Avalanche bulletin and weather forecast Savoie

This avalanche translation of the Meteo France avalanche bulletin is produced mainly through an automated translation tool.  Please use it in conjunction with the French bulletin found at the above link.

N73220311
BULLETIN FOR ESTIMATING THE RISK OF AVALANCHES
FOR SAVOIE
Valid off marked and open trails
FOR SUNDAY 23 MARCH 2008
(Drafted Saturday, March 22)

ESTIMATE OF RISK UNTIL SUNDAY EVENING:
Above 2200 to 2400 meters: HIGH RISK - Level 4
Below 2200 to 2400 meters: RISK MARK - Level 3

WEATHER OVERVIEW UNTIL SUNDAY EVENING:
Passages of snow (10 to 15cm) and some thinning. Isothermal 0 ° C to 700 meters. Wind at 3000 m: North 30 and 50 km/h.

SNOW CONDITIONS:
It is spring but conditions are winter-like again!  The soil is bleached with 300/400m from the big snowfall on Friday. There are 30cm at 500m, 50cm at 1000m. Snow is skiing at low altitude but it touches the grass easily. The snow becomes very good from the 3 successive episodes of snow since March 6th. From now to 2000, it exceeds 300cm in Beaufortain, 200cm to 150cm in Tarentaise and Maurienne. The snow is deep powder and from 40 to 80cm, but in altitude above 2000/2300m, it is blown out and slabby!

STABILITY OF SNOW COVER:
NATURAL AVALANCHES HIGH ABOVE THE MAGNITUDE OF 2400 METERS

Since Friday, 40 to 60cm of snow fell at 2000m, 60 to 80cm in height. Winds from the Southwest have blown sharply Friday afternoon (60 gusting to 100 kph measured). Snow is loose on 50 to 80cm. The activity observed by natural avalanche concerns many slopes up to 3000m. The trips to the explosives are sometimes positive breaks up with 100cm.

The recent cuts of snow show a snowpack weakly bonded on 60 to 80cm with a plan to shift lasts below and sub-segments still fragile or piègeuses (snow rolled). Finally, the snow can be almost anywhere on 150cm.

Above 2200/2400 meters, the risk of avalanche is expected to remain very important. It is anticipated again 10 to 15cm with winds from the North (gusting 50 km / h). The natural avalanches should be activated in the steep, in a thinning or under the influence of wind. A large avalanche, traveling a big rise, seems possible. Some thoroughfares or some homes may be threatened by an avalanche of powder flow in his hand against the bottom. The many wind slabs trained to tamp slowly Friday because of the cold (0 insulated 700m). However, given the thickness of fresh, it is difficult to leave a slab to ski but when this hand, the volume is very large (100 to 150cm fracture) and with an extension for several hundred meters in width.

Below 2200/2400m, the snowpack has undergone several times rain since March 6, and the slowdown has been more regular. But, it should be beware of 50/60cm fell yesterday with winds of Southwestern very strong and the presence of slabs. Despite the slowdown seen this morning, we must remain prudent. The eastern slopes in North-East appear to be most dangerous.

TREND LATER RISK:
Stationary or rising.
Weather updates France this newsletter everyday at 16h (Thierry Arnou)