Following a very mild start to November, on 15th November, we were hopeful there would be a change to colder and more snowy weather. Well, the snow gods have obliged. It is not quite as much as we expected in the last snow report. But there is enough to do some skiing. Take a look at the pictures below from Val d’Isere published by YSE, Andreas Bjorklund and Matt Rees in the last two days.
Here is the Meteo France image of off-piste snow depths for the Haute Tarentaise on 26th November 2022
The snow looks fantastic, but these kinds of snow depths create their own hazard. There is not much of it (50cm to 20cm) so you need to know where you are going to find the deeper pockets of snow. Or you will hit rocks and branches and bushes and end up doing a park and fly.
Avalanche Bulletin 26th November 2022
Current danger rating in Tarentaise
The bulletin reports a danger rating of 2 above 2000m on all aspects and indicates there are some wind slabs which can pose a risk of natural as well as triggered avalanches. Also with any warm sun, a few departures near the sunny rocks are possible, The snow could slide on a grassy area. Following recent falls, some slabs may still persist at altitude. They are stabilizing and are generally difficult to mobilize
So not a big risk but at this time of year, there is no snow compaction from previous skiers, so we need to be extra careful. Areas that are usually stable later in the season may still be unstable.
Weather forecast 27th November to 2nd December
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27
Milder and sunny
The few fogs of the night dissipate in the morning, otherwise the weather is quite nice with a more or less veiled sun. The wind is weak from south in the valleys, but from northwest and then moderate west in the high mountains. Maximum temperatures reach 10 to 12 degrees in the plain and lower valleys, 6 degrees around 1800m, 2 to 3000m. Zero degree isothermal rising around 2800m.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28
Cloudy
In the morning, the sky is veiled but clouds build in the afternoon to give some small rains on the west of the Tarentaise (low snow around 1200m) elsewhere barely a few drops / flakes. The wind is in the south, weak in the plain, moderate in the high mountains. Temperatures range in plains and lower valleys from 1 to 9 degrees, around 1800m from -4 to 0 degrees, around 3000m from -8 to -5 degrees. Zero degree isothermal around 2000m down around 1400m.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29
Cloudy
A few snow flakes from 900m in the plain and Pre-Alps But bthe high mountains will be above the cloud. The wind is in the north. Temperatures range in the plain from 3 to 8 degrees, around 1800m from -6 to 0 degrees, around 3000m -12 to -7 degrees. Zero degree isothermal around 1300m.
WEDNESDAY: No change
Dry and more or less cloudy weather in the plain, good weather in the mountains. Maximum in plain 8 degrees.
THURSDAY: Dry
Cloudy sky in the plain, good weather in the mountains. Maximum temperatures in the plain 9 degrees.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3
Similar weather persists. Cloudy inthe valleys Sun in the mountains. No clear sign of significant new snow.
Tip of the Week
Get your transceiver, shovel and probe out of storage and check it is all working. When you need this equipment, you have not got time to fix a problem, so sort it out now before you go
- Switch on the transceiver and check it switches from send and search modes
- Check the send and search modes with a friends transceiver, so you can see if it functions
- Get the probe out and check it unfolds and works very quickly
- Check the shovel is not damaged and will assemble easily
If your transceiver is an old model. or more than 10 years old, then replace it. It may not be reliable any more
