südliches Urseren

Snowpack

The new snow from Friday was transported significantly by the northerly wind. The new snow and snowdrifts are lying on the more wind-sheltered western, northern and eastern slopes above 1800 to 2000 metres on a metamorphosed surface of the snowpack and are therefore highly prone to triggering. In all regions, there are also faceted weak layers deeper in the snowpack. Avalanches can be triggered in these weak layers and become large. This weak snow layering is unfavourable for the heavy snowfall expected from Sunday.

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

Weather forecast to Saturday

Mostly sunny in the south, partly sunny elsewhere, and mostly cloudy towards the east. A few snowflakes are possible in the Jura and in the west.

Fresh snow

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Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -4°C in the north and -2°C in the south.

Wind

• Decreasing northerly wind
• Increasingly moderate to strong westerly winds in the north during the course of the day.

Weather review for Friday

It snowed across a wide area during Thursday night. The snowfall level fell rapidly on Thursday evening from around 2000 metres to low altitudes. During the day, there was still a little snow in the north and east, while it was partly sunny in the west and south.

Fresh snow

From Thursday afternoon to Friday afternoon above 2200 m:

• Lower Valais, northern flank of the Alps, northern Grisons: 20 to 40 cm, with locally up to 50 cm in the eastern part of the northern flank of the Alps
• Elsewhere: widely 10 to 20 cm.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around -9 °C.

Wind

Thursday evening: moderate to strong from the southwest

Then: strong to stormy on the Main Alpine Ridge and south of it, otherwise moderate to strong from the north.

Outlook

On Sunday and Monday, it will snow persistently and heavily in the north. The snowfall will be accompanied by strong to stormy winds, on Sunday from the west, on Monday from the northwest. The snowfall level on Sunday will initially be between 1200 and 1600 metres. During the course of the day, it will sink to low altitudes and remain there on Monday. The most snow will fall in the extreme west of Lower Valais and on the northern Alpine ridge, where 80 to 120 cm can be expected. In the rest of Valais and in northern and central Grisons, 40 to 80 cm of fresh snow could fall by Monday evening.

The avalanche danger will increase during the night from Saturday to Sunday. During the course of the day on Sunday, a widespread danger level of 4 (high) is expected to be reached in the extreme west of Lower Valais and on the northern Alpine ridge. Naturally triggered avalanches are increasingly expected, including large ones.

Danger level 4 (high) is also expected to be reached in the rest of Lower Valais and northern Grisons on Monday. In the regions exposed to heavier precipitation, the danger will increase further within level 4 (high). Very large avalanches are increasingly expected in these regions. Due to the low snowfall level, avalanches can also sweep along a lot of new fallen snow at intermediate altitudes and advance into the valleys in the usual avalanche tracks. Exposed parts of transportation routes will be at risk.  

The avalanche danger will also increase in the other regions. There is hardly any precipitation in the far south and the avalanche danger will hardly change.