Saas Fee

Snowpack

Avalanches can occur especially in the various layers of new snow and wind slabs at the end of the week. In the north, 60 to 120 cm of snow has fallen widely since Tuesday, which means that large avalanches are possible. Towards the south, the amount of new snow is decreasing appreciably. This also means that fresh wind slabs are smaller and avalanche-prone locations are less prevalent. In general, the amount of new snow will increase significantly with altitude and may significantly exceed the amounts described in the avalanche bulletin in the high Alpine regions.

Before the onset of the wintry weather, the old snowpack on east-, south- and west-facing slopes was soaked up to above 3000 m and on north-facing slopes up to approximately 2500 m. Falling temperatures have caused the old snowpack to stabilise. Wet and gliding avalanche activity is currently very low. Gliding avalanches are still possible in very isolated cases, especially on slopes that had been free of snow prior to these snowfalls.

Weather forecast until Sunday, 21.04.2024

The snowfall will continue to ease during the night. It will be partly clear in the west and south. During the day, clouds will return from the northwest and snow will fall above 400 to 700 m in the north. In the south, it will be cloudy at times with some bright spells and will remain mostly dry.

New snow

From Saturday afternoon to Sunday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow are expected above approximately 1400 m:

• Northern Alpine Ridge from Les Diablerets to Liechtenstein, northern Prättigau, Silvretta, Samnaun: 20 to 35 cm;
• elsewhere: widespread 10 to 20 cm, less to the south, mostly dry on the southern flank of the Alps.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -7 °C in the north and -4 °C in the south.

Wind

There will be a mostly weak to moderate northwesterly wind, increasing in the afternoon.

Weather review for Saturday, 20.04.2024

During the night, it snowed heavily in the north. It was partly clear in the south. During the day, the weather was changeable in the north with snow showers and brighter spells, especially in the west. The snowfall level temporarily rose to 1200 m and dropped below 800 m again in the morning. It was mostly sunny in the south.

New snow

From Friday afternoon to Saturday afternoon, the following amounts of snow fell above around 1600 m:

• Northern Alpine Ridge from the Aletsch region to Alpstein, northern Prättigau, Silvretta, Samnaun: 30 to 50, with even more snow recorded locally and at higher altitudes;
• rest of the northern flank of the Alps, extreme west of Lower Valais, Main Alpine Ridge from the Great St. Bernard Pass to the Saas Valley, southern Goms, southern Gotthard region, rest of northern and central Grisons, rest of Lower Engadine: 15 to 30 cm;
• Jura, central Valais, Simplon region, Upper Valle Maggia, Main Alpine Ridge from the Lukmanier Pass to Lower Engadine: 5 to 15 cm, with areas further south seeing only a few centimetres of snow or remaining dry.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -6 °C in the north and 0 °C in the south.

Wind

• There were strong westerly winds in the evening and the first half of the night, especially in the north.
• The wind then turned to the north and was moderate to strong at altitude.
• There was a moderate to strong foehn wind from the north on the southern flank of the Alps.

Trend until Tuesday, 23.04.2024Monday

The wind direction will shift to the southeast. While the precipitation will slowly ease in the north, snowfall will set in in the south. It will remain cold, and there will be weak to moderate southeasterly winds. 10 cm of snow is expected on a widespread basis, with up to 20 cm expected in the south. The avalanche danger will decrease somewhat in the north. It will increase slightly in the south.

Tuesday

The north will see some snowfall, while it will become increasingly sunny in the south. It will still be cold. The wind will shift to the northeast and blow moderately in the east at high altitudes, otherwise it will be mostly light. The avalanche danger will fall slightly.