Saas Fee

As the day progresses a moderate danger of wet avalanches will be encountered over a wide area

As the day progresses a moderate danger of wet avalanches will be encountered over a wide area

Individual avalanche prone locations for dry avalanches are to be found in particular on extremely steep shady slopes at high altitude. Apart from the danger of being buried, restraint should be exercised as well in view of the danger of avalanches sweeping people along and giving rise to falls. Only a little snow is lying. On steep sunny slopes individual gliding avalanches and wet snow slides are possible. Caution is to be exercised in areas with glide cracks.

During the night skies will be clear and a crust which is capable of bearing loads will form on sunny slopes over widespread areas. As a consequence of daytime warming and solar radiation, this melt-freeze crust thaws and the snowpack subsequently forfeits its stability. Isolated wet-snow and gliding avalanches are possible. During the last few days, avalanche activity has been quite meager in spite of the mild temperatures. In the southern Valais as well as in the inneralpine and southern regions of Grisons more than anywhere else, there are pronounced weak layers which are deeply embedded inside the snowpack. These layers react particularly sensitively to moistening. Moist and wet-snow avalanches can sweep along these deeper layers or even fracture in them directly in those places. They can also be triggered by persons. The snowpack on south-facing slopes below approximately 2800 m, on east-facing and west-facing slopes below approximately 2400 m, and on north-facing slopes below approximately 1600 m, is thoroughly wet.

Following a night of clear skies it was sunny during the daytime hours. Fresh snow: - Temperature: At midday at 2000 m, approximately +3 °C, rising further during the afternoon. Wind: Winds were blowing at light to moderate strength, at strong velocity in some places on the northern Alpine Ridge at high altitudes, from southerly directions. Following a night of clear skies, it is expected to be sunny during the daytime hours. Fresh snow: - Temperature: At midday at 2000 m, approximately +5 °C. Wind: Winds are expected to be predominantly light, during the nocturnal hours blowing at moderate strength from place to place, from southerly directions.

The nighttime skies are expected to be predominantly clear, the daytime skies sunny. The zero-degree level will lie between 2000 and 2400 m. Winds will be blowing at light to moderate strength from southerly directions. The avalanche situation during the morning hours is favourable. During the course of each day, the danger of wet-snow and gliding avalanches increases. Backcountry tours should be terminated sufficiently early in the day.