Waadtländer Voralpen

Snowpack

In westernmost and northern Lower Valais, there is somewhat more snow at high altitudes than is usual at this time of year. Elsewhere, snow depths are below average and in the south they are well below average. On south-facing slopes and generally below 2400 m, the snowpack is mostly wet or crusted.

On the Main Alpine Ridge and to the south of there, the last few days' fresh and drifted snow is lying at high altitudes on a thin but weak old snowpack of faceted crystals.

North of the Main Alpine Ridge, there was little transportable snow so only small snowdrift accumulations have formed. However, where these are lying on surface hoar, they are still prone to triggering. In addition, in the inneralpine regions of Valais and throughout Grisons, there are some pronounced weak layers deeper in the old snowpack, especially on northern and eastern slopes above approximately 2400 m. However, hardly any avalanches have been triggered in these layers for some days.

Weather forecast to Friday

Conditions will be sunny and clouds will gather in the west in the afternoon.

Fresh snow

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Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between +3°C in the north and -1°C in the south

Wind

• Moderate southerly to southwesterly winds during the night in the north and at high altitudes, sometimes rising to strong in those regions exposed to the foehn wind
• Initially light winds during the day with moderate southwesterly winds in the afternoon in the west

Weather review for Thursday

Conditions were very cloudy in the south with a little snowfall above approximately 1600 m while they were sunny and mild in the inneralpine regions and in the north.

Fresh snow

Since Wednesday afternoon, 5 cm, and locally up to 10 cm, of snow have fallen on the Main Alpine Ridge from the Nufenen Pass to Bernina and south of there.

This means that, above approximately 2000 m, total snowfall since Tuesday has been:

• Valle Maggia: 30 cm
• rest of Ticino, Moesano, Bernina region: 15 to 20 cm
• rest of the Main Alpine Ridge: 5 to 15 cm
• elsewhere mainly dry

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between +3°C in the north and -1°C in the south

Wind

• Moderate from southerly directions
• In the afternoon, a foehn wind set in in the north

Outlook to Sunday

On Saturday, there will be sunny intervals in the west and conditions will even be mainly sunny in the east. Temperatures will remain mild and winds will be light. A foehn wind will rise in the north on Sunday. In those northern and easternmost regions exposed to the foehn wind, conditions will be very sunny and mild, while they will be mainly cloudy, but substantially dry, elsewhere.

Avalanche risk will decrease, but only slowly, in Valais, Grisons and the south due to the weak snowpack structure.