Snow was forecast at low altitude and in quantity at higher altitudes in eastern France during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday as well as at the start of the day.
This is what happened with various consequences.
Visually, the soils have been whitened almost to the plain in the north of the Isère department.
This is for example the case in Sermérieu, located at only 300 m altitude.
❄️ It's snowing in the plains in the north of Isère this Wednesday morning, here in Sermérieu around 300m where the landscapes are white.
(© Véronique Gueret) pic.twitter.com/ulquholH4K
— Météo Express (@MeteoExpress) March 27, 2024
Further south, at Sérézin-de-la-Tour, around 400 m above sea level, the ground has also been bleached.
❄️ #Snow on the plain in the north of #Isère this morning of March 27, 2024: already several centimeters on the ground in Sérézin-de-la-Tour around 400 meters above sea level.
(photo Jean-Claude Maillavin) pic.twitter.com/rrJZomlKDm
— Guillaume Séchet (@Meteovilles) March 27, 2024
Even further south, snow fell in the lower part of the commune of Voiron.
❄️ At 8:30 a.m. snowfall continues but gradually weakens, snow is regularly recorded at 250 m altitude, 1/2 cm around 300 m, 4/6 cm around 400 m, 8/10 cm around 600 m, 10 to 15 cm around 800 m.
Photo of the Voiron town garden this morning at 8:15 a.m.
pic.twitter.com/UTjcVHL4ZG
— Météo Centre-Isère (@MeteoIsere) March 27, 2024
Further north of the country this time, but at a close altitude, the town of Lhuis, located in the Ain department, also whitened.
One last little sequence of this "winter" 2024.
📍Lhuis (01), 400 m.
pic.twitter.com/YcaQXsVfwR
— Matthieu Sorel (@MatthieuSorel) March 27, 2024
Snowfall also affected regions in the south of France.
This is the case of Lozère, where Mende, the capital, located between 700 m and 1,200 m above sea level, woke up under several centimeters of snow.
According to The Weather Channel, 8 cm was measured at 8 a.m.
#Mende wakes up under the #snow this morning 😍
Photo: Deck Ard for Météo-Languedoc pic.twitter.com/gcwQe0IjUx
— Météo Languedoc (@MeteoLanguedoc) March 27, 2024
These bad weather caused disruptions on the roads.
Several accidents involving heavy goods vehicles have taken place.
Le Dauphiné reports that a bus got in the way on the way down from Laffrey, in Isère.
The road was closed around 7 a.m. by the La Mure gendarmes while the vehicle was freed.
The climb was able to reopen at 8:15 a.m.
No people were injured.
Furthermore, in Châbons, a school bus slipped and ended up on the side of the road.
He was running empty.
But the driver suffered a concussion.
Caution on the slopes, off-piste strongly discouraged
Finally, while these snowfalls are more massive at altitude, causing accumulations reaching several tens of centimeters locally, Météo France places several departments on yellow alert (level 2 out of 4) due to the risk of avalanches.
All Alpine and Pyrenean massifs are affected.
In detail, Haute-Savoie, Savoie, Isère, Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Alpes-Maritimes are the departments under surveillance in the Alps;
on the Pyrenees side, these are Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Hautes-Pyrénées, Haute-Garonne, Ariège and Pyrénées-Orientales.
Concerning the risk of avalanches on the slopes, it is almost maximum in several massifs.
On a scale of 1 to 5, it is 4 in several places in the Alps.
Oisans, Champsaur, Pelvous, Ubaye, Haut-Var and Haut-Verdon are affected.
Caution is advised in other massifs where the risk often reaches 3 out of 5. In these conditions, moving away from the slopes is strongly discouraged.
Finally, throughout the Pyrenees, the danger is 3 out of 4.