Saas Fee

The new snow and wind slabs of the last three days are in some cases still prone to triggering. Single winter sport participants can release avalanches, including dangerously large ones. In some cases dry avalanches can release the wet old snow as well. Backcountry touring calls for experience in the assessment of avalanche danger. As a consequence of warming during the day and solar radiation medium-sized to large wet avalanches are to be expected, in particular on north facing slopes below approximately 2400 m, as well as on east, south and west facing slopes in all altitude zones. Backcountry tours should be concluded timely.

In the south the large amounts of fresh snow that fell at the weekend are continuing to settle and bond, but only slowly in the high Alpine regions. Fresh snow and wind gave rise to new medium-sized snow drift accumulations on Monday, in particular in the central and eastern parts of the northern flank of the Alps. On north facing slopes at elevated altitudes in particular, they are prone to triggering. Underneath the fresh snow the snowpack is thoroughly moist up to elevated altitudes in the high Alpine regions on south facing slopes, below approximately 3000 m on west and east facing slopes, and below approximately 2400 m on north facing slopes. In isolated cases avalanches can release the saturated snowpack.

Sunday night was partly clear in the south, otherwise overcast. During the day the west and north were mostly very cloudy with precipitation at times. The snowfall level was approximately 1800 m. In Ticino and Engadine it was quite sunny. Fresh snow: From Sunday afternoon until Monday afternoon above approximately 2200 m:

• Temperature: At midday at 2000 m: about 0 °C in the north and +3 °C in the south Wind: From the west to northwest

On Tuesday night the residual cloud will disperse in the northeast as well and the conditions for outgoing longwave radiation will be good. Wednesday will be sunny. After a clear night, Thursday will be sunny. Temperatures will rise a little. The danger of dry avalanches will decrease; avalanches can still be released in particular on north facing slopes in the high Alpine regions. On each of the coming days the danger of wet snow avalanches will be low after the clear nights, but then increase quickly under the influence of daytime warming and solar radiation.