Bex-Villars

Snowpack

In the morning, on steep south-facing slopes there is often a supporting crust at the snow surface up to high altitudes, while on west and east-facing slopes the surface often consists of a brittle melt-freeze crust. On north-facing slopes, the surface of the snowpack is still partly loose and partly shaped by the wind at high altitudes. On Sunday, the increasingly strong foehn wind will form snowdrift accumulations that will tend to be small but prone to triggering.

Otherwise, the snowpack in the north is mostly well consolidated. In southern Valais, Ticino and Grisons, there are faceted, soft layers deeper in the snowpack. The snow layering in these regions is more unfavourable and avalanches can also very occasionally be triggered in deep layers of the snowpack.

As the day progresses, individual wet and gliding avalanches are possible.

Weather forecast to Sunday

After a partly clear night, it will be quite sunny in the late morning. As the day progresses, thick clouds will move in from the south.

Fresh snow

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Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between +4 °C in the north and 0 °C in the south.

Wind

• Moderate southerly winds that will become increasingly strong during the day
• Strong to storm-force foehn winds in the Alpine valleys of the north.

Weather review for Saturday

Conditions were sunny in the mountains.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around +1 °C.

Wind

Light to moderate from southerly directions.

OutlookMonday

In the south, snow will fall above 1600 m, especially during the night to Monday. On the Main Alpine Ridge and south of it, 15 to 30 cm of snow is expected over a wide area. However, the quantities are still very uncertain. In the north, it will often be cloudy with showers and some bright spells, especially in the afternoon.

In the south, the danger of dry avalanches will increase appreciably. Otherwise the avalanche danger will not change significantly.

Tuesday

In the south, around 5 to 15 cm of snow will fall during the day above approximately 1500 m. It will be sunny at times in the north. The zero-degree level will be between 1800 m in the south and 2000 m in the north. The avalanche danger will not change significantly.