2024-03-03 14:48:45
During the night of Saturday March 2 to Sunday March 3, snowfall was already quite heavy in Ardèche, above 1,000 meters. “Traffic conditions are difficult,” indicates the Department’s roads service, specifying that there were “15 to 20 centimeters” of snow on the roadway.
In the afternoon, the RD 21 between Saint-Laurent-du-Pape and Vernoux-en-Vivarais was closed to traffic.
In the morning, the rain-snow limit begins to drop. This is evidenced by the snowflakes which now fall at the Col de l’Escrinet, at an altitude of 789 meters, between Privas and Aubenas.
The circulation of goods transported over 7.5 tonnes has been prohibited in this sector since midnight. Likewise at the Col de la Chavade on the RN 102.
Following a landslide, the RD 19 was cut off to traffic between the village of La Souche and the Col de la Croix de Bauzon. At the beginning of the afternoon, it was reopened to traffic on one lane with one alternation per sign.
“Over the entire day on Sunday, from 400 to 500 meters, the expected snowfall accumulations are between 1 and 4 centimeters; 5 to 15 cm from 600 to 1,000 meters; 15 to 30 cm above 1,000 meters and up to 60 cm at 1,200 meters above sea level on the Ardèche plateau,” a Météo France forecaster indicated on Saturday in Dauphiné Libéré.
Another difficulty: the wind can form snowdrifts, making traffic on the roads even more difficult. “Wearing special equipment is obligatory until March 31 in municipalities classified as mountain zones,” recalls the roads service of the Department of Ardèche.
For snow removal on departmental roads, the roads service of the Department of Ardèche has mobilized for the moment, this Sunday, 100 agents as well as 36 vehicles including eleven which were triggered at midday in the Vernoux sector -en-Vivarais.
In the Drôme, the snow holds on the Vercors road
According to the roads service of the Department of Drôme, snow is starting to fall and hold on the road in Vercors and the Le Grand Serres/Saint-Sorlin-en-Valloire sector. “The crews went out to these sectors,” it is specified. Adding: “Locally, officials are vigilant about changes in the rain and snow limit. »
The South Drôme could be affected: “Snow is expected later in the evening. » Furthermore, in this sector, teams from the roads department of Buis-les-Baronnies “are on the ground for a tree in Mollans-sur-Ouvèze which cuts the road”.
In Montélimar, the rain, which has been falling continuously since this morning, is turning into snow at the start of the afternoon, with the drop in temperatures, which were relatively mild in the morning. Large flakes form. However, the snow does not hold on the wet road.
Snowflakes also appeared in the Valence basin without it remaining on the ground.
Good news for Ardèche ski resorts
Currently, a real snowstorm is hitting the Ardèche ski resorts. And this is ultimately good news, the snowflakes being very rare since the start of the season, only allowing very partial openings from time to time.
The Chavade Nordic area is due to reopen this Monday March 4. It is closed this Sunday “because of too much accumulation of snow”, it is indicated, not to mention the violent wind.
Employees are at work at the Croix de Bauzon alpine ski resort. But, for the moment, the slopes are closed, except for the toboggan run. A reopening should also take place at the start of the week.
The school holidays continue with zone B, notably with tourists from the Aix-Marseille academy who could benefit from the snow in Ardèche. Not to mention the Ardéchois who will have the chance to climb the Croix de Bauzon, during the week or at the weekend depending on how the weather changes.
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