-
‘Elves crossing’: Normandy village installs fun roadsigns for Christmas
Heuland has also cleared its airspace to ensure safe passage for Santa Claus and his reindeer
-
New census data shows French population growth: how does your area fare?
Strong growth along Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts attributed to internal migration
-
French 2026 budget fails: special law needed to levy taxes
The law will now be required to keep spending at current levels and prevent US-style shutdown
‘Remarkable’ early snowfall in French mountain ranges
Snow has fallen in the Alps and Pyrenees very early this year, with temperatures dropping significantly and “remarkable” amounts of snow forcing some roads to close.
Most of the snow has fallen above 1,500 metres. Authorities in Hautes-Pyrénées have closed several mountain roads, including the peaks of Soulor, Aubisque and Spandelles.
More snow is expected at even lower altitudes today, with the rain-snow line dropping to 1,100 metres overall. Between 10-30 cm is expected in the Jura, northern Alps, and the Massif Central.
Guillaume Woznica, a forecast expert at news channel LCI, said: “This quantity of snow has been seen in the past in September, but it is still [rare enough to be] remarkable.”
He compared the early snowfall to a similar situation seen in 2007, but said: “But this time, we have seen a clear dropping of temperatures and more snowfall. Only around 20cm of snow on average fell 13 years ago.”
Un plongeon dans l’#automne pour la plaine mais un avant-goût d’#hiver pour la montagne ! La #neige tombe à gros flocons depuis la nuit dernière sur les #Alpes et #Pyrénées avec parfois 30 cm à 2500 m. C’est inédit depuis 2007 à cette période de l’année ! @LCI (images Courchevel) pic.twitter.com/mUHNpIg4UC
— Guillaume Woznica (@GWoznica) September 25, 2020
The snow has been described as particularly surprising, given that autumn has only just started and summer was especially hot.
Online, users began to post photos of the early snowfall in ski stations across France.
+30 cm ce matin, à @courchevel (photo de Nova Collie-1850m) et aux Arcs (photo de Seb Fayolle-2000m) en ce mois de septembre ...
— Thomas Blanchard (@ThomasBlanchar2) September 26, 2020
L’épisode de #neige a tenu ses promesses. pic.twitter.com/kxAzYUQxwj
#neige au #pourtalet 1800 équipements obligatoires #bearn #pyrenees 📷 @HotelPourtalet @Meteo_Pyrenees pic.twitter.com/3sAKWL4Mp0
— Météo Pyrénées (@Meteo_Pyrenees) September 25, 2020
20cm environ à #fontromeu vers 1850m #324eltemps #pyreneesorientales #neige 📷 @Meteo_Pyrenees pic.twitter.com/8o3Ib5s7Y0
— Météo Pyrénées (@Meteo_Pyrenees) September 26, 2020
Related stories
French mountain weather expert predicts ‘good winter snow’
