Waadtländer Voralpen

Snowpack

On the Main Alpine Ridge and north of it, the strong southerly wind transports the loose snow on the shady slopes and forms snowdrift accumulations that are easily triggered. On the northern flank of the Alps, the snowpack structure is otherwise quite favourable. In southern Valais, Ticino and Grisons, there are weak layers prone to triggering in the central part of the snowpack. Especially along the central and eastern parts of the Main Alpine Ridge and south of it, avalanches can also be triggered on shady slopes in near-ground layers of the snowpack.

On steep south-facing slopes, the snowpack is soaked up to the high Alpine regions, and on west-facing slopes below 2000 m. On east-facing slopes, the soaking is not yet so advanced and the snowpack is still mostly dry on north-facing slopes. Outgoing longwave radiation during the night is reduced by clouds and Saharan dust in the air. Only a thin melt-freeze crust forms, which softens rapidly in the late morning as a consequence of solar radiation.

Weather forecast to Saturday

Precipitation will fall in the south. The snowfall level will be between 1600 and 2000 m. It will often be cloudy in the north during the night, but during the day it will be quite sunny despite moving high cloud cover and Saharan dust.

Fresh snow

From Friday evening to Saturday afternoon above 2200 m:

• Central part of the southern flank of the Alps: 15 to 30 cm.
• Directly neighbouring to the north, Main Alpine Ridge in Upper Valais, Val Bregaglia, Bernina region: 10 to 20 cm.
• Rest of Main Alpine Ridge: less, otherwise dry

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between +4 °C in the north and 0 °C in the south.

Wind

• In the north and generally at high altitudes, strong southwesterly winds that are sometimes stormy during the night,
• Strong to storm-force foehn winds in the Alpine valleys of the north.

Weather review for Friday

The night was only partly clear. During the day, the sky was obscured by sometimes dense, high clouds and Saharan dust.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

It was very mild: in the middle of the day at 2000 m, the temperature was between +9 °C in the north and 0 °C in the south.

Wind

• Moderate southwesterly wind during the night
• Increasingly strong southerly winds in the north during the day and increasingly strong foehn winds in the Alpine valleys

OutlookSunday

Precipitation will fall in the south, especially during the night, above 1400 to 1600 m as snow. Between 15 and 30 cm of new snow is expected. During the day it will be generally dry, but mostly cloudy. In the north, it will be partly sunny with passing showers. There will be a sometimes moderate southerly wind at high altitudes and a moderate foehn wind in the Alpine valleys of the north.

The danger of dry avalanches will increase in the south and will decrease somewhat in the north. The danger of wet avalanches will increase a little as the day progresses.

Monday

There will be little precipitation during the night, especially in the south, with showers in the north during the day. The snowfall level will be between 1400 and 1600 m. There will also be extended bright spells during the day, especially in inneralpine regions.

The danger of dry avalanches will decrease slowly in the south, but will not change significantly in the north. The danger of wet avalanches will increase a little as the day progresses.