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Val d'Isere Snow Report: 17th January 2016

A windy week but here is still powder to be found out there

featured in Snow report Author Wayne Watson, Val d'Isere Reporter Updated

Last Thursday’s snowfall was a wonderful event with huge flakes of snow dropping straight down out of the sky. Unfortunately a relentless wind battered the fresh snow during the night and what was promising to be a ‘fresh canvas’ of beautiful powder turned out to be wind-blown snow over an extensive area that was very difficult to ski.

We still had some pockets of powder and some slopes that were protected giving us some very good skiing, but much of the mountain had been ruined during the night. With cold temperatures of -18C during the night at altitude the snow did lighten up and the off-piste conditions were much better on Saturday than they were on Friday, and the cold weather will continue to improve the snow and a few more centimetres here and there is helping as well.

The major snowfall is over for the time being and the pistes are in fantastic condition again and much easier to groom and maintain. The piste skiing is excellent at the moment and should continue to be so in the immediate future. The wind did strip back the snow in places revealing the odd patch of ice, but fortunately these sneaky patches are few and far between.

Winter has truly arrived now, not only snow-wise but we’re also experiencing proper January temperatures of -15C to -20C. With the wind at the top of the mountain being a real factor the wind-chill is enough to frost-bite any exposed skin, so do make sure you’ve wrapped up and covered your cheeks and nose. Don’t get ambushed as it doesn’t take long to get frost-bite. If you do have white patches of skin cover them with your hand but do not rub them as rubbing will stretch your skin leaving you old looking and wrinkly before your time!

The avalanche risk has dropped from 4/5 to 3/5 but do not let change in rating fool you. Most avalanche deaths take place when the rating is 3/5, as was the case a day or so ago in Verbier where two skiers were killed and two more are in serious condition in hospital. (There were five deaths in the Swiss Alps last week). The underlying goblet layer is still present and a significant risk still remains, so steep slopes are still extremely dangerous and should be avoided.

Weather in the village:

  • Monday- Partially sunny -15C/-5C Wind from the S at 5km/h
  • Tuesday- Cloudy -8C/-3C Wind form the SW at 5km/h
  • Wednesday- Cloudy -7C/-2C Wind from the S at 5km/h
  • Thursday- Partially sunny -11C/-2C Wind from the SW at 5km/h
  • Friday- Partially sunny -11C/0 Wind form the NW at 5km/h

Note that these temperatures are in the village and chances are it will be colder and windier at altitude. Radio Val gives an excellent weather forecast every morning, in both French and English, so do listen in and avoid any nasty surprises on the weather-front. Have a great week!

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Location

Map of the surrounding area