Bex-Villars

Moderate avalanche danger will be encountered over a wide area. Weakly bonded old snow in the inneralpine regions

Moderate avalanche danger will be encountered over a wide area. Weakly bonded old snow in the inneralpine regions

Dry avalanches can be released, mostly by large loads in isolated cases. Mostly they are only small. Careful route selection is advisable. In steep terrain there is a danger of falling on the icy crust. In particular on very steep grassy slopes individual small to medium-sized gliding avalanches are possible. This applies in particular below approximately 2400 m.

The snowpack surface shows striking effects of rain, wind and snow. On the northern flank of the Alps, in the Valais, in the northern Ticino and in far-reaching parts of Grisons, it is encrusted up to altitudes of 2600 to 3000 m. The crust is frequently capable of bearing loads and in some places is iced over, particularly north of an imaginary Rhine-Rhone line. On the northern flank of the Alps it is improbable that slab avalanches will trigger. From the central Valais over the northern Ticino as far as Grisons, expansively metamorphosed (faceted) crystals and loose layers are evident inside the snowpack. These layers lie either immediately beneath the crust or are located deeper down inside the snowpack. These weak layers are prone to triggering in some places at high altitudes.

Following a night of clear skies, it was only partly sunny during the daytime. Fresh snow: - Temperature: At midday at 2000 m, +7 °C. Wind: Winds in the northern regions were southwesterly, blowing at moderate to strong velocity, in the other regions of Switzerland blowing at moderate strength. On Sunday night in the northern regions skies will be partly cloudy, in the southern regions and in Grisons skies will be predominantly clear. During the daytime on Monday, a bit of snowfall is possible above approximately 1500 m in the northern regions. During the course of the day there will be increasingly frequent bright intervals in the western regions more than anywhere else. In the southern Valais, in the Ticino, in central and southern Grisons, it will be rather sunny. Fresh snow: In the northern regions above approximately 1500 m, it is possible a few snowflakes will fall. Temperature: At midday at 2000 m, between -2 °C in the northern regions and +1 °C in the southern regions. Wind: In the northern regions and in general at high altitudes, winds will be westerly, frequently blowing at strong velocity; in the other regions of Switzerland blowing at light to moderate strength.

Tuesday: Skies will frequently be overcast. In the northern regions a small amount of snowfall is possible above approximately 2000 m. In the evening, snowfall is expected to set in from the west over widespread areas. In the northern regions the westerly winds will be blowing at storm strength at high altitudes. Avalanche danger is not expected to change significantly. However, small, trigger-sensitive snowdrift accumulations will be generated from place to place. Wednesday: Snowfall is anticipated down to low lying areas with the focal point in the northern and the western regions. Winds will shift to northwesterly and be blowing at strong velocity at high altitudes and in the southern regions. In the south it is expected to become increasingly sunny. Temperatures will drop significantly. Avalanche danger will increase significantly in the northern regions. In the remaining regions, avalanche danger is not expected to change significantly.