Foehn on the VB

This weeks Chamonix Off Piste clinic skied the Vallée Blanche today, and here you can see the group resting before the descent past the Requin Hut. Behind them you can see a wall of cloud bubbling over from the Italian border. This is a classic example of foehn wind, which is generated with southerly winds forcing a saturated air mass to uplift and condense, before it dries through precipitation, and warms quicker on its descent into the Chamonix valley. The skiers enjoyed great conditions on the day, but local knowledge made the guiding team decide on the Vallée Blanche today, as foehn will probably develop and close the Midi cable car for the next days.

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