Emosson

Snowpack

On the northern flank of the Alps, the new and drifted snow of the last few days cover, at higher altitudes on shaded, wind-sheltered slopes an often faceted and therefore weak old snow surface. Elsewhere, the snow surface has often been shaped by the wind and is frequently frozen solid below 2400 m.

In western and northern Lower Valais, the snowpack structure is relatively favourable and the danger comes mainly down to the fresh drifted snow.

In other regions, the snowpack is thin and weak, and mostly consists of faceted crystals with embedded crusts. Snowdrift accumulations deposited on top of this snowpack are in some cases easily triggerable. In addition, individual avalanches may still be triggered in the near-ground old snowpack, especially on the Main Alpine Ridge in Upper Valais and on the central part of the southern flank of the Alps.

Weather forecast to Tuesday

In the mountains conditions will be sunny but cold.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around -13 °C in the north and -9 °C in the south

Wind

Light to moderate from northerly directions

Weather review for Monday

It was sunny but cold in the mountains.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around -10°C

Wind

Light to moderate from westerly directions

Outlook to ThursdayWednesday

It will be sunny and cold. In the afternoon, there will be a moderate northwesterly wind at high altitudes.

The avalanche danger will decrease, but only slowly due to the often unfavourable snowpack structure.

Thursday

With strong to storm-force northwesterly winds, it will be partly sunny in the south, while elsewhere it will be very cloudy with snowfall down to the lowlands. In the north and west, 10 to 20 cm of snow is expected to fall, but the amounts are still uncertain.

New snow and drifted snow will be deposited on an often weak old snowpack. The avalanche danger will increase, especially in the west and north.