Luganese

Snowpack

The fresh snow and very windy conditions in recent days have resulted in widespread snowdrift accumulations prone to triggering.

The structure of the old snowpack varies greatly from region to region:

• south of a line from the Rhône to the Rhine, there are pronounced weak layers in the snowpack at high altitude where avalanches can be triggered in places, sometimes reaching down to the ground.
• these weak layers are also present on the central part of the southern flank of the Alps, as well as in Val Bregaglia and Val Poschiavo, but are very thin and so in the terrain roughness range. Old snow in these southerly regions therefore tends to be unproblematic, except on north-facing slopes above approximately 2600 m,.
• north of a line from the Rhône to the Rhine and in the extreme west of Lower Valais, snowpack structure is more favourable. Avalanches starting in weak layers in old snow are only possible in isolated cases. The snowpack is very strongly affected by the wind.

Weather forecast to Saturday, 11 January 2025

Snowfall will continue until midday in the north. The snowfall level will temporarily rise to 1600 m in the west and then fall again to around 1000 m. Conditions will be mostly sunny in Ticino and Grisons.

Fresh snow

From Friday afternoon to Saturday lunchtime:

• northern flank of the Alps from the Bernese Oberland to the Glarus Alps: 10 to 20 cm
• otherwise widespread 5 to 10 cm, mostly dry in the southeast

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -4 °C in the southwest and -9 °C in the northeast.

Wind

Northwesterly wind, still sometimes strong at high altitudes overnight, mainly moderate during the day

Weather review for Friday, 10 January 2025

Conditions were mostly overcast and there was snowfall down to low altitudes in the west and north. Only in the far south were there isolated brighter intervals.

Fresh snow

From Thursday to Friday afternoon:

• Northern Alpine ridge from Les Diablerets to Lake Walen, Valais, northern Ticino: 15 to 25 cm
• elsewhere: widespread 5 to 15 cm, less in the far south

Total snowfall over the last 4 days was thus:

• extreme west of Lower Valais: 50 to 70 cm
• Vaud and Fribourg Alps, Valais, northern and central Ticino as well as the Upper Engadine, Moesano, Val Bregaglia and Val Poschiavo: 30 to 50 cm
• otherwise widespread 15 to 30 cm, less in the Jura

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -4 °C in the west and -10 °C in the east.

Wind

Strong westerly to northwesterly wind overnight, easing during the day

Outlook

Conditions will be predominantly sunny. There will be a moderate to strong northeasterly wind at high altitudes, with a Bise wind rising in the north. It will be cold on Sunday and appreciably milder on Monday. Avalanche danger will decrease slowly. In the north, drifted snow will be the main problem, while old snow will continue to merit attention elsewhere. Isolated gliding avalanches are possible, especially in the west and north.