Waadtländer Voralpen

Snowpack

In the north, the snowpack structure is quite favourable. Dry avalanches may only be triggered very occasionally and mainly in near-surface layers. In southern Valais, Ticino and Grisons, there are faceted layers deeper in the snowpack, Several avalanches were triggered in the old snowpack last weekend, particularly in the inneralpine regions of Grisons.

The snow is becoming increasingly moist even higher up and on shady slopes. On southern slopes, the snowpack is water-saturated up into the high alpine regions, while on eastern and western slopes the majority is water-saturated up to around 2600 m. North-facing slopes are water-saturated up to around 1800 m.

During the night into Thursday, the wet surface of the snowpack will freeze solid. The melt-freeze crust will soften as a consequence of the warming and solar radiation during the day and the danger of wet and gliding avalanches will increase slightly.

Weather forecast to Thursday

After a clear night, it will be sunny.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between +6 °C in the west and +2 °C in the east

Wind

Light to moderate from northerly directions

Weather review for Wednesday

After a mostly clear night, it was quite sunny.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around +3 °C

Wind

Light to moderate from northerly directions

Outlook

Friday and Saturday nights will both be clear. It will be sunny on Friday. On Saturday, it will be sunny over a wide area, with clouds gathering in the afternoon in the south. Temperatures are set to rise: the zero-degree level will increase to around 3000 m on Friday and to around 3400 m on Saturday. The wind will gradually shift over west to south and will mostly be light. Saturday afternoon will see a moderate foehn wind in the north.

There will be hardly any change in the danger of dry avalanches. With the mild temperatures, the danger of wet and gliding avalanches will increase appreciably during the course of the day. Tours and hut ascents should be started early and finished on time.