Bleniotal

Snowpack

On and to the south of the Main Alpine Ridge, the large amount of new snow and drift snow that has fallen in recent days is gradually stabilising. The probability of fractures within the new and drift snow layers is falling.

In the north and generally at high altitudes, the surface of the snowpack is shaped by storm-force foehn winds and strong southerly winds. In the regions exposed to the foehn wind, some ridges and surfaces adjacent to ridgelines have been blown completely clear. The wind slabs are mostly medium to large and sometimes prone to triggering.

Owing to mild temperatures, sunny weather and rain, the near-surface layers of the snowpack have become moist up to around 3000 m in the north and up to around 2000 m in the south. Deeper layers of the snowpack generally contain hardly any distinct weak layers. For more than a week now, there have been no reports of avalanches being triggered by people in deeper layers of the old snowpack. Due to all the new snow, however, fractures in the deep old snowpack in the south are expected to once again be possible.

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 Saturday, 30.03.2024

In the south, it will be overcast and there will be precipitation. In the north, it will be partly sunny in the morning with stormy foehn winds. In the afternoon, clouds will gather from the west and there may be some precipitation.

New snow

The snowfall level will usually be between 1800 and 2000 m. The following amounts of fresh snow are expected:

• Upper Valais Main Alpine Ridge from the Mattmark to southern Goms, Bedretto, Upper Valle Maggia: 50 to 80 cm;
• in a narrow area neighbouring this region, including the Upper Valle Leventina: 30 to 50 cm;
• remaining parts of the western and central part of the Main Alpine Ridge, Aletsch region, the rest of Ticino: 15 to 30 cm;
• directly neighbouring regions to the north, Upper Engadine and the remaining Grisons southern valleys: less than 15 cm;
• further north: mostly dry.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between +4 °C in the north and +1 °C in the south.

Wind

There will be strong to storm-force winds from the south to southwest, and a storm-force foehn wind in the Alpine valleys of the north.

Weather review for Good Friday, 29.03.2024

Thursday night into Good Friday was clear at times in the north and mostly cloudy in the south. During the day, it was somewhat sunny in the north and overcast with some precipitation in the south.

New snow

The snowfall level was between 1500 and 2000 m. Between Thursday afternoon and Friday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow were recorded:

• central and eastern parts of the Main Alpine Ridge and to the south of it: 5 to 10 cm, up to 20 cm in western Ticino;
• elsewhere: less, or it remained dry.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between +7 °C in the north and -1 °C in the south.

Wind

There were strong to storm-force southerly to southwesterly winds, with the Alpine valleys of the north experiencing a strong to storm-force foehn wind.

Trend until Easter Monday, 01.04.2024

Heavy precipitation will fall on and to the south of the Main Alpine Ridge, most of it on the Main Alpine Ridge from the Saas Valley to the Bernina region and south of it with a further 100 to 150 cm of fresh snow above around 2000 m.

The avalanche danger will increase further in the south and is also expected to reach danger level 4 (high) on Sunday along the rest of the Main Alpine Ridge from the Gotthard region to the Bernina region and south of it. The avalanche activity is expected to peak during Sunday night into Monday. The danger will increase to the upper range of level 4 (high). An increase to level 5 (very high) cannot be ruled out on the Upper Valais Main Alpine Ridge and in western Ticino.

Precipitation will spread somewhat to the north via the Main Alpine Ridge. Further north, it will be partly sunny on Sunday. On Monday, there will initially be some precipitation, with clear spells from the west in the afternoon. The foehn wind will end during Sunday night into Monday, the wind will shift to the west and will be moderate to strong. The avalanche danger may also increase somewhat in some regions in the north.