Bex-Villars

Snowpack

The most recent layers of new snow and snowdrift are still sometimes prone to triggering. On the Northern Alpine Ridge, in Valais, in the Gotthard region, in northern and central Grisons and in Engadine, the snow from December overlays weak layers, mostly in the area of melt-freeze crusts. This is most prevalent on north- and east-facing slopes, slightly less so on west- and south-facing slopes. Avalanches may be triggered in these weak layers.

In addition, above approximately 2800 m, where there was already a continuous old snowpack before the snowfall in the second half of November, there are some weak layers of faceted crystals on northern slopes. In these, avalanches may also be triggered in near-ground layers in isolated cases.

Weather forecast to Monday, 9 December 2024

In the north it will be mostly very cloudy and there will still be some snow, especially during the night. In the south there will be brief brighter spells in the mountains, in Valais it will be quite sunny.

Fresh snow

The snowfall level will be at low altitude. By Monday afternoon, the following amounts of snow will fall:

• Central and eastern parts of the northern flank of the Alps: 5 to 10 cm
• Otherwise less, dry in the far west and on the southern flank of the Alps

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -7 °C in the north and -5 °C in the south.

Wind

• Moderate to strong northeasterly wind on the Northern Alpine Ridge and on the central part of the Main Alpine Ridge, easing as the day progresses
• Moderate to strong Bise wind in the Jura and along the Prealps

Weather review for Sunday, 8 December 2024

It was very cloudy and it snowed widely, especially on Saturday evening and during the night to Sunday, then during the day in some localised showers. The snowfall level was at low altitude.

Fresh snow

It snowed from the start of the precipitation on Saturday morning until midday on Sunday:

• Vaud Alps, extreme west of and northern Lower Valais: 20 to 40 cm
• Remaining northern flank of the Alps, rest of Lower Valais, central Upper Valais, eastern parts of northern and central Grisons: 10 to 20 cm
• Elsewhere: less; mostly dry on the southern flank of the Alps.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -6 °C in the north and -3 °C in the south.

Wind

Moderate at high altitudes, at times strong, initially from the west, then from the north

Decreasing as the day progresses

Outlook

In the north, it will be mostly sunny above approximately 2000 m on Tuesday and above approximately 1500 m on Wednesday, as well as in the inneralpine regions. Some snow may still fall in the Jura and the Prealps on Tuesday. The Bise wind will ease and and there will be light winds in the mountains.

In the south, it will be mostly sunny with light winds on both days.

Avalanche danger will decrease.