Pre Alps

Overall little snow on the ground, low avalanche danger. Heed fresh drifts in exposed zones.

Overall little snow on the ground, low avalanche danger. Heed fresh drifts in exposed zones.

Avalanche danger is generally low. Main problem: superficial layers in wind-impacted steep terrain, in wind-loaded gullies and bowls and behind abrupt discontinuities in the terrain are often still prone to triggering. On shady slopes the snow is still powdery, there is surface hoar mostly at low and intermediate altitudes. On sunny slopes there are melt-freeze encrusted surfaces. Only on higher altitude steep ridgeline slopes are there small, often trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations which have persisted.

In exposed pass and ridgeline areas, small snowdrift accumulations have been generated afresh due to moderate-strength NE winds. The new snowdrift masses were often deposited atop surface hoar, particularly at intermediate altitudes. In ridgeline and pass areas, behind abrupt discontinuities in the terrain and in wind-exposed terrain, older snowdrift accumulations occur and are often poorly bonded with the snowpack surface or other intermediate layers. On shady leeward slopes and at low altitudes the fresh snow is often loose. At high altitudes on shady slopes in particular, there are still weak layers inside the snowpack which are not visible to the naked eye. At low and intermediate altitudes the snowpack is generally well consolidated. There is often surface hoar evident, esp. at low and intermediate altitudes.

Nocturnal hours: clear skies in most places and low temperatures. Sunday: high-pressure front conditions: quite sunny, little wind. High altitude clouds might hamper the sunshine somewhat. Temperatures will rise slightly. At 2000 m: -5 degrees. Light to moderate NE winds.

On Monday, sunshine until after noon. Intensifying NW winds, more clouds, announce the coming of a cold front which will arrive in the evening, noticeably deteriorating the weather, including snowfall and strong-to-stormy NW winds. On Monday afternoon, avalanche danger levels will increase somewhat due to fresh snowfall and winds.