Massive Snowfalls in the Pyrenees

The Pyrenees mountains, home to around 50 ski areas in Andorra, France and Spain, have seen huge snowfalls over the past three days.

Official snow total stats are up to  1.5 metres (five feet) over the past 72 hours though some skiers have found pockets they believe 1.8 metres (six foot) deep and drifts of up to three metres (10 feet).

A number of resorts closed ahead of the snow storm arriving as along, with heavy snowfall, gale force winds were forecast, but these resorts are starting to re-open now as the storm eases.

 Initially the biggest snowfalls were expected to impact Spanish ski centres but in the end it was French areas that posted the biggest falls.  Ax 3 Domaines reported 1.5 metres (five feet) of snowfall and Les Angles (pictured) about the same  amount.

Vallnord in Andorra posted an 82cm accumulation with Spanish areas getting up to 70cm of snow. Masella is pictured below.

It was the biggest snowfall in the region, which has had largely dry and sunny weather for over a month, of the season so far.

The weather is now sunny with temperatures a little below freezuing however the avalanche danger in the region is currently high at level 4, one below maximum, in several areas of the Pyrenees.