Rheinwald

Considerable avalanche danger will be encountered over a wide area.

The fresh and older wind slabs can be released easily in some places. In isolated cases avalanches can reach medium size. Avalanches can additionally in isolated cases be released in the old snowpack in particular on little used shady slopes. Careful route selection is recommended.

Avalanche bulletin survey: intermediate levels - helpful or confusing? Link to the survey in AvaBlog (on SLF-App WhiteRisk or at slf.ch)

Snowpack The immense amounts of fresh fallen snow over the last few days are settling and consolidating. The fresh snow is moist up to altitudes of 2000 m widespread. Fresh fallen snow and freshly generated snowdrifts lie deposited on shady slopes widespread on top of an unfavourable old snow cover surface. Avalanches in those locations can be easily triggered. On sunny slopes the old snow cover surface was already favourable prior to this period of snowfall. On the northern flank of the Alps on north-facing slopes, furthermore, there are expansively metamorphosed (faceted) layers deeply embedded inside the snow cover in some places. In the southern Valais and in the Grisons on north-facing slopes the entire old snow cover is expansively metamorphosed (faceted) and loosely-packed in some places. There, avalanches can fracture down to deeper down layers inside the snowpack. Particularly as a consequence of rising foehn wind influence, fresh, in some places easily triggered snowdrift accumulations will be generated on Monday. As a result of higher temperatures and solar radiation, moist slides and moist avalanches can be expected to trigger from the fresh fallen snow up to high altitudes on steep, sunny slopes. Observed weather review Sunday, 12.03.2023 In the northern regions skies were heavily overcast for the most part, in the Valais and in Grisons it became increasingly sunny. In the Ticino it was predominantly sunny. In the northern regions the precipitation rounded to a close during the afternoon. Fresh snow Between Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon the following amounts of fresh snow were registered above approximately 2000 m:

• Lower Valais, northern Valais, Zermatt as well as the northern flank of the Alps from the Titlis as far as the Säntis: 20 to 30 cm;
• in the other regions over widespread areas: 10 to 20 cm; in the southern parts of Grisons and in the Ticino, less.

Thus, since the beginning of this period of precipitation on Tuesday evening until Sunday afternoon, the following overall amounts of fresh snow have been registered above approximately 2200 m:

• Lower Valais, Northern Grisons not including Goms: 80 to 120 cm; in the furthermost west as much as 150 cm;
• immediately bordering regions of the Bernese Oberland, southern Upper Valais and Goms, Gotthard region, northern Alpine Ridge from the Titlis into the Alpstein: 50 to 80 cm;
• remaining parts of the northern flank of the Alps, remaining parts of northern Ticino, remaining parts of Northern Grisons: generally 30 to 50 cm;
• further to the south and in the Jura region, less.

Temperature At midday at 2000 m, between -1 °C in the northern regions and +3 °C in the southern regions. Wind Winds were blowing from westerly to northwesterly directions,

• at moderate to strong velocity in the Jura region and in general at elevated altitudes;
• blowing at light to moderate strength in the remaining regions of Switzerland.

Weather forecast through Monday, 13.03.2023 On Sunday night nocturnal skies will be predominantly overcast. During the daytime hours on Monday in the northern regions it will be predominantly sunny. In the southern regions the sun will appear only intermittently. It is expected to be inordinately mild and windy. Fresh snow - Temperature On Sunday night temperatures are expected to rise significantly, at midday on Monday at 2000 m in the northern regions +6 °C, in the southern regions +1 °C. Wind Winds are expected to be southwesterly,

• blowing at strong to storm strength in the northern regions; in the Alpine valleys a frequently strong-velocity foehn wind will arise;
• blowing at moderate strength in the southern regions.

Outlook through Wednesday, 15.03.2023 On Monday night precipitation from the south and the west is expected to set in once again. In the northern regions snowfall is expected to persist until Wednesday aftertnoon. In the southern regions skies will brighten swiftly on Wednesday. The snowfall level will lie between 1300 and 1600 m to begin with, subsequently will descend to below 1000 m. In the furthermost western regions of the Lower Valais 40 to 60 cm of snowfall is expected, on the northern Alpine Ridge 30 to 50 cm, elsewhere less. Winds in the mountains will continue to be blowing at strong velocity, on Tuesday from southwesterly directions, on Wednesday from northwesterly directions. Avalanche danger levels are expected to increase in the southern regions on Tuesday. In the remaining regions of Switzerland avalanche danger levels are not expected to change significantly. Conditions in backcountry terrain away from secured ski runs will remain treacherous for winter sports enthusiasts over far-reaching areas.