Grimselpass

Snowpack

The near-surface layers of the snowpack lie on faceted weak layers or on surface hoar (hoar frost), especially in the north. This mainly affects places that are generally protected from the wind. In all regions, there are also faceted weak layers deeper in the old snowpack. These are still prone to triggering in isolated cases, especially on western, northern and eastern slopes. With increasingly strong westerly winds, small wind slabs that are prone to triggering can develop at altitude.

There is still very little snow on the southern flank of the Alps and in central Grisons, so ski tours are still hardly possible.

With the rain, small wet snow and gliding avalanches are possible in the west and north below 2000 m in all aspects.

Weather forecast until Thursday

Precipitation will set in in the late morning in the west, spreading eastwards and southwards during the course of the day. In Grisons it will remain dry until the afternoon. The snowfall level in the west will initially be around 2200 metres, and around 1800 metres elsewhere. It will slowly drop during the afternoon.

Fresh snow

Above 2200 m until Thursday afternoon:

• The extreme west of Lower Valais: 10 to 20 cm
• The western part of the northern flank of the Alps, Valais, southern flank of the Alps: 5 to 10 cm;
• Elsewhere: less, or it will remain dry.

Jura, Vaud and Fribourg Alps: increasingly heavy rain up to the summits.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between 0 °C in the west and south and +2 °C in the east.

Wind

Still moderate during the night in the north and at high altitudes, increasingly strong from the southwest during the course of the day

Weather review for Wednesday

It was cloudy in the west and quite sunny in Grisons and the south.

Fresh snow

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Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around +5 °C.

Wind

Moderate from west to southwest on the northern flank of the Alps and in the high Alpine regions, otherwise mostly light.

OutlookFriday

The snowfall will intensify during Thursday night. The snowfall level will drop rapidly to low altitudes. During the day some snow will continue to fall, especially in the north and east. It will be quite sunny in Valais and the south. At high altitudes and on the southern flank of the Alps, there will be a strong, at times gale-force, wind from the north. A total of 20 to 40 cm of snow is expected from Thursday morning to Friday afternoon on the northern flank of the Alps and at high altitudes in Lower Valais. Up to 60 cm of snow is possible in the far west.

The avalanche danger will increase with the new snow and strong winds from midday on Thursday. This will be particularly significant in the west and on the northern flank of the Alps. During Thursday night, naturally triggered avalanches are increasingly expected in the west and north, even major ones.

Saturday

On Saturday, it will be cloudy in the north. Some precipitation is possible. In the south it will be sunny with northerly winds.

The avalanche danger will decrease. Conditions remain precarious for snow sports away from secured areas, particularly on the northern flank of the Alps around Valais.