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The posh ski resort of Davos was snow-bound yesterday after the heaviest precipitation in two decades, hampering the arrival of the world’s elite for this week’s World Economic Forum (WEF).
“In the last six days, 159 centimetres (63 inches) of snow fell on Davos … a fall that we observe only every 20 years,” Switzerland’s Institute for the Study of Snow and Avalanches said in an evening bulletin.
“From Monday evening until the end of the snow overnight, an additional 20 to 40 cm will be added,” the Institute said, evoking an “exceptional” situation.
Heavy snow has been blanketing Davos for days. After a brief lull yesterday, large flakes began to fall in the early afternoon, disrupting traffic and threatening to block the landing of VIP helicopters.
An economist registered at the forum told AFP it took two hours to drive the last 12 kilometres approaching the resort.
Trains were more crowded with official Davos delegates, who usually take limousines and special shuttle vehicles to the week-long forum.
In the centre of Davos, participants preferred to walk rather than take the shuttles, which were slowed down by roads resembling skating rinks.
Cars and pedestrians intersected between high powder walls of snow. The streets are not salted in Davos, to protect the environment.
On Sunday, the snowfall had already disrupted the road traffic and temporarily cut the railway line leading to the ski resort.
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Not the only kind of snow that there will be plenty of there this week.
The rich really like to rub our noses in it.
63 inches of snow?
None of my 3 kids have ever even seen snow.
@Phil O’ Meara: And who’s fault is that? You could take them to Lapland for a few hundred euros if you set your mind to it!
@Neal Ireland Hello.: whoosh
@Hall Monitor: Don’t mock. It’s snow joke…
@Phil O’ Meara: Oh dear. What happens if they get stuck there and can’t get home? Helicopters at the ready?
Yes I am jealous snow, great food, good chat and a helicopter ride at the end of it all.
And no doubt they’ll be there to discuss global warming
Who cares?….These darlings won’t be shivering in bus queues….
Mother Nature Trumps Money
@Willie Bill Bryan: Trumping Trump also.
@Arfer Daly: It’s the heaviest snowfall in almost 20 years. Snow here is, of course, expected in Winter, especially in the mountains, but this amount is not normal. Zermatt has been cut off twice this month already, there are landslides and avalanches across the Alps. It’s definitely unusual.
@Arfer Daly: It is unusual in that the snowfall was so heavy. A once in 20yr event. Just accept your first comment was incorrect and move on. No shame in not reading the entire article and then posting a comment from a position of ignorance. It happens a lot around here.
No chance of an avalanche..
Delighted. And Leo and paschal will be late. Hurray.
An omen.
Poor devils
Luckily inside the volcano is quite warm. All the villains that attend can watch poor people being lowered into the piranhas tank in comfort.
Jesus god help them. 2 whole hours at one particular moment in time to travel the last 12 Km’s. There souls must be destroyed. I, like many others, endure that twice a day, 5 days a week on the M50. Go and pull the other one would ya
that’s tomorrow’s peasant hunt canceled so,ah feck
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