Huge snowstorm hits Alps

“In some places over half a meter (20 inches) has fallen and resorts that have opened are forced to close,” PlanetSKI reports from the Alps.

“It has been an extraordinary past few days out here in the Alps and the snow is set to continue.

“Resorts are announcing they are opening early – once the storm passes. There are some of the best early season conditions in recent years.

“In the western Alps Verbier and Val d’Isere could not open on Tuesday morning due to the avalanche danger. Other resorts were forced to close runs.

“Too much snow to open the lifts… Oh well,” said the director of the European Snowsports, Julian Griffiths, from Verbier on Tuesday.

“30cm of snow in town from last night, dumping again now – whoop!” said PlanetSKI reader, Trey Cook, in Chamonix.

While in Val Thorens another reader who is on a Uni trip has described the snow to us as “unrelenting”.

Over half a metre has fallen since she arrived on Saturday.

http://www.planetski.eu/news/4456

Thanks to Argiris Diamantis in the Netherlands for this link

“And tomorrow I am afraid that a forecast storm will bring heavy snowfall to the Netherlands, too,” says Argiris. “Now winter begins like this, I am afraid of what the coldest part of winter will bring. Not to speak of the winters we will see in a couple of years from now, when the solar cycle 24 will be going down again.”