Off Piste Snow Report – N French Alps – week starting 22nd April 2024

WINTRY CONDITIONS CONTINUE (photo by Wayne Watson)

The remarkable change in the weather from last weekend, which started last Tuesday, continues this week. It currently feels more like January than April in the N French Alps. In this, our last snow report of the season, we finish with a chilly week, and some lovely ‘wintry’ snow conditions in spring!

Natural snow cover above 2200 m or so remains very good for the time of year, as it has been all season (in large part thanks to a very wet October/November with snow above 2200 m). At altitudes below 1600 m natural snow coverage is pretty non-existent, except for occasional short-lived sprinklings of fresh snow.

Intermittent snow showers last week have really helped to freshen up the off-piste skiing, especially at higher altitudes on slopes sheltered from the wind. The best quality skiing can currently be found in the dips and gullies, particularly on the high N facing slopes, sheltered from the wind and shaded from sun. Cold powder snow can currently be found here.

When the sun has come out it’s contained some real heat, warming, humidifying and densifying the snow. But the thing that’s probably had the most effect is the N’ish wind, which has often compressed and densified the snow, making for some tricky ‘skiers’ snow’, not always easy to turn in. As you descend to less winded altitudes and slope directions, it becomes softer and easier to ski. In wind exposed areas, especially along mountain ridges and summits, any fresh snow has often been blown off altogether, exposing ice or earth/grass/rock.

First thing in the morning, the sunnier slopes are going to be very crusted and icy (due to melt/freeze).

Those great smooth spring snow conditions of 2 weeks ago ended abruptly after last Sunday, and are currently a thing of the past. They will almost certainly return. In some cases as soon as there is a slight clearing spell, spring snow – melt/freeze – condtions start to reappear at this time of year… but probably not fully until May. Although ski resorts will be closed by then,  many ski huts/refuges will still be open and conditions could be great for ski tourers.

Avalanche Bulletin

From Monday the avalanche risk across most of the N French Alps is expected to be around a moderate 2 out of 5. The snowpack is slowly stabilising as it becomes more and more solid due to refreezing.

See Météo France avalanche danger level & bulletins for N. French Alps clicking on your forecast area.

Weather forecast : Mon 22nd to Fri 26th April thanks to Météo Alpes

‘Winter’ conditions continue this week, with snow showers on and off. Temperatures continuing below normal for the time of year. The French are saying we’re in ‘janvril’: January weather in April. (Perhaps we’d say ‘Janpril’ in English?)

MON 22nd:  Temperatures remaining well below normal for the time of season, 0°C at 800 m first thing, rising to 1100 m as the day goes on. A few light snow showers down to 900 m from the end of the morning to early evening. Just 2 to 5 cm of fresh snowfall expected. Light to moderate NW wind.

TUES 23rd: Very cloudy with scattered snow showers down to 1000 m. A few bright spells in the afternoon. 0°C at 1300 m at the warmest time of day.  Light to moderature NE wind.

WED 24th: Remaining ‘wintry’. Very cloudy with snow flurries down to 900 m.

THURS 25th: Wintry conditions continuing in the mountains. Remaining cloudy with a few more snowflakes possibly coming down.

FRI 26th: Temperatures rising slightly, and less chance of snow showers.

NEXT FEW DAYS: Remaining cloudy.

Tip of the Week

Despite recent changes in the weather, great smooth spring skiing conditions will return very quickly – at this time of year all you need is a quick clearing spell followed by below freezing temps to go back into spring conditions! So check out our article ‘Spring skiing tips, Skiing the Smooth’ to see how to make the most of skiing these conditions. And see our video below on how to make the most of spring snow, by skiing the smooth…..

Thank you for your interest, have a great off-season and keep an eye out for updadates that I’ll be doing here on the website during the summer!

Safety is Freedom!