nördliches Prättigau

Snowpack

The very large amount of new snow in the north is rapidly settling and stabilising. The foehn wind will lead to fresh wind slabs forming on Friday. Towards the south, an appreciable decrease in the total amount of new snow is occurring. However, in the regions with slightly less new snow, there is sometimes a layer with a crystal structure at the transition to the old snow.

Before the onset of the wintry weather, the old snowpack on east-, south- and west-facing slopes was soaked up to above 3000 m and on north-facing slopes up to approximately 2500 m. Falling temperatures have caused the old snowpack to stabilise. Gliding avalanches (some of them large) are still to be expected, especially in the regions of the north with a lot of new snow, and particularly on slopes that were bare prior to these snowfalls.

Weather forecast until Friday, 26.04.2024

In the south, it will be very cloudy, and snow will fall to intermediate altitudes. The snowfall level will rise from 1200 to 1500 m. In the west it will be mostly cloudy, but there will only be a little snowfall. In the northeast it will be brighter with a foehn wind.

New snow

From Thursday afternoon to Friday afternoon, the following amounts of new snow are expected above 1600 m:

• northwestern Ticino, central part of the Main Alpine Ridge: 15 to 25 cm;
• the rest of the Main Alpine Ridge and the rest of the southern flank of the Alps: 5 to 10 cm.

Temperature

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

Wind

• There will be a moderate to strong southerly wind at high altitudes.
• In the north there will be a moderate, and in the afternoon even strong, foehn wind to intermediate and low altitudes.

Weather review for Thursday, 25.04.2024

During the night, some snow fell in the north to low altitudes. During the day, it was mostly sunny in the south and partly sunny in the north.

New snow

From Wednesday afternoon to Thursday afternoon, the following amounts of new snow were recorded above approximately 1400 m:

• central and eastern parts of the northern flank of the Alps, northern Grisons: 10 to 20 cm;
• along the western part of the northern flank of the Alps: 5 to 10 cm; elsewhere: less, or it remained dry.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -7 °C in the north and -2 °C in the south.

Wind

There was a mostly light to moderate northwesterly wind; southwesterly during the day.

Trend until Sunday, 28.04.2024

The weekend will be dominated by a southern orographic effect (i.e. a weather situation with heavy precipitation on the south side of the Alps). Along the western and central parts of the Main Alpine Ridge and south of this, 40 to 60 cm, and in some localities even 80 cm, of new snow is expected. The snowfall level will slowly rise towards 2000 m. A strong southerly wind will blow at high altitudes. The danger of dry avalanches will increase significantly above approximately 2000 m. Level 4 (high) is possible in some regions. Below approximately 2000 m, more wet and gliding avalanches are to be expected.

In the north, it will be partly sunny with a strong foehn wind. The snow that is still loose and near the surface will drift, and wind slabs that are prone to triggering will form. Therefore, the danger of dry avalanches will not change significantly for the time being. In addition, at intermediate altitudes, gliding avalanches (even large ones) are still to be expected, especially in regions with a lot of snow.