Waadtländer Voralpen

Snowpack

Deep layers of the snowpack are compact in many places. However, around the crusts in the upper third of the old snowpack, weak layers with a sometimes faceted crystal structure are deposited.

A lot of fresh snow fell on and to the south of the Main Alpine Ridge at the weekend. The southerly winds led to the formation of extensive wind slabs at high altitudes. Many naturally triggered avalanches, some of them very large, occurred on Sunday, particularly in southern Upper Valais.

In the north, the loose snow of the past week was heavily transported to below the tree line by the storm-force Bise wind. The snowdrift was widely deposited on loose snow on north-facing slopes, locally also on surface hoar. As a result, the recent wind slabs were often prone to triggering and many were released by people. The wind slabs are now covered with new snow in many places, making them difficult to recognise.

Gliding avalanches are still possible, primarily on east-, south- and west-facing slopes below approximately 2400 m and more rarely on north-facing slopes. These may be large.

Weather forecast until Tuesday, 12.03.2024

It will be fairly sunny in the south, with winds tending to be from the north. Elsewhere, it will be very cloudy, with some snow falling above approximately 1300 m.

New snow

From Monday afternoon to Tuesday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow are expected:

• north of a line between the Rhone and Rhine and in northern Grisons: 5 to 10 cm;
• less elsewhere; dry in the south.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -3 °C in the north and -1 °C in the south.

Wind

• There will be a moderate westerly wind on the northern flank of the Alps.
• A moderate northerly wind will blow in the south.
• In the high Alpine regions, winds will be moderate from the northwest.

Weather review for Monday, 11.03.2024

A three-day period of storm-force southerly winds and a lot of new fallen snow in the south ended during the night. It was quite sunny in the early morning, turning increasingly cloudy from the northwest in the afternoon as the first showers arrived.

New snow

Since Friday, the following amounts of snow have fallen above approximately 1600 m, most of it on Sunday:

• Simplon region, Bedretto, Valle Maggia: 70 to 100 cm;
• other regions of the Main Alpine Ridge from the Matterhorn to the San Bernardino Pass and south of this, Val Bregaglia, Bernina: 40 to 70 cm;
• directly neighbouring regions to the north, Lower Valais Main Alpine Ridge, rest of Upper Engadine: mostly 20 to 40 cm;
• further north: less than 20 cm.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around -3 °C.

Wind

• There were moderate westerly winds during the night on the northern flank of the Alps, with moderate southerly winds elsewhere.
• During the day, there was a mostly weak northerly wind.

Trend until Thursday, 14.03.2024Wednesday

In the north, it will snow during the night above approximately 1300 m. The quantities are still uncertain. During the day, it will be fairly sunny in the west, with clear spells in the north. It will be fairly sunny in the south, with winds tending to be from the north.

In the north, the danger of dry avalanches will increase somewhat. It will decrease in the south. Individual gliding avalanches will still be possible, some of which could be large.

Thursday

With light winds, it will be mostly sunny and increasingly mild as the day progresses.

The danger of dry avalanches will decrease. Individual gliding avalanches will still be possible, some of which could be large.