Blüemlisalp

Snowpack

The storm-force southerly wind and foehn wind transported the loose snow on Tuesday, so that the surface of the snowpack is now marked by the wind in many places. Some ridges and surfaces adjacent to ridgelines have been blown completely clear. The fresh wind slabs are mostly medium to large and sometimes prone to triggering. Snow will continue to drift on Tuesday night into Wednesday. A lot of new snow will fall on the Main Alpine Ridge and south of it, which will be heavily transported by the southerly wind. Large wind slabs will form here, even at a distance from ridgelines.

Deep layers of the snowpack are compact in many places and for the most part do not contain distinct weak layers. Last week, the old snowpack was soaked up to approximately 3000 m on south-facing slopes, up to 2000-2500 m on east- and west-facing slopes, and up to approximately 1800-2000 m on north-facing slopes.

Gliding avalanches are still possible, primarily on east-, south- and west-facing slopes below approximately 2600 m and on north-facing slopes below approximately 2000 m. These may be large.

Weather forecast until Wednesday, 27.03.2024

There will be widespread snowfall, heavy in the south by the evening. The snowfall level during the night will be between 1700 m in the north and 1300 m in the south. During the day it will drop towards 1000 m. In the Alpine valleys of Ticino, it may even snow at low altitudes during periods of heavier precipitation.

New snow

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

• Main Alpine Ridge from the Monte Rosa area to the Bernina Pass and south of here: 40 to 60 cm, up to 80 cm on the Main Alpine Ridge in Upper Valais;
• neighbouring regions to the north and the rest of the Main Alpine Ridge: 20 to 40 cm;
• 10 to 20 cm widely towards the north.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -5 °C in the west, -3 °C in the south and +1 °C in the east.

Wind

During the night there will be:

• a strong to storm-force southerly wind;
• strong to storm-force foehn winds in the Alpine valleys of the north.

During the day:

• winds will ease, becoming moderate to strong from the south.

Weather review for Tuesday, 26.03.2024

In the north, it was partly sunny with strong foehn winds. It was overcast in the south, with some snow falling above approximately 1200 m.

New snow

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

• Main Alpine Ridge in Upper Valais: 5 to 10 cm;
• rest of the Main Alpine Ridge and south of this: a few centimetres;
• dry elsewhere.

Temperature

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

Wind

• There were strong, at times storm-force, southerly winds on the Northern Alpine Ridge and generally at high altitudes.
• In the Alpine valleys of the north, there was a strong foehn wind, storm-force at times.

Trend until Friday, 29 March 2024Thursday

It will be cloudy with bright spells. Snow will fall at times above approximately 1300 m. Some snow will fall on the central and eastern parts of the Main Alpine Ridge by the evening. There will be a moderate to strong southwesterly wind. The avalanche danger will decrease somewhat in the south. However, the situation will widely remain precarious for snow sports outside marked and open pistes. In the north, the avalanche danger will not change significantly. Gliding avalanches will still be possible.

Friday

On Friday, a southern orographic effect will set in again. Some snow will fall on the central and eastern parts of the Main Alpine Ridge and south of this. The snowfall level will rise during the day to over 2000 m.

In the Alpine valleys of the north, there will be a strong foehn wind with sunny intervals. Strong to storm-force southwesterly winds will blow in the north and strong southerly winds in the south.

The avalanche danger may increase in some regions, especially in the south. Gliding avalanches will still be possible.