Over the past three days, a rare and powerful spring snowstorm has swept through the Swiss and French Alps, dumping over 3 feet of snow in some areas and causing widespread disruption. Described as potentially the biggest storm of the season, this complex weather event, driven by Atlantic and Mediterranean disturbances, has hit resorts like Zermatt, Chamonix and Val d’Isère / Tignes the hardest. High-altitude areas in the French Savoie reported up to 6 feet of snow, triggering critical avalanche risks and forcing ski area closures.
The storm cut off Zermatt, with roads and rail lines blocked, power outages, and mobile networks disrupted. In Tignes, residents were urged to stay indoors as avalanche risks reached level 5. Thousands of homes in France’s Savoie region lost power, while Switzerland’s Simplon Pass and Great St Bernard Tunnel closed. Despite the chaos, the heavy snowfall has rejuvenated snow conditions in high-altitude resorts, offering a temporary boost to the ski season.
As many resorts are able digging out and re-opening the recent storm should enable great skiing and snowboarding for the rest of the season.
