2 enormous avalanches covered towns in Italy and France.
Bessans, France and Cervinia, Italy were engulfed by powder clouds on January 11 and January 12, 2016, respectively.
The first giant avalanche engulfed Bessans, France on January 11, 2016 covering the city with a huge cloud of powder. No one was hurt. The avalanche danger was 4 out of 5. Look at the impressive video below:
The second avalanche wipped out Cervinia, Italy today, January 12, 2016. This avalanche came off the 3,800-meter Jumeaux peak. The powder cloud was enormous and completely whited the city. No one was hurt in the Italian avalanche.
Everyone who witnessed those giant avalanches were really scared. But fortunately there was no damage to homes or roads.
Dry avalanches are stunningly beautiful and roar down the mountain, light and fluffy, like clouds of powder.
Watch the video below of the Italian avalanche:
Beneath the misty powder cloud is a rushing mass of snow. As the snow rushes through the air it kicks up an envelope of powder, appropriately enough called a “powder cloud.” The beautiful part of a powder avalanche.
In front of the powder cloud is the invisible “air blast” that pushes out in front of the moving snow. The air blast can travel fast enough to explode your lungs if you are caught by the full impact of the blast.
And sometimes, air blasts cut full grown trees in half… OMG
[…] is the third giant avalanche within 3 days in the Alps. Snow is abundant but very unstabil. I wouldn’t do any off-piste skying. Take […]