Hohgant

Snowpack

Since Friday, a lot of snow has drifted at high altitudes, and down to intermediate altitudes in the regions exposed to the foehn wind in the north, meaning that the surface of the snowpack is now marked by the wind in many places. The snowdrift was widely deposited on loose snow on north-facing slopes, locally also on surface hoar. As a result, the fresh wind slabs are often prone to triggering. Snow will continue to drift during Saturday night into Sunday.

A lot of new snow is expected on and to the south of the Main Alpine Ridge; this snow will drift significantly.

Deep layers of the snowpack are compact in many places. However, around the crusts in the upper third of the old snowpack, layers with a sometimes faceted crystal structure are deposited, in which, especially in the inneralpine regions of Grisons above around 2400 m, avalanches were released in the week that is coming to an end.

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 Sunday, 10.03.2024

In the north, it will be cloudy to very cloudy with clear spells in the morning in the east and in the afternoon in the west. In the south, it will be very cloudy with lots of precipitation.

New snow

• Upper Visp valleys, Simplon region, Binntal, Bedretto, Upper Valle Maggia: 50 to 80 cm;
• Lower Valais part of the Main Alpine Ridge, southern Obergoms, southern Urseren, remaining central part of the southern flank of the Alps, Upper Engadine part of the Main Alpine Ridge, Val Poschiavo: 30 to 50 cm;
• directly neighbouring regions to the north, from Lower Valais via the Aletsch region, the Urn Alps, central Grisons, Upper and Lower Engadine to Val Müstair: 15 to 30 cm;
• appreciably less snow further north, mostly dry along the northern Prealps.

Temperature

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

Wind

• During the second half of the night, there will again be increasing, strong to stormy southerly winds, with a storm-force foehn wind in the Alpine valleys.
• Both winds will gradually ease as the day progresses.

Weather review for Saturday, 09.03.2024

It was very cloudy on the southern flank of the Alps, from the Aletsch to the Gotthard region and in the Engadine, partly sunny in Valais and the west, otherwise it was mostly sunny.

New snow

The snowfall level was between 1000 and 1200 m. The following amounts of fresh snow were recorded from Friday afternoon to Saturday afternoon:

• Valle Maggia: 15 to 30 cm;
• Upper Valais part of the Main Alpine Ridge, remaining central part of the southern flank of the Alps, Avers, Val Bregaglia: 5 to 15 cm;
• less elsewhere.

Temperature

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

Wind

There was a southerly wind.

• There was a strong to stormy wind on the Northern Alpine Ridge, otherwise the wind was moderate to strong.
• There was a strong foehn wind at times in the Alpine valleys of the north.

Trend until Tuesday, 12.03.2024Monday

The north will see clouds interspersed with clear spells and, especially in the afternoon, showers. Engadine is expected to experience the most sunshine. The snowfall level will be around 1200 m. There will be a light to moderate westerly wind. In the south, it will be cloudy with showers.

The danger of dry avalanches will fall, although it will remain critical for snow sports in the regions exposed to heavier precipitation in the south. Gliding avalanches will still be possible, some of which could be large.

Tuesday

In the north, it will often be cloudy with clear spells, especially in Valais and Grisons. There will be some precipitation in the form of showers. It will be quite sunny in the south.

The danger of dry avalanches will not change significantly in the north and will fall in the south. Gliding avalanches will still be possible, some of which could be large.