Luganese

Snowpack

New snow and wind slabs are lying on a rather unfavourable old snow surface, particularly on northern slopes above approximately 2400 m. With fresh snow and northwesterly winds, the prone-to-triggering wind slabs continue to grow.

The old snowpack is hardly prone to triggering. Especially in its upper area, there are some faceted layers around crusts. Avalanches may still be triggered in places in these layers. This is especially true on shady slopes at a distance from ridgelines and protected from the wind.

Gliding avalanches are still possible, primarily on east-, south- and west-facing slopes below approximately 2600 m and more rarely on north-facing slopes below approximately 2200 m. These avalanches may be large in some cases in regions with a lot of snow.

Weather forecast until Tuesday, 20.02.2024

Snow will fall in the north during Monday night into Tuesday. The snowfall level will drop from 1400 to around 1100 m. During the day, it will become increasingly sunny in the west. In the east, the snowfall will end in the late morning, giving way to bright spells. It will be mostly sunny in the south.

New snow

From Monday afternoon to Tuesday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow are expected above approximately 1500 m:

• Northern Alpine Ridge from the eastern Bernese Oberland to the Alpstein region: 15 to 30 cm;
• rest of the northern flank of the Alps, Lower Valais, northern Grisons: 5 to 15 cm;
• elsewhere: a few centimetres, dry on the southern flank of the Alps.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -3 °C in the north and 0 °C on the southern flank of the Alps.

Wind

On the southern flank of the Alps and at high altitudes, there will be a mostly moderate northerly wind.

Weather review for Monday, 19.02.2024

In the north, some snow fell above approximately 1600 m. During the day, the snowfall ended and there were isolated clear spells. It was quite sunny in the south and in Valais.

New snow

From Sunday evening to Monday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow were recorded above approximately 1800 m:

• Urner Alps and Glarus Alps: 10 to 20 cm;
• rest of the Northern Alpine Ridge, northern Grisons, Lower Engadine north of the Inn: 5 to 10 cm;
• elsewhere: a few centimetres, dry in the south.

Temperature

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

Wind

Winds were moderate from the southwest overnight. There was a northwesterly wind during the day, weak to moderate in the west, moderate to strong elsewhere.

TrendWednesday, 21.02.2024

On Wednesday, it will be sunny at first. As the day progresses, clouds will gather from the west and south. In the north, increasingly strong southwesterly winds will blow as the day progresses.

The danger of dry avalanches will decrease somewhat. Gliding avalanches are still possible in isolated cases.

Thursday, 22.02.2024

Widespread precipitation is expected. The snowfall level will be around 2000 m in the north and 1200 m in the south. There will be a southwesterly wind, sometimes storm force at high altitudes. A strong foehn wind will blow in the northern Alpine valleys. The danger of dry avalanches will increase at high altitudes, especially so in the extreme west of Lower Valais. With the warmer temperatures and rain, gliding avalanches are to be expected.