Isère, Savoie, Haute-Savoie and Ain placed on Orange alert, Sunday

A snowy episode ” outstanding “ takes place in the Northern Alps “from the middle mountains”a few days before Christmas and in the middle of school holidays. Météo-France therefore decided on Saturday to place the departments of Isère, Savoie and Haute-Savoie on Orange snow-ice and avalanche vigilance for the day of Sunday, December 22, as well as Monday, December 23. In its 6 p.m. bulletin, the meteorological organization added Ain to the list, facing the risk of snow and ice in the department.

The snowy episode began on Sunday morning, when 5 centimeters were already recorded. of snow in Bourg-Saint-Maurice and 6 centimeters in Chamonix. According to Météo-France, the disturbance crossing the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region will lead to accumulations of snow in the mountains which can reach nearly a meter of snow above 1,500 meters, and between 40 and 60 centimeters around 1 000 meters, likely to disrupt access to high altitude resorts, while the winter holidays have just begun.

Motorists must demonstrate “great vigilance” on the roads, be equipped with winter tires and chains for access to certain mountain areas, while limiting the « maximum » travel, recalls the Haute-Savoie prefecture in a press release. Those who take the A7 motorway from the south of France are called to “become well informed about the weather conditions before traveling to these regions”alerts Vinci Autoroutes.

A northwest wind also blows in gusts ranging from 80 to 100 kilometers/hour in the mountains, which can cause accumulations of snow in places, specifies Météo-France. The risk of avalanche will be high in the evening from 6 p.m. on the massifs of Haute-Savoie (Chablais, Aravis, Mont-Blanc), Savoie (Haute-Tarentaise, Beaufortain, Vanoise, Maurienne) and Isère (Belledonne). , Grandes Rousses and Oisans), throughout the night and during the day on Monday. They “will be able to reach exposed mountain roads as well as high-altitude infrastructure”warns the organization.

No trains on certain lines in Normandy on Sunday

On Monday, the snowy episode will be accompanied by a “strong wind”adds Météo-France: “The fresh snow will also be deposited on a snow cover, not yet stabilized [à la] suite [des] previous snowfalls, which could encourage the start of large avalanches. » French access to the Mont-Blanc tunnel will be closed between 6:30 a.m. and 8 a.m., to allow “preventive triggering of avalanches” nearby, informs its French concessionaire, Autoroutes et tunnel du Mont-Blanc (ATMB), about X.

In the Hautes-Alpes, placed on yellow snow-ice alert, the prefecture has banned traffic on the Col du Lautaret this night “taking into account the wind gusts which will exceed 100 to 120 kilometers/hour with a strong risk of snowdrifts forming”.

Snowfall is also expected in the Ariège Pyrenees from late Sunday afternoon, and “a worsening of yellow snow-ice vigilance cannot be ruled out in the Ariège department”specifies Météo-France.

Orange vigilance for strong winds has also been lifted by Météo-France for Manche (Normandy), Ille-et-Vilaine and Côtes-d'Armor (Brittany).

The SNCF announced on Saturday that rail traffic would be suspended on Sunday and Monday “on part of the Normandy railway network particularly affected by violent winds”. The railway axes affected by the traffic cut are Caen-Cherbourg, where there will be no “no traffic between 12 p.m. and until the end of service on Sunday”and Caen-Granville, where there will be no “no traffic all day from Sunday December 22 until 12 noon Monday December 23”details the SNCF.

“As soon as there is a lull, the SNCF teams plan for reconnaissance trains to pass, in order to ensure that there are no obstacles on the tracks”continues the company. The normal resumption of traffic is “planned for Monday December 23, 2024 morning on the Caen-Cherbourg axis and Monday December 23, 2024 12 p.m. on the Caen-Granville axis”depending on the impact of strong winds.