Génépi

Snowpack

In the north and generally at high altitudes, strong to storm force westerly winds are transporting old snow. Medium-sized snowdrift accumulations are developing. These are mainly being deposited on shady slopes on weak, faceted layers or surface hoar frost and are very prone to triggering.

There are widespread weak faceted layers deep in the old snowpack. North of a line between the Rhone and Rhine, these are often covered by thick, compact layers of snow. Avalanches in deeper layers may only be triggered in isolated cases and especially in places with little snow. In other regions, avalanches may still be triggered in weak layers near the ground and may still become large. There is little lying snow, especially along the Main Alpine Ridge in Grisons, in the Upper Engadine and in central Ticino, where avalanches may become medium in size.

In those northern and western regions with a lot of snow, medium and occasionally large gliding avalanches are still possible.

Weather forecast to Thursday

Conditions will often be cloudy. There will still be some brighter intervals, especially in inneralpine regions. In the late afternoon, snow will start to fall from the north-west above approximately 1000 m.

Fresh snow

A few centimetres in the west by late afternoon, otherwise still dry

Temperature

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

Wind

Southwesterly winds, strong to storm force on the northern flank of the Alps and moderate to strong in other regions at high altitudes

Weather review for New Year's Day

Conditions were sunny and mild in the mountains.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around 0 °C

Wind

Westerly winds, moderate in the Jura and at the northern flak ot the Alpes, otherwise mostly weak

Outlook

Snow will fall down to low-lying areas overnight to Friday. By Friday morning, 15 to 30 cm of snow is expected in the western Jura, on the northern flank of the Alps and in the extreme west of Lower Valais, and 10 to 20 cm in the rest of the Jura and Valais and in northern Grisons. Little or no snow will fall further south. While the snow is falling, there will initially be strong westerly winds and later on moderate northwesterly winds. On Friday, it will remain cloudy for longer in the east and along the Prealps, otherwise conditions will be fairly sunny. On Saturday, conditions will be sunny in the mountains at first. In the afternoon, clouds will gather from the west as the southwesterly wind increases.

Fresh and drifted snow will be deposited mainly on shady slopes on an unfavourable surface of faceted crystals and sometimes also on surface hoar frost. Avalanche danger is expected to increase to level 3 (considerable) in the north and far west on Friday. In other regions, it will increase slightly, especially at high altitudes. There will be little change in avalanche danger on Saturday.