Bleniotal

At elevated altitudes a considerable avalanche danger will be encountered over a wide area.

Avalanches can in some places be released by people and reach medium size. The avalanche prone locations are to be found in particular adjacent to ridgelines and in gullies and bowls. Careful route selection is recommended.

Snowpack At intermediate and lower altitudes there is very little snow on the ground for this juncture of the season, or none at all. Above 2500 m, on the other hand, the snow depths are slightly below average, in the Valais snow depths are average over widespread areas. At 2500 m in northern Valais, in the Bedrotto valley and in the Upper Maggia valleys there is 100 cm, elsewhere over widespread areas 50 to 80 cm, and in central Grisons and the Engadine 30 to 50 cm of snow on the ground. The snow cover below approxiamtely 2400 m shows pronounced effects of rainfall and higher temperatures. At more elevated altitudes and above all, in high alpine regions the snowpack is heavily impacted by winds. In zones above 2200 to 2400 m, particularly in the Valais, in the Gotthard region, in the Ticino and in Grisons, more deeply embedded layers inside the snowpack are faceted and soft. They are now blanketed by varyingly thick, bonded layers. In the Valais, in northern Ticino and in Grisons more than anywhere else, avalanches have been triggered by persons in these softened old layers of the snowpack during the last few days. Furthermore, the snowdrift accumulations generated over the last few days are prone to triggering in some places, above all at high altitudes. Particularly on wind-protected shady slopes the uppermost layer of snow is loose or lies on top of surface hoar. Observed weather review Wednesday, 28.12.2022 Skies were predominantly sunny accompanied by cloudbanks. In central and southern Ticino skies were overcast with high-fog type cloudiness. Fresh snow - Temperature At midday at 2000 m, between 0 °C in the northern regions and -3 °C in the southern regions. Wind Winds were blowing at light to moderate strength, intensifying during the course of the day in northern regions, blowing mostly at moderate velocity from southwest to west. Weather forecast through Thursday, 29.12.2022 On Wednesday night, cloud cover will move in from the northwest and during the course of the day on Thursday in the western regions, light precipitation is expected to set in which will fall as snow above approximately 1600 m. In the eastern regions there will be foehn-induced bright intervals during the morning hours. In the southern regions and the Engadine, it will be partly sunny. Fresh snow Between Thursday morning and Thursday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow are expected above 2000 m:

• western sector of the northern flank of the Alps, western part of Lower Valais: 2 to 5 cm; on the French border as much as 15 cm;
• central sector of the northern flank of the Alps: only a few centimetres from place to place; in the other regions it will remain dry.

Temperature At midday at 2000 m, between 0 °C in the northern regions and -2 °C in the southern regions. Wind Blowing from southwesterly directions:

• Winds in the northern regions will be blowing at moderate to strong velocity;
• in the southern regions at high altitudes blowing at moderate strength; in the other regions only light winds.

Outlook through Saturday, 31.12.2022 Friday On Thursday night, percipitation is anticipated over far-reaching areas, falling as snow above 1400 m. During the daytime hours on Friday, skies will be predominantly overcast and dry to start with, with brief bright intervals in the inneralpine regions more than anywhere else. During the afternoon in the western regions, precipitation will set in once again, the snowfall level will ascend to 2300 m. By Friday evening in the northern and the furthermost western regions of Lower Valais, 30 to 40 cm, in the remaining regions of the northern Alpine Ridge and Lower Valais 10 to 20 cm of fresh snow is possible; in the remaining regions of Switzerland, less. Winds will be blowing persistently at strong velocity from southwesterly directions and transport particularly the fresh fallen snow. The danger of dry-snow and moist-snow avalanches is expected to increase on Thursday night, particularly in the western and the northern regions. Saturday On Friday night, only a small amount of additional precipitation is anticipated. During the daytime hours on Saturday it will be predominantly sunny accompanied by cloudbanks. As a consequence of strong-velocity southwesterly winds it will be extremely mild in the mountains. The danger of dry-snow avalanches is not expected to change significantly at high altitudes. On steep sunny slopes, gliding avalanches and moist-snow slides releasing from the fresh fallen snow are possible in the western and the northern regions more than anywhere else.