Weather forecast as of 11th January 2012

Excellent - although things are really getting tracked out. So I’m walking to get to the untracked snow.

I’m cautiously optimistic to cautiously very optimistic about the snow stability at the moment.

However, I’m keeping an eye on the slow creeping of the snowpack and some big cracks forming in some places which has resulted in some big avalanches on Southeast to Southwest facing slopes in and around 2000-2400 m – most going down to the ground following warming during the day. Slopes with these kinds of cracks are very unpredictable – pass under them quickly if you have to and do not picnic under them!!

I will be updating our blog as much as possible especially if conditions start to look unstable (or if I have some nice photos from a great ski!) on www.henrysavalanchetalk.com/blog

When you are off-piste on slopes of 25° or more (that is equivalent to a steep red to black run steepness):

go one a time or spread out so that only one person is exposed

regroup at islands of safety (places where you are protected from avalanches above)

look above and below (ask yourself how much snow could come down on top of you and where would you end up!?)

Have Fun ! Be Safe

Click on the image to enlarge and read this. The most pertinent point is that a single skier is sufficient to trigger a very large and widespread avalanche. This means you not only have to avoid steep slopes but keep a long way away from them. You can trigger a slide from 300m away in these conditions.

Meteo France have taken to publishing their bulletins in an image format. This make is impractical to translate it. It contains valuable information and if you click here, it will take you to the latest bulletin on Meteo France page.

Situation and trends..

Although moderate to high pressure from Friday we do not see coming of bad weather. Hiking conditions are now quite good and could continue as the weather cools from Sunday.

Disappearance of the wind and still no clouds. Temperatures will begin to lower altitude.

Pressure 1022 -> 1019 mb

plain: -3 / 8 ° C, low wind

at 1500m above ground: +1-> (night) -1 ° C, low wind

at 3000m above ground: -2 -> -6 ° C, low wind

0 ° iso: 2200 -> 1300

Iso -10: 4400 -> 3900m

Absolutely no wind, slow strengthening of the anticyclone, temperatures now about normal in the mountains and foggy visibility just under

1800m.

Source Grenouille weblink here