Pays d'Enhaut

A generally favourable avalanche situation will prevail.

As a consequence of a sometimes strong northeasterly wind, mostly small wind slabs formed. They are in some cases prone to triggering. The wind slabs are to be evaluated with care and prudence in particular in very steep terrain. Additionally in isolated cases avalanches can also be triggered in deep layers and reach medium size. These avalanche prone locations are to be found in particular at transitions from a shallow to a deep snowpack. Backcountry touring and other off-piste activities call for careful route selection.

Snowpack The snow depths which are recorded on flat measurement fields in the western regions are slightly below average, in the remaining regions of Switzerland snow depths are significantly below average. Only in the furthermost western parts of the Lower Valais and in the Fribourg Alps do snow depths correspond to average values for this juncture of the season. The snow cover layering in the furthermost western part of the Lower Valais is most favourable. On the northern flank of the Alps, the lowermost part of the snow cover is frequently well consolidated. Nevertheless, above that segment lie several expansively metamorphosed (faceted) layers deeply embedded inside the snowpack. In the remaining regions of Switzerland there are numerous softened, expansively metamorphosed (faceted) layers embedded between consolidated layers and crusts. These faceted layers are especially pronounced in zones where the snowpack is shallow and where one breaks down to the ground on skis. Also the surface-near layers of snow are increasingly expansively metamorphosed (faceted) and loosely-packed on wind-protected slopes, and furthermore, surface hoar has been generated on top of the snowpack surface. On the northern flank of the Alps as well as in general in ridgeline terrain and in pass areas at high altitudes, the snow cover surface frequently manifests pronounced influences from wind. As a consequence of the strong to storm-velocity northeasterly winds in some places, predominantly small-sized snowdrift accumulations have been generated during the last few days. Observed weather review Saturday, 28.01.2023 In the southern regions and in the mountain massifs it was predominantly sunny. The ceiling of the high fogbanks in the northern and the eastern regions lay at 1700 to 2100 m. From place to place there was a small amount of snowfall out of the fog. Fresh snow - Temperature At midday at 2000 m, between -10 °C in the northern regions and -7 °C in the southern regions. Wind

• in the heights of the Jura region, on the northern flank of the Alps, as well as in the central and eastern sectors of the Main Alpine Ridge were blowing at moderate to strong velocity, at strong to storm-strength in some places in the Jura region during Friday night from easterly to northeasterly directions;
• in the remaining regions of Switzerland winds were blowing at light to moderate strength from northeasterly directions.

Weather forecast through Sunday, 29.01.2023 It will be predominantly sunny in the southern regions and in the mountain massifs. The ceiling of the high fogbanks in the northern regions will lie at 1000 to 1400 m. Fresh snow - Temperature Temperatures are rising. At midday at 2000 m, -3 °C in the western and the southern regions; at -5 °C in the eastern regions. Wind Winds will be blowing from easterly to northeasterly directions,

• still at moderate strength in the northern regions on Saturday night;
• blowing at light to moderate strength in the other regions of Switzerland.

Outlook through Tuesday, 31.01.2023 Following a night of clear skies on Sunday night, it will still be sunny in the mountains on Monday, subsequently it will become increasingly cloudy from the northwest during the course of the day on Monday. On Monday afternoon, light snowfall is expected to set in from the north, which will then persist until Tuesday morning. Snowfall is anticipated down to low lying areas. By Tuesday morning in the Jura region, in the central and eastern sectors of the northern flank of the Alps, in northern Grisons and in the northern part of Lower Engadine, approximately 5 cm of fresh snow is anticipated, up to 10 cm from place to place. Winds are expected to shift to westerly-to-northwesterly and subsequently intensify during the course of the day on Monday. Starting on Monday afternoon, winds at high altitudes will be blowing at moderate to strong velocity, in some places on the Main Alpine Ridge at strong-to-storm velocity, from northerly directions. On Tuesday it will be partly sunny. In the northern and the eastern regions it will become temporarily sunny after the residual clouds have dispersed, subsequently cloud cover will move in to an increasing degree during the afternoon. Winds will slacken off. As a consequence of the northwesterly winds, the fresh fallen snow as well as the loosely packed old snow will be transported. Avalanche danger levels are expected to increase somewhat starting on Monday afternoon.