Waadtländer Voralpen

Snowpack

Saturation of the snowpack is well advanced. The most precarious areas are slopes where weak layers in the old snowpack are becoming wet for the first time. As the weather becomes wetter, this is mainly affecting north-facing slopes between approximately 2200 and 2600 m, but in isolated cases also east- and west-facing slopes between approximately 2500 and 3000 m. Many steep south-facing slopes are snow-free up to around 3000 m and where there is still snow, it is saturated to the high Alpine regions. Over the often cloudy night into Monday, the surface of the snowpack will barely freeze, even at high altitudes.

Small snowdrift accumulations will form at high altitudes on the main Alpine ridge in Valais.

Weather forecast to Monday

There will be extended sunny spells in the regions exposed to the foehn wind in the north. Conditions will be very cloudy elsewhere. There will be precipitation on the main Alpine ridge in Valais, falling as snow above approximately 2300 m.

Fresh snow

Main Alpine ridge in Valais: 5 to 10 cm

Temperature

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

Wind

Southerly winds will increase and during the day will be:

• moderate in the west and south, and strong elsewhere;
• and there will be a strong foehn wind in the valleys of the north.

Weather review for Sunday

The night was partly cloudy, resulting in a reduction in outgoing longwave radiation. During the day, there were brighter spells in the west, while conditions were very sunny in the east.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between a mild +10 °C in the north and +7 °C in the south

Wind

• Moderate southerly wind
• A foehn wind will rise in the valleys of the north.

Outlook to Wednesday

On Tuesday, the foehn wind means there will be even longer clear spells on the central and eastern parts of the northern flank of the Alps and in northern Grisons. Elsewhere, conditions will be mostly cloudy with precipitation, most notably on Wednesday in the south. Overall, there will be a widespread 10 to 20 cm of fresh snow, and approximately 30 to 40 cm are expected on the main Alpine ridge from the Nufenen Pass to the Bernina. The snowfall level will drop from 2300 m to 2000 m.

The danger of dry avalanches will increase at high altitudes in many areas, appreciably so on Wednesday on the main Alpine ridge from the Nufenen Pass to the Bernina. Wet avalanches are still to be expected, especially on north facing slopes between 2200 and 2600 m.