südliches Simplon Gebiet

Snowpack

The weekend’s fresh and drifted snow is lying on a sometimes unfavourable old snow surface of faceted, soft layers, especially on north-facing slopes. On south-facing slopes, the connection between the fresh and drifted snow and the old snowpack is more favourable.

In southern Valais, Ticino and Grisons, the old snowpack is faceted and loose. In those regions of Ticino exposed to heavier precipitation, the weakly bonded old snowpack is now deeply covered in many places. Particularly in the Monte Rosa region, on the eastern part of the main Alpine ridge, in the Upper Engadine and in Val Müstair, avalanches have continued to be triggered in the old snowpack in recent days.

The snowpack is water-saturated on southern slopes up into high Alpine regions, as well as on western and eastern slopes below approximately 2000 to 2200 m. On northern slopes moistening is only superficial. In recent days, a number of wet and gliding avalanches, some of the latter large, have been triggered. A combination of sometimes declining outgoing longwave radiation, daytime irradiation and higher temperatures means that gliding and wet avalanches are still possible.

Weather forecast to Tuesday

In the north, there will be variable cloud cover with showers, especially in the afternoon. The snowfall level will be between 1600 and 1800 m. Conditions will be quite sunny in Valais and mainly sunny in the south.

Fresh snow

A few centimetres locally

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around +1 °C

Wind

• Mainly light northeasterly to easterly overnight
• In the afternoon, light to moderate from the north to northeast on Alpine ridges

Weather review for Monday

In the north, conditions were mainly sunny with cumulus clouds and isolated showers developing over the course of the day, especially in the Prealps. In the south, cloud cover lingered into the morning breaking up with sunny spells and isolated showers over the course of the day. The snowfall level was around 1500 m.

Fresh snow

Above approximately 1800 m in the west and south, 5 to 10 cm locally

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around 0 °C

Wind

Light to moderate from the southeast overnight, mainly light during the day

OutlookWednesday

In the north, there will be variable to heavy cloud cover with 5 to 10 cm of snowfall above approximately 1600 m in the northeast. Conditions will be pretty sunny in Valais and the south, with cumulus clouds building over the course of the day. There will be light to moderate winds from the northeast, with a moderate northerly foehn wind on the southern flank of the Alps over the course of the day.

Fresh drifted snow will somewhat increase the risk of dry avalanches in the south. There will be no significant change in the risk of wet and gliding avalanches.

Thursday

Overnight, there will be strong northeasterly winds at high altitudes. During the day, conditions in the mountains will be sunny and slightly milder. Fresh drifted snow will somewhat increase the risk of dry avalanches at high altitudes. Wet and gliding avalanches are to be expected over the course of the day. Touring and variant skiing should be completed in good time.