunday April 14, Grenoble showed 30.2°C on the thermometer, where a little higher, at 1800 m, Alpe-d’Huez showed 19.6°C. A national average recorded in fact at 17.9°C by the 30 Météo France stations, and whose seasonal norms could indicate up to +11°C just for the Isère capital.
“The weather conditions of recent days increase the risk of avalanche”
But, within a few hours, the arrival of a brutal cold front, coming from the North Pole and Scandinavia, killed the “game”, causing a loss of precious degrees while de facto increasing attention in the mountains. Olivier Blain, mountain rescuer at the Compagnie republicaine des Alpes de Modane, recalls on this subject that vigilance remains present today. “The weather conditions of recent days, wind and precipitation, increase the risk of avalanche through the effect of structure transport and avalanche slab formation.”
