The ski resorts of Luz Ardiden, Gavarnie, Hautacam, the Pic du Midi announced the closure of their fields for the day due to heavy snowfall. Ditto for the Artouste areas and Issarbe in the Pyrenees-Atlantiques. Grand Tourmalet, the connection between the La Mongie and Barèges will be closed today.
30 Jan 2015 – The Pyrenees woke up under a significant amount of snow this morning. And that’s not the end of it. Precipitation will continue and the snow level should mount up to about 700 mm. Pla d’Adet is in a snowstorm. Despite the wind and the largely negative temperatures, 84% of the ski area is open. In Angles in the Eastern Pyrenees this morning there is a snowstorm.
Difficult traffic in the mountain areas.
Puymorens pass is closed. Access to Andorra (the mini-state) through the RN22 and RN320 is prohibited to all vehicles in both directions from the north entrance of the tunnel Puymorens. The tunnel is prohibited for heavy goods vehicles over 19t. The road (D522) towards the Plateau de Beille in Ariège, is currently closed to traffic. It is also impossible to drive on the D918 between Payolle and the Col d’Aspin, the D923 between barns Holle and 1km from the resort and the Gavarnie D12 between Cureille and Luz Ardiden.
High risk of avalanche
This is the result of snowfall during the snowpack is particularly unstable. The risk is estimated at 4 on a scale of 5 whatever part of the massif and slopes. Excerpt from the Météo France: In view of the expected amounts of snow and mobilized, the risk of spontaneous avalanches is strong on all ranges and in all directions, with many medium sized castings recent snow that may locally reach high and low mountain roads. A fortiori, the risk of accidental triggering is also strong on all ranges in all direction and all altitudes, with the consequent recent snow layers that make up the day and the presence of many soft slabs and sensitive to light loads.
Posted by Emmanuelle Gaye:
http://france3-regions.blog.francetvinfo.fr/pyrenees/2015/01/30/abondantes-chutes-de-neige-dans-les-pyrenees.html
Thanks to Argiris Diamantis for this link
