östliche Berner Voralpen

Snowpack

Above 2000 m, snow depths are widely above average. Above 2500 m, they are well above average. Most of the high-altitude measuring stations along the Main Alpine Ridge are showing record snow depths for early April. At intermediate altitudes, snow depths are mostly below average in the north and above average in the south. There is still some snow on the flat measuring fields below 1500 m, especially in the Gotthard region.

Sometimes strong westerly winds have led to the formation of wind slabs in recent days. Some of these are still prone to triggering, especially at high altitudes. Isolated avalanche fractures in deeper layers of the snowpack were observed over the Easter weekend in southern Valais, central Grisons and Engadine. Along both the northern and the southern flanks of the Alps, there are hardly any weak layers deeper in the snowpack.

The snowpack has become thoroughly wet below approximately 2200 m, and up to around 3000 m on south-facing slopes under the new snow. As a result of the considerable warming and the solar radiation, there is an increased possibility of moist snow slides and avalanches. There is also more of a possibility of gliding avalanches again. These may become large, and in the regions with a lot of snow in the south, occasionally very large.

Weather forecast until Friday, 05.04.2024

Thursday night into Friday will be cloudy at times in the north, and light showers are possible in some localities along the eastern part of the northern flank of the Alps and in Prättigau. During the day it will be mostly sunny with patches of cloud. In the south, it will be sunny at times after a mostly clear night. It will be appreciably warmer at high altitudes, with the zero-degree level rising to approximately 3400 m as the day progresses.

New snow

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Temperature

Temperatures will rise. At midday at 2000 m, between +8 °C in the north and +3 °C in the south.

Wind

• There will be moderate to strong winds in the west and north and light to moderate winds elsewhere, blowing from the southwest to the west.
• In the Alpine valleys of the north, a foehn wind from the south will develop as the day progresses.

Weather review for Thursday, 04.04.2024

During the night, there were locally small amounts of precipitation in the west and north, falling as snow above approximately 1800 m. During the day, it was often cloudy in the north, and at times sunny with patches of cloud in the inneralpine regions and in the south.

New snow

During Wednesday night into Thursday, the following amounts of fresh snow were recorded above approximately 2200 m:

• in the west and in the Gotthard region: 5 cm, locally up to 10 cm;
• elsewhere: less, or it remained dry.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, +3 °C, zero-degree level at 2500 m.

Wind

In the north, winds were moderate to strong, and elsewhere light to moderate, blowing from the west.

Trend until Sunday, 07.04.2024

Over the weekend, it will be mostly sunny with occasional high patches of cloud. With the zero-degree level at approximately 4000 m, it will be extremely mild for the time of year. On Sunday in particular, visibility may be obscured by Sahara dust. There will be light to moderate southwesterly winds, becoming moderate to strong in the north on Sunday. In the Alpine valleys of the north, there will be a moderate foehn wind from the south.

The danger of dry avalanches will decrease in the south, but may increase slightly in some regions in the north as a result of strong southerly winds.

The danger of wet avalanches will increase appreciably as the day progresses as a result of solar radiation and warmer daytime temperatures. More gliding avalanches are expected again. They may occur at any time and become large, and occasionally very large in the south. Tours, freerides and hut ascents should be started early and finished on time.