Winter Returns To The Alps For Easter Holidays

Snowy conditions have returned to the Alps ahead of the Easter Holiday period with snowfall reported down to valley floors after temperatures dropped by up to 10C in a few hours.

The change in the weather has been caused by a front moving down from the Arctic, bringing widespread snowfall across the Western, Northern and Central Alps.

Austria, where the snowy conditions are expected to continue for at least a week, has reported up to 50cm of snowfall on its glaciers so far.

Similar totals have also been reported in Switzerland with Adelboden, Engelberg and Leysin amongst those posting 50cm 24-hour snowfall totals.

The French Alps are also seeing significant snowfall with Chatel in the Portes du soleil so far posting the most, 48cm.
Snowfall is expected to continue through tomorrow, ease over the weekend then return at the start of next week with 20-40cm falls forecast for the last few days of March.

Avalanche danger measuring agencies are warning that danger levels are jumping from the level 2 ("moderate") most areas have had for the past few weeks to 4 ("high") or 5 ("very high") on the danger scale to a maximum 5 and are therefore warning skiers and riders to stay on groomed pistes marked as open.