Pyrenees snowed in
This report on the weather in the Pyrenees was posted on the St James' forum by Grant Spangler:
Snowplow in Roncesvalles:
http://www.diariode navarra.es/ actualidad/ 20070319/ fotos/2007031917 5107347_500. jpg
I have been watching this situation in Roncesvalles, thus the Pyrenees, for over a week now. It started snowing on Monday, and is projected to continue through this Sunday. Snow levels got down to as low as 100 meters elevation, so the road past Pamplona was thick with the white stuff as well. Winds from the north and from the northwest were up to 35 km/hr, compounding the challenge for walkers.
The INM 7-day forecast for Roncesvalles is found at:
http://www.inm. es/cgi-bin/ locali.cgi? ig=31630 .
We have continuous
Camino Frances coverage for all the pueblitos at:
http://groups. msn.com/ElCamino Santiago/ weathercaminofra nces.msnw .
As the temperature hovers near freezing, the snow reamains wetish, and the realative humidity is high. You end up with the worst of all worlds, wet, cold, windy and a bit of mud. This is a chill-to-the- bone kind of weather. If the temperature would drop and stay at -10C, it would actually feel better. Any crossing from Saint-Jean-Pied- de-Port would be out of the question.
Moral: Ask the locals, but confirm on the Internet what kind of weather is pending before you sally forth.