Wildhorn

Snowpack

The large amount of new snow in the south over the last six days is increasingly settling and consolidating. Here, the near-surface layers in particular are still prone to triggering.

In general, the new snow and wind slabs of recent days overlay a mostly compact old snowpack, mostly containing many crusts and, between them, layers with a faceted crystal structure. Only a few fractures in these deeper layers have been observed recently. 

Individual gliding avalanches are still possible, primarily on east-, south- and west-facing slopes below approximately 2600 m and more rarely on north-facing slopes below approximately 2200 m. These may be large.

Weather forecast until Wednesday, 28.02.2024

Precipitation will fall during Tuesday night into Wednesday, especially on the Main Alpine Ridge and to the south of this. It will become increasingly sunny during the day, initially in the inneralpine regions and later also in the other regions. On the northern flank of the Alps there will be low stratus cloud cover with an upper limit around 1700 m.

New snow

The snowfall level in the north will be between 1200 and 1400 m; in the south it will rise from 1200 m initially towards the 2000-m mark. From Tuesday afternoon until the end of the precipitation on Wednesday, the following amounts of fresh snow are expected:

• from Monte Rosa to the Simplon region: 20 to 30 cm;
• on the rest of the Main Alpine Ridge from the Great St Bernard Pass to the Bernina region, Valle Maggia: 5 to 15 cm;
• elsewhere: less, or it will remain dry.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around +2 °C.

Wind

There will be an easterly wind:

• this will be moderate at times at high altitudes and otherwise weak;
• a moderate Bise wind will blow in the Jura.

Weather review for Tuesday, 27.02.2024

It was very cloudy. It snowed in Upper Valais, Ticino and Grisons.

New snow

The snowfall level rose from 1000 to 1500 m in the south; elsewhere it was between 1200 and 1500 m. From Monday afternoon to Tuesday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow fell:

• Monte Rosa to the Simplon region, southern flank of the Alps, Upper Engadine: 20 to 30 cm; Bernina region: up to 40 cm;
• Upper Visp valleys, rest of the Gotthard region, rest of Grisons: 10 to 20 cm;
• less elsewhere.

From Saturday afternoon to Tuesday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow fell above approximately 1500 m:

• central part of the southern flank of the Alps: 60 to 80 cm;
• Simplon region, Upper Engadine and neighbouring southern valleys: 40 to 60 cm;
• directly adjacent regions, Lower Engadine south of the Inn, Val Müstair and Chablais: 20 to 40 cm;
• less elsewhere.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around -2 °C.

Wind

• There was a moderate Bise wind in the Jura and the western Prealps.
• Elsewhere the wind blew from the southeast; during the night this was weak, and moderate at times at high altitudes, it was strong at times on the Northern Alpine Ridge during the day.

TrendThursday, 29.02.2024

In the north it will be sunny above the low stratum cloud cover. To the south of the Main Alpine Ridge it will be very cloudy and in the afternoon there will be a small amount of precipitation on the Alpine Ridge in Valais. There will be a weak to moderate southerly wind. It will remain mild.

The danger of dry avalanches will decrease slightly, especially in the regions of the south where a lot of snow had previously fallen. Gliding avalanches will still be possible.

Friday, 01.03.2024

It will be very cloudy with snowfall in the north above 1200 to 1600 m and in the south above around 1800 m. There will be 20 to 30 cm of snowfall on the Main Alpine Ridge in Upper Valais, and less elsewhere. There will be a weak to moderate southerly wind.

The danger of dry avalanches will increase slightly on the Main Alpine Ridge in Upper Valais; elsewhere it will not change significantly. Gliding avalanches will still be possible.