Record breaking 2m (6 ft) snowfall in less than 24 hours! Off Piste Snow Report (N French Alps)

Record-breaking snowstorms across the N French Alps, with a whopping 2 m/6 ft of fresh snow falling in less than 24 hours. Also bringing a high risk of wet snow avalanches over the next 48 hours.

After a relatively poor snow season, the N French Alps (along the Italian border), the W Italian Alps and parts of the W Swiss Alps are currently receiving record-breaking amounts of fresh snow!

Val d’Isère, close to the French border with Italy, has received around 2 m (6 ft) of intense snowfall in less than 24 hours. The avalanche risk at the time of writing (late morning, Thurs 17th April) has been put up to 5/5 in several specific places along the Italian border with the Northern French Alps and Switzerland, with deep, heavy snow at 1800 m. School’s out for the day and access roads to several resorts are closed due to snowslides and broken trees.

Our friend Fraser Wilkin at weathertoski.com explains that this is an extremely complex situation arising from weather disturbances of both Mediterranean and Atlantic origin.

The roads of Val d’Isère on 17/04/2025 where snow is still falling

The red-coloured parts of this weather map from Meteociel.fr show the areas where 400-500 mm of precipitation are predicted to  have fallen by 23:00 on Thurs night. This includes the French/Italian border through to the border with Switzerland.

Meteo-Alpes describe it thus: Confirmation of a major storm event in the Haute-Maurienne region, easily spilling over into the southern Haute-Tarentaise and southeastern Vanoise regions, between Wednesday and Thursday. Rain-snow levels are often high (2200/2400m), leading to probable flooding in valleys and very significant snow accumulations (1.5 to 2m in 48 hours on the highest exposed peaks above 2700m). At the same time, snow will fall much lower in the west (particularly in the Pre-Alps)… from 1400/1600 meters, with significant accumulations (30 to 50cm locally) possible from 2000m.

Avalanche flowing over the Pigettes ‘paravalanche’ protecting the access road to Val d’Isère: c/o Sylvain

Avalanche Bulletin

Wet snow avalanche danger is highly visible and predictable – which is why skiers are not usually involved. They know not to be there in the first place.

Wet snow avalanches can be extremely large and destructive, however, and can cause massive damage to infrastructures, such as roads, buildings, etc. 

For more information about wet snow avalanches see our  blog here.

We always emphasise that of all avalanche accidents (i.e. avalanches where skiers are involved), only a tiny percentage are due to natural wet avalanches. The vast majority of avalanche accidents involve cold, dry slab avalanches. They’re almost always triggered by the victim, or someone in their group, on N’ish facing slopes (in the N Hemisphere) in the colder winter months.

However, this is not to deny the very real danger that direct action / storm related natural avalanches can present in the 48 hours during and after a snowstorm. SO BE CAREFUL AND FOLLOW THE SAFETY ADVICE OF THE LOCAL TOWNS!

Weather forecast : Thurs 17th to Tues 22nd April c/o Météo Alpes

THURS 17th:  Following heavy snowfall overnight, it will continue snowing all morning. At the time of writing (11 am on Thurs) 90 cm of snow had fallen in Val d’Isere resort at 1800 m (with another 30 cm or so expected by the end of the day), and up to 3 m at 3000 m near the border with Italy. Snow has fallen all over Savoie and the N French Alps (even down to 800 m). The rain/snow limit will rise to 1800 m or so, with a serious risk of flooding and direct action avalanches.

FRI 18th:  Cloud will soon break up, leading to a bright sunny day, with mild temperatures. 0° C at 2700 m. Light W wind.

SAT 19th: A largely sunny day. 0°C at 2800 m. 

SUN 20th: A brief spell of snow flurries down to 1800 m in the morning, but quickly brightening up.

MON 21st & TUES 22nd: Cloudy and cool for the time of year.

NEXT FEW DAYS: Mixed conditions.

Safety is Freedom!