Gruyère

Snowpack

The new snow that has fallen over the past few days was still being heavily transported at high altitudes by the strong to storm-force northwesterly wind on Saturday. At a distance from ridgelines, there are large, sometimes quite compact snowdrift accumulations on lee slopes. Avalanche fractures are to be expected, mainly within fresh snow and snowdrift. On wind-protected slopes, new snow and snowdrift are lying on a loose, angular old snowpack surface. There, avalanches may also start at the transition to the old snowpack.

With the rise in temperature and incoming radiation during the day, moist snowslides from the new fallen snow are expected. More gliding avalanches are expected again.

Weather forecast until Sunday, 24.12.2023

It will initially remain cloudy in the east on Saturday night, with some snowflakes. Otherwise it will mostly be a clear night. During the day it will be quite sunny, mostly cloudy in the Jura. It will become appreciably milder. In the afternoon, clouds will move in from the northwest.

New fallen snow

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Temperature

The temperature will rise. At midday at 2000 m, between +4 °C in the west, +2 °C in the east and +6 °C in the south.

Wind

The strong to stormy wind will continue during Saturday night, subsiding during the day, and there will be a moderate to strong wind from the west to northwest.

Weather review for Saturday, 23.12.2023

The precipitation continued in the north and east during Friday night and ended in the east on Saturday morning. The snowfall level was between 1400 and 1700 m on Friday evening and dropped to around 1200 m during the night. During the day, it was initially cloudy in the east, becoming partly sunny as the day progressed. It was quite sunny in the south and west.

New fallen snow

From Thursday afternoon to Saturday morning, the following amounts of fresh snow were recorded above approximately 2000 m:

• Northern Alpine Ridge from the Jungfrau region to the Alpstein, northern Grisons, Silvretta, Samnaun: 40 to 70 cm, locally up to 90 cm;
• Vaud Alps, rest of the Northern Alpine Ridge, rest of the Gotthard region, rest of Grisons excluding the southern valleys: 20 to 40 cm;
• elsewhere 10 to 20 cm, dry in the far south.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -2 °C in the north and +5 °C in the south.

Wind

There was a strong to stormy wind at high altitudes, otherwise there was a moderate to strong wind from the west to northwest.

Trend until Tuesday, 26.12.2023

Sunday night will be mostly cloudy with little precipitation in the north. It will remain very mild, and the snowfall level will be around 2500 m. During the day it will be quite sunny, with the zero-degree level lying at 3200 m. The westerly wind will be moderate to strong. Monday night will be mainly clear, and during the day it will be mostly sunny with patches of cloud. The zero-degree level will drop to 2600 m. The westerly wind will be moderate.

The danger of dry avalanches will decrease. Gliding avalanches are still expected, even large ones in regions with a lot of snow. On Monday, moist snowslides and avalanches will also be possible.