Génépi

Weakly bonded old snow on north facing slopes. Considerable avalanche danger will be encountered over a wide area.

Even single snow sport participants can release avalanches. Avalanches can be released in the weakly bonded old snow and reach large size in some cases. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack can indicate the danger. Remotely triggered avalanches are possible. Backcountry touring calls for experience in the assessment of avalanche danger and caution. Defensive route selection is required, especially on steep north facing slopes.

Snowpack On north-facing slopes above 2200 m more than anywhere else there are expansively metamorphosed (faceted) weak layers evident deeply embedded inside the snowpack. In the Valais and on the northern flank of the Alps, these weak layers are generally blanketed over by thick layers of fresher snow. Particularly in places where the snow is shallow, avalanches can be triggered in these expansively metamorphosed (faceted) layers in the old snowpack in those locations and in some places grow to large size. In Grisons and in the northern Ticino these weak layers are located closer to the surface of the snowpack. Particularly in Grisons they are still easily triggered. Numerous reports of avalanche releases from this week confirm the unfavourable structure of the snow cover. In high alpine regions, small snowdrift accumulations were generated from place to place on Saturday as a consequence of the southwesterly winds. As a result of the cloud cover and dropping temperatures, the danger of wet-snow avalanches is expected to decrease on Sunday. Observed weather review Saturday, 18.03.2023 It was predominantly sunny, high-altitude cloud cover moved in from the west during the afternoon hours. Fresh snow - Temperature At midday at 2000 m, between +4 °C in the northern regions and +2 °C in the southern regions. Wind Winds were blowing at light to moderate strength, in some places at moderate strength in the high alpine regions during the afternoon, from southerly to southwesterly directions. Weather forecast through Sunday, 19.03.2023 On Sunday, skies will be variably cloudy to heavily overcast accompanied by light snow showers in the western and the northern regions, and with bright intervals in the southern regions more than anywhere else. The snowfall level will lie at 1600 m. Fresh snow The following amounts of fresh snow are anticipated above 2000 m: Valais, northern flank of the Alps, Gotthard region, 2 to 5 cm. Temperature At midday at 2000 m, 0 °C. Wind Winds will be blowing at light to moderate strength from southwesterly directions. Outlook through Tuesday, 21.03.2023 Monday On Sunday night a small amount of snowfall is anticipated over widespread areas: expected amount 5 to 10 cm, most of which will fall in the central and eastern sectors of the northern flank of the Alps. In the furthermost south it is expected to remain dry. The snowfall level will descend from 1600 m down to approximately 1400 m. During the daytime hours in the western and the southern regions it will be mostly sunny, in the eastern regions it will turn increasingly sunny following the dispersal of residual clouds. The zero-degree level will lie at 2000 m at midday. Winds are expected to shift to northerly directions and be blowing at light to moderate strength. The danger of dry-snow avalanches is not expected to change significantly. The danger of wet-snow and gliding avalanches is expected to increase somewhat during the course of the day. Tuesday It will be quite sunny to start with. During the course of the day, increasingly dense cloudbanks are expected to move into western and northern regions. The zero-degree level at midday will lie at 2500 m. Westerly winds will intensify somewhat in the northern regions. The danger of dry-snow avalanches will incrementally decrease. The danger of wet-snow and gliding avalanches will increase somewhat during the course of the day.