Gruyère

Snowpack

Fresh and sometimes older snowdrift accumulations are prone to triggering. They developed over the last week with repeated strong winds from the southwest to east via the north. At high altitudes, the snow is continuing to shift with strong northeasterly winds at times.

The structure of the old snowpack varies greatly from region to region:

• south of a line from the Rhône to the Rhine, there are distinct weak layers in the old snowpack at high altitude in which avalanches can be triggered in places, sometimes right down to ground level.
• These weak layers are also present in central and southern Ticino, as well as in Val Bregaglia and Val Poschiavo. Below approximately 2600 m, however, they are very thin and therefore within the range of ground roughness and not very problematic. On northern slopes above approximately 2600 m, however, these layers are also thicker and create an unfavourable weak foundation for the snowpack.
• North of a line from the Rhône to the Rhine and in the extreme west of Lower Valais, the snowpack structure is more favourable. Avalanches starting in weak layers in the near-ground old snowpack are only possible in isolated cases. The snowpack is strongly affected by the wind.

Weather forecast to Tuesday

It will be sunny in the mountains.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

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

Wind

Northeast

• Mostly moderate in the mountains, occasionally strong in the high Alpine regions
• Moderate Bise wind in the Jura and the Prealps

Weather review for Monday

It was sunny in the mountains.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

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

Wind

• In the Jura and on the northern flank of the Alps, strong winds from the northeast
• Strong northerly winds on the central part of the Main Alpine Ridge, which eased slightly as the day progressed
• Otherwise mostly moderate from the northeast

Outlook

On Wednesday it will be very cloudy on the central and eastern parts of the northern flank of the Alps and in northern Grisons, but mostly sunny towards the west and south. The northerly wind will be increasingly strong along the Northern Alpine Ridge and the Main Alpine Ridge. Thursday will be mostly sunny with moderate easterly winds in the mountains. On both days it will be dry and colder again.

The avalanche danger will not change significantly at high altitudes with wind and in areas with persistent weak layers, otherwise it will decrease gradually.