Waadtländer Voralpen

Snowpack

Southerly winds have led to the formation of fresh snowdrift accumulations, especially at altitude. In addition, the older snowdrift accumulations are still prone to triggering in places. New snow has covered the snowdrift accumulations and they are no longer recognisable.

On the central southern slope of the Alps and in southern Upper Engadine, the snowpack structure has been partially transformed, especially in places with little snow, and fractures deeper in the snowpack are possible in isolated cases. In the other regions, the old snowpack structure is generally favourable. Hardly any fractures deeper in the snowpack are to be expected.

Furthermore, individual medium-sized and occasionally also large gliding avalanches are still possible, especially at altitudes between 2000 and 2500 m.

Weather forecast for Saturday, 06.01.2024

Aside from a few clear spells in the morning in southern Valais, it will be mostly very cloudy with widespread snowfall. The snowfall level will drop below 1000 m.

New fallen snow

From Friday afternoon to Saturday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow are expected above approximately 1000 m:

• Bernese Alps, central and eastern parts of the northern flank of the Alps and Grisons: 15 to 30 cm, in the Bernina region up to 40 cm;
• elsewhere: 5 to 15 cm.

The amount and distribution of precipitation are unconfirmed.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, -7 °C in the north and -2 °C in the south.

Wind

• There will be a moderate to strong northerly wind on the southern flank of the Alps as the day progresses.
• Elsewhere there will be a weak to moderate northeasterly wind.

Weather review for Friday, 05.01.2024

It was overcast, with the sun pushing through the clouds in the east. As the day progressed, snowfall set in in the west and south.

New fallen snow

Since Friday morning, the following amounts of fresh snow have been recorded above 1000 m:

• southern Visp valleys, Simplon area, Ticino, Moesano, Val Bregaglia: 10 to 15 cm;
• Chablais, the Vaud Alps and the Fribourg Alps: around 5 cm;
• elsewhere: there were only a few centimetres of snow or it remained dry.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, -3 °C in the north, -4 °C in the south and 0 °C in the east.

Wind

• There was a moderate foehn wind at times, especially in the morning, in those regions exposed to the foehn wind in the north.
• Generally there was often a moderate southerly wind at high altitudes.

Trend until Monday, 08.01.2024

Another 15-30 cm of snow will fall widely in the north on Sunday. There will be strong Bise winds at high altitudes and in the western Prealps. It will be cold. The avalanche danger will increase somewhat, especially in the north.

There will still be a little snowfall in the north on Monday, with the first clear spells in the south. The avalanche danger will decrease slowly.