There’s been a lot of hype recently about the effects of global warming and the impact of mankind on our environment. Living in Chamonix I have witnessed the worst winter I can remember in terms of snow levels. It was a very slow start to the season with Christmas holiday makers only just getting a dusting of snow over the festive break to keep them entertained with just the odd flurry from then on for the next month. The expected snow falls that kept appearing on the local weather guides failed to arrive and there was just the occasional dump through out the season to appease the powder hungry skiers and snowboarders.
When the heavens finally opened in February the usual low temperatures were not apparent and what snow had been there previously was being washed away by rain falling as high as 200m. Thankfully Chamonix is surrounded by the highest peaks in Western Europe so the more adventurous of the snow seekers were able to enjoy fantastic snow off the top of the Aiguille du Midi and top bin of the Grands Montets. Things haven’t got any better and in Mid April it looks like I will be hanging up my snowboard boots for the season whereas last year I was riding through the middle of may.
So is this poor season to be blamed on the effects of Global warming or is this just the natural cycle of temperature throwing us a particularly warm winter?
Not that I’m complaining – I’ve managed to dust off the mountain bike and this weekend saw the official start of BBQ season! Super U must have enjoyed record sales for charcoal for an April weekend! It could even be warm enough to hook out the swimmers and take a trip to the lakes in Passy!
PARIS - The heat wave sweeping Europe is a direct consequence of the warming of the earth's atmosphere, experts say. "We are observing and suffering the first effects of global warming," Hervé Le Treut, meteorologist at the French Centre for Scientific Research told IPS.
"The emissions of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, are leading to higher temperatures all over the world, but these are observed in an irregular manner across the continents," he said. "The global weather is clearly disturbed."
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