Bedrettotal

Snowpack

Fresh snow and a strong westerly wind are leading at many high-altitude locations to the formation of snowdrift accumulations, or wind slabs, that are prone to triggering. These may become substantial in the west. Apart from these layers, the snowpack structure is generally favourable. Hardly any fractures deeper in the snowpack are to be expected.

The precipitation may result in individual cases of medium-sized and occasionally large gliding avalanches, in particular at the northern flank of the Alps, especially at altitudes of between 2000 and 2500 m.

Weather forecast for Wednesday, 03.01.2024

There will be precipitation during the night at the northern flank of the Alps, in Valais and in northern Grisons, with the largest amounts falling in western Lower Valais. The snowfall level will at times in the evening be around 2000 m, before dropping to around 1500 m. Otherwise it will remain dry. During the day, it will be fairly sunny in southern Valais, in Grisons and at the southern flank of the Alps, and elsewhere mostly cloudy but dry.

New fallen snow

Between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday early morning, the following amounts of fresh snow are expected above 2000 m:

• the extreme west of Lower Valais: 20 to 40 cm;
• the Northern Alpine Ridge from the Diablerets to the Grimsel Pass: 15 to 30 cm;
• the rest of the northern flank of the Alps, the rest of Valais, northern Grisons, Val Bedretto: 5 to 15 cm;
• elsewhere: mostly dry.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around -2 °C.

Wind

Strong, at times storm-force southwesterly to westerly winds.

Weather review for Tuesday, 02.01.2024

Clouds moved in from the northwest during the night. During the day, it was sunny at times in the south and east and mostly cloudy elsewhere. In the north and west, precipitation set in. The snowfall level was between 1200 and 1500 m.

New fallen snow

Until Tuesday afternoon, above 1800 m the following amounts of fresh snow were recorded:

• the extreme west of Lower Valais: 5 to 15 cm;
• elsewhere: fewer centimetres or dry.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around -1 °C.

Wind

There was a southwesterly to westerly wind, which increased in strength as the day progressed.

This was moderate to strong, especially at the northern flank of the Alps and in the high Alpine regions.

Trend until Friday, 05.01.2024Thursday

There will again be precipitation in the north during Wednesday night. The snowfall level will drop to around 1200 m. By the time the precipitation stops on Thursday afternoon, 20 to 40 cm of snow may have fallen in the extreme west of Lower Valais, with less anticipated elsewhere. It will be fairly sunny during the day. Winds will continue to be strong and at times storm force from the west.

The danger of dry avalanches may increase again slightly in the west and north. It will not change significantly in the other regions.

Friday

On Friday, it will be mostly very cloudy. Precipitation will move in from the southwest. The snowfall level will be around 1000 m.

The danger of dry avalanches will decrease slightly in the west. It may rise in the south. Elsewhere there will be hardly any change in the danger of dry avalanches.