Waadtländer Voralpen

Snowpack

The large amount of new fallen snow, especially on shady slopes, has fallen partly on an angularly built-up snowpack surface and in places on surface hoar and thus on rather unfavourable old snowpack. There is often still loose snow in the upper part of the old snowpack, which can be carried away by avalanches. Occasionally, avalanches can also release deeper in the snowpack in the area of older rain crusts due to the overload of the large amount of new fallen snow. This is particularly the case at altitudes between 2200 and 2600 m. Deeper snowpack layers are usually well compacted.

Some of the avalanche paths in the typical avalanche tracks have been erased by older avalanches. Avalanches can travel a long way in such avalanche tracks.

Weather forecast until Friday, 22.12.2023

It will be very cloudy with heavy precipitation. The snowfall level will be between 1000 and 1500 m, and a little lower in the inner Alpine valleys. It will be dry and quite sunny in the Sottoceneri.

New fallen snow

From Thursday afternoon to Friday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow are expected above approximately 1800 m:

• Northern Alpine Ridge from the Jungfrau region to the Alpstein, Silvretta, Samnaun: 60 to 100 cm;
• rest of the northern flank of the Alps, Lower Valais, northern Grisons: 40 to 60 cm;
• otherwise widespread 20 to 40 cm, less on the southern flank of the Alps and in the Jura, dry in the Sottoceneri.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -2 °C in the north and 0 °C in the south.

Wind

There will be a stormy northwesterly wind.

Weather review for Thursday, 21.12.2023

It was very cloudy and there was some precipitation. This intensified in the afternoon. The snowfall level rose from 800 to 1800 m.

New fallen snow

5 to 15 cm of fresh snow fell on the northern flank of the Alps, partly in Valais and in northern Grisons, with other regions either seeing less snow or remaining dry.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between 0 °C in the north and +2 °C in the south.

Wind

• In the west and north, the wind from the west increased from strong to stormy during the day.
• In the south and southeast, there was a moderate to strong wind from the west to northwest.

Trend until Sunday, 24.12.2023Saturday

During Friday night, precipitation will still be heavy in places, falling as snow above 1000 to 1200 m. The precipitation is expected to end as the day progresses, ending in the east last. In the afternoon there will be brighter spells in Valais, while in the south it will be dry and quite sunny. A storm-force northwesterly wind will continue to blow. Another 20 to 40 cm of snow may fall from the Jungfrau region to the Alpstein and in the Lower Engadine north of the Inn. However, these precipitation amounts are still unconfirmed.

With the new fallen snow, the avalanche danger in the regions exposed to precipitation may increase slightly. The avalanche situation in these regions therefore remains very critical. Numerous naturally triggered avalanches are still expected, especially during Friday night. Very large avalanches are also possible. Exposed parts of transportation routes will be at risk. The avalanche situation also remains critical in Valais and in the other regions of the northern flank of the Alps and in Grisons, but the activity of natural avalanches is decreasing. The danger of gliding snow avalanches will rise again.

Sunday

It is expected to be partly clear during Saturday night and partly sunny in the morning. There will be little but widespread precipitation in the afternoon. The snowfall level will increase rapidly towards 2000 m. It will remain dry and quite sunny in the south. There will be moderate to strong winds, with some continuing stormy winds at high altitudes blowing from west to northwest.

The danger of dry avalanches is expected to decrease. Gliding snow avalanches are expected, including large ones.