Lenk

Snowpack

The large amount of new snow that has fallen in the past 9 days is increasingly stabilising. A total of 1 to 1.5 m of snow has fallen in the north, and up to around 2 m in some regions. Avalanches may be triggered there, especially in the new and drift snow layers that are closer to the surface. Towards the south, the total amount of new snow is decreasing appreciably. However, in the areas with slightly less new fallen snow, a layer with a crystal structure is sometimes visible at the transition to the old snowpack in the snowpack model. So far, this has hardly been confirmed in the field. In all regions, the amount of new snow increases significantly with altitude and may considerably exceed the amounts described in the avalanche bulletin in the high Alpine regions.

Before the onset of the wintry weather, the old snowpack on east-, south- and west-facing slopes was soaked up to above 3000 m and on north-facing slopes up to approximately 2500 m. Falling temperatures have caused the old snowpack to stabilise. Gliding avalanches are still to be expected, especially in the regions of the north with a lot of new snow, and particularly on slopes that were bare prior to these snowfalls.

Weather review for Wednesday, 23.04.2024

During the night, some snow fell widely to low altitudes. During the day, it was quite sunny in the south and in Valais, otherwise often cloudy with showers. In the north, it was mostly cloudy with some snow falling to low altitudes.

New snow

From Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow were recorded above approximately 1400 m:

• central and eastern parts of the northern flank of the Alps, northern Grisons: 5 to 15 cm;
• elsewhere: less, or it remained dry.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -7 °C in the north and -4 °C in the west and south.

Wind

• On the Main Alpine Ridge and south of it, there was a moderate to strong northerly wind.
• Elsewhere, winds were mostly light to moderate, blowing from the northeast to northwest.

Weather review for Wednesday, 23.04.2024

During the night, some snow fell widely to low altitudes. During the day, it was quite sunny in the south and in Valais, otherwise often cloudy with showers. In the north, it was mostly cloudy with some snow falling to low altitudes.

New snow

From Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow were recorded above approximately 1400 m:

• central and eastern parts of the northern flank of the Alps, northern Grisons: 5 to 15 cm;
• elsewhere: less, or it remained dry.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -7 °C in the north and -4 °C in the west and south.

Wind

• On the Main Alpine Ridge and south of it, there was a moderate to strong northerly wind.
• Elsewhere, winds were mostly light to moderate, blowing from the northeast to northwest.

Trend until Saturday, 27.04.2024Friday

Some snow will fall on the Main Alpine Ridge and south of this. The snowfall level will rise from 1000 to 1500 m. In the early morning it will still be partly clear in the north, otherwise very cloudy with showers, especially in the west. There will be increasingly strong southerly winds, with a foehn wind in the Alpine valleys of the north.

The avalanche danger will increase slightly across the board.

Saturday

On Saturday, precipitation will become heavier in the south. On and to the south of the Main Alpine Ridge, 15 to 30 cm of new snow is expected at high altitudes. The snowfall level will rise from 1500 to 2000 m. In the north, it will be quite sunny and mild with a strong to storm-force foehn wind. The zero-degree level will rise towards 2600 m in the north.

The danger of dry avalanches will increase in the south, but will not change significantly in the north. In the north, the danger of wet and gliding avalanches will increase as the day progresses.