Avalanche forecast

nördliches Prättigau

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Avalanche danger

All elevations
2 · Moderate
Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Considerable danger of dry and wet avalanches will be encountered in some regions.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent weak layers

    • All elevations
  • Wet snow

    • All elevations

Avalanche Activity

Avalanches can in some places be released in the weakly bonded old snow by people. Avalanches can in some cases reach large size. The avalanche prone locations are to be found in particular on steep, rather lightly snow-covered north facing slopes. They are barely recognisable. Defensive route selection is advisable.

Snowpack Structure

Below approximately 2600 m more medium-sized and, in isolated cases, large wet avalanches are possible.

Weather Synopsis

Snowpack In the high alpine regions of the Valais and Bernese Alps more than anywhere else, fresh snowdrift accumulations are being generated as a consequence of massive amounts of fresh fallen snow and, in some places, moderate-strength winds. These snowdrift accumulations are large sized in the major areas of precipitation along the Valais sector of the Main Alpine Ridge. Particularly in the southern Valais, fresh snow and freshly generated snowdrift accumulations are being deposited on top of a moist, often weak old snowpack surface, so that increasingly frequent naturally triggered avalanches can be expected. Particularly on north-facing slopes above approximately 2400 m, these releases can sweep away the entire snow cover in some places. Large-sized avalanches are possible. The snow cover on east-facing, south-facing and west-facing slopes up to over 3000 m is thoroughly wet, on north-facing slopes as far up as approximately 2500 m. Particularly on north-facing slopes, large-sized wet-snow avalanches have been triggered in some places over the last few days. As a consequence of rainfall and wet fresh snow, wet-snow and gliding avalanches continue to be possible below 2600 m. Observed weather review Sunday, 30.04.2023 Nighttime skies in the mountains were partly clear. In the eastern regions there was high fog with a ceiling at approximately 2000 m. During the daytime hours it was sunny to start with. Subsequently there was convective cloud build-up. On the Main Alpine Ridge and southwards therefrom there was some precipitation in the form of showers. Fresh snow

  • In the Valais sector of Main Alpine Ridge above 2800 m: 10 cm;
  • in the other regions of Switzerland it remained predominantly dry.

Temperature At midday at 2000 m, +6 °C. Wind Winds during the nocturnal hours were blowing from northwesterly directions at moderate strength in some places, elsewhere blowing predominantly at light strength. Weather forecast through Monday, 01.05.2023 Skies are expected to be overcast. Precipitation is anticipated over widespread areas with the focal point in the western sector of the northern flank of the Alps, in the Valais, and in the western part of Ticino. The snowfall level will descend from 2500 m down to approximately 2000 m. Fresh snow The following amounts of fresh snow are expected above 2800 m:

  • Valais sector of Main Alpine Ridge: 40 to 60 cm;
  • remaining parts of Valais, western sector of the northern flank of the Alps, western part of Ticino: 20 to 40 cm;
  • remaining parts of Main Alpine Ridge from Nufenen as far as the Bernina: 15 to 30 cm;
  • in the remaining parts of Switzerland, less.

Temperature At midday at 2000 m, between +1 °C in the Valais and +4 °C in the northeastern regions. Wind Winds in the high alpine regions will be blowing at moderate strength from southerly directions, elsewhere predominantly at light strength. Outlook through Wednesday, 03.05.2023 Tuesday During the night on Monday, more precipitation is expected over widespread areas which will subsequently will slacken off in the southern and the western regions to begin with. The snowfall level will lie at approximately 1800 m. During the daytime hours on Tuesday, skies will be predominantly overcast in the northeastern regions, as the last part of this round of precipitation tapers off. In the western and southern regions it will be quite sunny. As a consequence of solar radiation, numerous naturally triggered avalanches can be expected, particularly in the Bernese and the Valais Alps. In the eastern regions, avalanche danger levels are not expected to change significantly. Wednesday Following a night of clear skies it will be sunny during the daytime hours. The zero-degree level is expected to ascend to over 3000 m. Numerous wet-snow and gliding avalanches can be expected. The danger of dry-snow avalanches will diminish.

Bulletin data: WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF (CC BY 4.0)

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