The Christmas holidays have started chaotically in various places in the Alps. Winter showers cause dangerous situations and closed roads. Strong gusts of wind caused trees to fall on power lines, leaving thousands of people without power. Ski areas open only a few lifts or even remain completely closed. There is a risk of avalanche due to masses of snow.
The winter sports countries will be hit by storm Zoltan on Friday and Saturday. This affects Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland, among others. Wind gusts were forecast at speeds of 100 to 150 km/h. In addition, up to a meter of snow was predicted.
In Austria, stormy weather led to great chaos on Friday. Wind gusts of up to 90 km/h were measured in the valleys, and up to 160 km/h higher up in the mountains. Fallen trees that landed on power lines left thousands of households without power for hours. This was the case in the Stubai Valley, in the vicinity of Kitzbühel and Achensee.
Due to fallen trees, slippery conditions and the risk of avalanches and landslides, several roads were also closed in Tyrol. Villages near Boden and Bschlabs were completely inaccessible. Roads were also closed in the Stubai Valley and the area around St. Anton am Arlberg, both popular ski areas.
A dead person
In Lower Austria, in the Tulln district, one person was killed by a fallen tree. It was about a hunter who, despite the storm, had ventured into the forest to hunt wild boars.
Air traffic was disrupted at Innsbrück Airport. Some planes failed to land and had to divert. Several flights had to be cancelled.
Ski areas closed
In the Sivretta Arena, with Ischl and Samnaun, and in the Stubai Valley, the ski slopes remained closed on Friday morning. In many other places, only a limited number of lifts opened or their opening hours changed. This was the case in Zell am See-Kaprun, the Zillertal and Saalbach-Hinterglemm, among others. Throughout Austria, the avalanche danger above the tree line is 4 on a scale of 5.
France and Italy
The wind also blew strongly in the southern Alps on Friday. In the French Gap, among other places, several trees were blown down by wind gusts of approximately 120 km/h.
In South Tyrol, Italy, a wind gust of 181 km/h was even measured at a weather station in Val Venosta, at an altitude of almost 3,000 metres, a record since the weather station was put into use in 2000.
More snow on the way
According to the site snowheight.nl There will be a lot of snow in the Austrian Alps on Friday night up to an altitude of 800 to 1,000 meters. Up to half a meter of snow may fall. In the French and Italian Alps there is still a chance of ten centimeters of extra snow.
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