Once upon a time, there were days when the snow just did not stop: Imagine being trapped in winter wonderland! From Saturday onwards, heavy snow caused chaos in the Alps as it hit major ski resorts in Austria, Switzerland, France, and Italy. Avalanches and avalanche danger stranded thousands at ski villages across the Alps and blocked land routes into town after days of heavy snowfall. As the avalanche danger was cranked up to the maximum Level 5, tourists were instructed to stay indoors for safety reasons. About another 100cm of fresh snow is forecast into Friday. Find current snow reports and weather forecasts by typing the ski resort's name of interest in the search bar located in the upper right corner of every page.
> Find impressive pictures of the snow masses in the photo gallery above
> More up-to-date videos to find further down
Saas Valley Was Cut off Due to Avalanche Risk
Saas Valley in Valais Valley, Switzerland had also been cut off from the outside world again and again in recent days. The danger of avalanches was cranked up to the highest Level 5. Blocked roads in and out of the resort had not been opened again to traffic until Tuesday.
Almost 300cm of Snow Cover Ski Villages in Southern European Alps
A whopping 300cm of snow covers major ski resorts of the French and Swiss Alps. Nearly completely hidden under the snow is Bonneval sur Arc in France.
Snow Is Cleared With Snow Blowers
Desperate times – desperate measures: Numerous roofs of buildings in the western Alps were being shovelled clear of snow in series, as authorities feared roof collapses. The video below was recorded on Monday by Snow-Online.Com at the base station of the Schmittenhoehe cable car.
Having a Whale of a Time Being Stuck in Deep Snow
Apart from avalanche dangers and blocked roads, some tourists did not lose their boundless optimism and good vibes, embracing the huge amount of snow while jumping into snow piles. Ready for a snow diving session? Enjoy your warm home, snuggle up in a blanket with a cup of tea in your hands and watch this video of Zillertal Arena in the Zillertal Valley in Austria.
