obere Maggiatäler

Snowpack

At high altitudes, there is about twice as much snow in many areas as there normally is in mid-December. The snowpack structure is generally favourable. Weak layers in the old snowpack are sometimes present around older rain crusts but are so deep in much of the snowpack that it is unlikely they would be released by people. Avalanches triggered by people in these weak layers were last reported on Saturday on the central part of the Main Alpine Ridge. In southern Upper Valais, Ticino, Moesano, Val Bregaglia and Val Poschiavo, there are average snow depths at altitude. In these regions, older weak layers may be released by people in isolated cases.

Gliding avalanches are still to be expected, especially below 2400 m. These may become particularly substantial on the northern flank of the Alps and in Lower Valais.

Weather forecast until Tuesday, 19.12.2023

It will be sunny in the mountains.

New fallen snow

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Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, +8 °C, zero-degree level at over 3000 m.

Wind

Winds will be initially weak, becoming increasingly moderate from the west to southwest as the day progresses on the northern flank of the Alps and at high altitudes.

Weather review for Monday, 18.12.2023

It was sunny in the mountains.

New fallen snow

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Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around +7 °C, zero-degree level at over 3000 m.

Wind

Winds were mostly weak.

Trend until Thursday, 21.12.2023

During Tuesday night into Wednesday, precipitation will set in in the north with moderate to strong southwesterly winds. The snowfall level will drop to around 1200 m by the early morning. On Wednesday and Thursday, it will be cloudy in the north during the day with some snowfall to low altitudes, which will intensify on Thursday. A total of 20 to 30 cm of snow will fall widely on the northern flank of the Alps by Thursday afternoon. It will be fairly sunny in the south on both days.

The danger of dry avalanches will increase in the north with snowfall and wind. Elsewhere there will be hardly any change. The danger of gliding avalanches will decrease slowly as a consequence of falling temperatures.