Waadtländer Voralpen

Snowpack

On steep northern slopes in the high Alpine regions, the snowpack is still dry.

The old snowpack is water-saturated on southern slopes up to the high Alpine regions and on eastern and western slopes up to around 3000 m. On northern slopes, most of the old snowpack is water-saturated up to around 2800 m. Large wet avalanches may still occur at these altitudes because some weak layers deep in the snowpack will become significantly less stable when they first become saturated.

After a mostly clear night, the surface of the snowpack will be capable of bearing loads above around 2200 metres early on Friday morning. Over the course of the morning, it will soften rapidly in the sunshine and rising temperatures and the risk of wet avalanches will increase.

Weather forecast to Friday

After a clear night, Friday will be sunny.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m around +12 °C; zero-degree level around 3600 m

Wind

Light to moderate southwesterly

Weather review for Thursday

After a clear night, Thursday was sunny. As the day progressed, cumulus clouds formed, with isolated showers.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m around +12 °C; zero-degree level between 3200 and 3600 m

Wind

Mainly light

OutlookSaturday

Overnight to Saturday conditions will be mostly cloudy, with a little local precipitation in the north. During the day, conditions will be cloudy with sunny intervals, with local showers in the north. The zero-degree level will be around 3400 m. The southwesterly wind will freshen as the day progresses, becoming locally strong in the north at high altitudes.

There will be hardly any change in the risk of dry avalanches. After an overcast night, diffuse solar radiation will cause the risk of wet avalanches to increase rapidly in all aspects over the course of the day. Ski touring should be completed early.

Sunday

Overnight to Sunday conditions will be overcast with precipitation. During the day, it will be mostly cloudy with widespread showers and local thunderstorms. Between 20 and 40 mm of rain may fall on the northern flank of the Alps, with this falling as snow above 2600 m. There will be a moderate to strong southwesterly wind at high altitudes.

There will be a slight but widespread increase in the risk of dry avalanches, with this being considerable on the northern flank of the Alps depending on the amount of precipitation. Wet avalanches are still to be expected, especially on north-facing slopes.