Bex-Villars

A generally favourable avalanche situation will prevail. Fresh wind slabs require caution

A generally favourable avalanche situation will prevail. Fresh wind slabs require caution

Since Friday small wind slabs formed. They can be released easily in some cases in particular on very steep north facing slopes. Apart from the danger of being buried, restraint should be exercised in particular in view of the danger of avalanches sweeping people along and giving rise to falls.

The strong-to-storm velocity northerly to northwesterly winds are transporting the fresh snow from Friday in eastern regions, and in all the other regions the loosely-packed old snow. Predominantly loose, expansively metamorphosed (faceted) old snow is still evident on the wind-protected north-facing slopes. Fresh, generally small-sized snowdrift accumulations are prone to triggering on shady slopes more than anywhere else. Steep south-facing slopes are encrusted on the surface. At high altitudes, as well as in general in ridgeline and pass areas, the snowpack surface frequently shows striking effects from the northerly winds. More deeply embedded inside the snowpack in the Jura region, on the northern flank of the Alps and in the western part of the Lower Valais, there are soft, expansively metamorphosed (faceted) layers evident inside the snowpack particularly in the regions of the rain crusts which formed at the end of December. However, these layers are currently not very prone to triggering. From the central part of the Valais over the northern Ticino as far as Grisons, the entire snowpack is often expansively metamorphosed (faceted) and riddled with thin melt-freeze crusts. Increasingly, you sink on your skis down to the ground. In isolated cases, particularly on very steep shady slopes in these regions, avalanches can be triggered in the ground-level layers of the old snowpack.

During the nocturnal hours on Thursday there was snowfall registered in the central and eastern sectors of the northern flank of the Alps, as well as in northern and central Grisons and a small amount in the Lower Engadine. In the western and the southern regions it was predominantly sunny during the daytime, following a night of predominantly clear skies. During the afternoon, it frequently became increasingly sunny also in the eastern regions. Fresh snow: There was snowfall down to low lying areas. The following amounts of fresh snow were registered: - central and eastern sectors of the northern flank of the Alps, Prättigau: 5 to 10 cm; - in the other regions of Switzerland, less; or else it remained dry. Temperature: At midday at 2000 m, between -3 °C in the western and the southern regions and -8 °C in the eastern regions. Wind: Winds were northerly to northwesterly, - during the nighttime hours blowing at strong to storm-strength in all regions at high altitudes; - during the daytime on the northern flank of the Alps and in the Valais, blowing predominantly at light to moderate strength, in the Ticino and Grisons at moderate-to-strong velocity. In the northern regions it will be quite sunny, accompanied by variably cloudy skies, in the Valais and on the southern flank of the Alps predominantly sunny. Fresh snow: - Temperature: At midday at 2000 m, between 0 °C in the southern regions, -2 °C in the western regions and -4 °C in the eastern regions. Wind: - Winds will be blowing generally at moderate strength, at strong velocity at high altitudes, from northwesterly directions; - in the Ticino, a moderate-to-strong velocity northerly wind will prevail.

Sunday: On Saturday night in the northern regions, a small amount of snowfall is expected down to approximately 1200 m. During the course of the day on Sunday it will become quite sunny in the western regions, in northern and central Grisons there will be bright intervals. In the Valais and on the southern flank of the Alps it will be predominantly sunny. The northwesterly winds will be blowing at moderate to strong velocity. Avalanche danger levels are not expected to change significantly. Monday: On Sunday night, skies will cloud over from the northwest and a several-day-long period of precipitation will be launched. On Monday, widespread snowfall is anticipated, on the northern flank of the Alps the snowfall will persist down to low lying areas. In central Ticino and Sotto Ceneri it will be predominantly sunny. The northwesterly winds will be blowing at storm strength. Avalanche danger levels are expected to increase, significantly so on the northern flank of the Alps.