Val de Travers

Considerable avalanche danger will be encountered in some regions

Considerable avalanche danger will be encountered in some regions

As a consequence of a moderate to strong bise wind, mostly small wind slabs formed adjacent to ridgelines and in gullies and bowls. They are to be evaluated with care and prudence in extreme terrain. Restraint should be exercised because avalanches can sweep people along and give rise to falls.

Moderate to strong northeasterly wind on Tuesday gave rise to snow drift accumulations in particular in the Jura and Prealps and generally at elevated altitudes. These remain prone to triggering in some cases. Weak layers exist deeper in the snowpack in some places, in particular from central Valais through northern Ticino to Grisons. Here, very isolated avalanches can be released in the deeper layers of the snowpack. Fractures here will occur in faceted, loosely bonded layers either directly underneath the rain crust that formed at the end of December or deeper in the snowpack. In recent days, however, no avalanche releases have been reported in these layers. As a consequence of solar radiation and daytime warming, gliding avalanches and loose snow avalanches can occur on very steep south facing slopes.

During the night a few residual snowflakes fell in the northeast. Otherwise the skies were mostly clear. During the day it was sunny in the mountains. Fresh snow: - Temperature: At midday at 2000 m: between -2 °C in the west and -5 °C in the east Wind: - Jura, Prealps: moderate to strong bise - Southern flank of the Alps and generally at elevated altitudes: sometimes strong northeasterly - Otherwise mostly light After a clear night it will be sunny in the mountains. Fresh snow: - Temperature: At midday at 2000 m: between 0 °C in the west and -4 °C in the east Wind: - Jura, Prealps: moderate to strong bise - Southern flank of the Alps and generally at elevated altitudes: sometimes strong northeasterly - Otherwise mostly light

Clear skies at night will be followed by sunny weather during the day. The northeasterly wind will be light to moderate. The zero degree level will rise. On Friday afternoon it will be approximately 3000 m. The danger of dry avalanches will decrease. Wet snow and gliding avalanches can occur on very steep sunny slopes, in particular on the northern flank of the Alps and in Valais.