Bex-Villars

Snowpack

The sometimes large amounts of new snow and wind-drifted snow in the extreme west of Lower Valais, in the north, and in large parts of Grisons are in some cases still prone to triggering. In the other regions, more recent snowdrift accumulations are in some cases still prone to triggering, but are mostly smaller. In addition, avalanches can be triggered in the upper layers of the underlying old snowpack, especially on north- and east-facing slopes.

As a consequence of solar radiation, numerous loose snow avalanches are to be expected from the new fallen snow, especially in the regions exposed to heavier precipitation.

Weather forecast to Sunday

After a mostly clear night, it will be quite sunny. As the day progresses, there will be cumulus clouds and an increasing amount of high-level cloud cover.

Fresh snow

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Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between 0 °C in the north and +3 °C in the south

Wind

Shifting to southwesterly and mostly light

Weather review for Saturday

In the north and in Grisons, snow fell above approximately 1300 m, increasingly in the form of showers during the day. In Valais, conditions were changeable with extended bright spells. In the south, conditions were very sunny.

Fresh snow

From Friday afternoon to Saturday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow fell above approximately 2000 m:

• Northern Alpine ridge from the Wildstrubel to the St. Gallen Alps: 20 to 30 cm
• Rest of the northern flank of the Alps, Lower Valais, northern Grisons, Engadine, Val Müstair: 10 to 20 cm, less elsewhere

Over the three days from Wednesday evening to Saturday afternoon, altitudes above approximately 2000 m thus saw the following snowfall:

• Extreme west of Lower Valais, northern Alpine ridge excluding the Alpstein-Alvier area and Liechtenstein, as well as northern Grisons, Engadine, Val Bregaglia, Val Poschiavo, Val Müstair: mostly 30 to 50 cm, with up to 70 cm in places in the high alpine regions
• Rest of the northern flank of the Alps, rest of Lower Valais: 15 to 30 cm
• Less elsewhere, no snow in the far south

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -3 °C in the north and +2 °C in the south

Wind

Moderate to strong along the central and eastern Main Alpine Ridge, otherwise light to moderate from northerly directions

Outlook to Tuesday

Sunday night into Monday will be partly clear in the east, and cloudy elsewhere. In the morning, there will still be bright spells in the east; elsewhere, it will be mostly cloudy with showers, especially along the northern flank of the Alps. The snowfall level will be just below 2000 m. On Tuesday, it will initially be sunny in the west after a mostly clear night. As the day progresses, clouds will gather. In the east, after a cloudy night, some residual cloud will remain in the morning. After that, there will be brighter intervals. Conditions will be very sunny in the south. On both days, the wind will blow from westerly directions and will remain moderate at times in the north on Monday, and light on Tuesday. The zero-degree level will be 2200 m in the north and 2500 m in the south, gradually rising a little as the day progresses on Tuesday.

The danger of dry avalanches will decrease, but only slowly on very steep north-facing slopes in the high alpine regions. Wet avalanches are to be expected in the near-surface layers on very steep terrain, particularly as a consequence of solar radiation.