Wind slab
- Above 2,400 m
Snowpack
At the end of the past week, fresh snow fell at low temperatures. Much of this snow is still loose or has been transported by the moderate to strong Bise wind. The fresh and drift snow expected to fall during the upcoming precipitation spell will be deposited on the still cold and often loose snow during the milder temperatures on Monday and can easily be triggered as avalanche. Deeper in the snowpack, there are faceted weak layers that are prone to triggering, especially on shady slopes above approximately 2400 m and generally in the high Alpine regions. Avalanches may also be triggered in these deeper layers in places.
Weather forecast to Monday
Precipitation from the west will set in overnight to Monday. Widespread precipitation will fall during the day, which will be persistent and intense in the west. The snowfall level will be between 1200 and 1400 m.
Fresh snow
Until Monday afternoon, the following amounts will fall above approximately 1600 m:
Temperature
In the middle of the day at 2000 m, between -1 °C in the west and north and -3 °C in the south
Wind
Weather review for Sunday
It was already cloudy in the early morning in the west, but still sunny in the south and east. It later clouded over in these regions too.
Fresh snow
-
Temperature
At midday at 2000 m, around -4 °C
Wind
OutlookTuesday
Further snowfall is expected below 1000 m, with persistent snowfall in the extreme west of Lower Valais and on the northern flank of the Alps. Another 30 to 50 cm is expected in the west, and a widespread 15 to 30 cm on the northern flank of the Alps. There will be a moderate to strong westerly wind initially. As the day progresses, the wind will shift to the northwest. It will become appreciably colder again in the north.
The avalanche danger will continue to increase, especially in the west and north.
Wednesday
In the north, snow will continue to fall to below 1000 m, mostly from the eastern Bernese Oberland to the Alpstein region, where 15 to 30 cm is expected. Some brighter spells are possible in inneralpine regions. On the southern flank of the Alps, it will be mostly sunny, with sometimes strong northerly winds extending down to the valleys.
The avalanche danger will gradually decrease in the west. Elsewhere, it will not change significantly.
Bulletin data: WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF (CC BY 4.0)