Waadtländer Voralpen

Snowpack

In westernmost and northern Lower Valais, there is somewhat more snow at high altitudes than is usual at this time of year. Elsewhere, the snow depths are below average and in the south they are well below average. On south-facing slopes and generally below 2400 m, the snowpack is mostly wet or crusted.

On the Main Alpine Ridge and to the south of it, the fresh snow and wind slabs of the past two days are lying on a thin but heavily faceted old snowpack at high altitudes.

North of the Main Alpine Ridge, there was little transportable snow, meaning that despite strong southerly winds, only small wind slabs were created in some localities. Primarily on northern and eastern slopes above approximately 2400 m, the old snowpack contains some pronounced weak layers, particularly in the inneralpine regions of Valais and throughout Grisons, but hardly any avalanches have been reported for days.

Weather forecast to Thursday

It will be very cloudy in the south and a little snow will fall above 1600 m overnight to Thursday. It will be sunny in all other regions.

Fresh snow

Up to 5 centimetres in the south

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between +3 °C in the north and -1 °C in the south

Wind

• Light, becoming a moderate southwesterly wind in the west and in the high alpine regions as the day progresses
• A foehn wind will develop in the north during the course of the day

Weather review for Wednesday

In the north, a few flakes of snow fell locally during the night. As the day progressed, it became partly sunny from the west. In the south, it was very cloudy and it snowed, especially during the night. The snowfall level was mostly between 1200 and 1500 m.

Fresh snow

From Tuesday morning to Wednesday morning, the following amounts fell above approximately 2000 m:

• Ticino and Moesano: 15 to 20 cm, with up to 30 cm in the Valle Maggia
• Rest of the Main Alpine Ridge: 5 to 15 cm
• Elsewhere mainly dry

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around 0 °C

Wind

• Moderate southerly wind in the north during the night
• Otherwise light

Outlook until Saturday

On Friday conditions will be mostly sunny in the mountains. There will be moderate and locally strong southwesterly winds in the west and foehn winds in the valleys of the north. On Saturday it will be mostly sunny at first, then clouds will gather from the west. There will be light winds.

The avalanche danger will decrease, but only slowly in Valais, Grisons and the south due to the weak structure of the snowpack.