Saas Fee

In the north a critical avalanche situation will be encountered in some regions.

The wind slabs of the last few days are in some cases prone to triggering. They are to be found in particular in gullies and bowls, and behind abrupt changes in the terrain. Avalanches can in some places be released by people and reach medium size. Avalanches can additionally in some places be released in deeper layers also. This applies in particular on west, north and east facing slopes. Backcountry touring calls for careful route selection.

Snowpack During the course of the last week in the northern regions there was a great deal of fresh fallen snow registered over widespread areas. Fresh snow and freshly generated snowdrift accumulations are beginning to settle, but in many places remain still prone to triggering. Most of the fresh snow fell in the northern Alpine Ridge and in northern Grisons. There, all in all, there was 70 to 90 cm of fresh snow registered over widespread areas, from the Grimsel Pass into the Glarus Alps as much as 150 cm of fresh snow. Furthermore, in the uppermost sections of the old snow cover bordering on melt-freeze crusts there are expansively metamorphosed (faceted) and weakened layers evident in some places. On west-facing, north-facing and east-facing slopes above approximately 2200 m more than anywhere else, there are weakened layers also evident in the lowermost part of the snowpack. In Grisons and in the southern part of the Valais more than anywhere else, these layers are blanketed over by only shallow fresher snow in some places and there, are prone to triggering to some extent. In the western part of the Lower Valais and on the northern flank of the Alps, the more deeply embedded layers inside the snow cover are frequently blanketed by thick layers and for that reason are currently unlikely to trigger. Observed weather review Sunday, 16.04.2023 Skies were heavily overcast and there was precipitation over far-reaching areas, intensive on the northern Alpine Ridge. Only in the central sector of the southern flank of the Alps was it dry and predominantly sunny. The snowfall level lay at 1200 to 1400 m. Fresh snow Between Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon the following amounts of fresh snow were registered above approximately 1800 m:

• northern Alpine Ridge from the Jungfrau region as far as Liechtenstein: 30 to 50 cm; from the Grimsel Pass into the Glarus Alps as much as 60 cm;
• northern part of the Lower Valais, remaining parts of the northern flank of the Alps, northern Grisons: 15 to 30 cm;
• in the other regions of Switzerland, 5 to 15 cm over widespread areas; in the central sector of the southern flank of the Alps it remained dry.

Thus, all in all from Friday evening until Sunday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow have been registered above approximately 2000 m:

• northern Alpine Ridge: 30 to 50 cm; from the Grimsel Pass into the Glarus Alps: as much as 70 cm;
• remaining parts of the northern flank of the Alps, Lower Valais, northern Grisons, Silvretta, Samnaun: 15 to 30 cm;
• western part of Jura region, remaining parts of Valais, remaining parts of Grisons: 5 to 15 cm;
• in the other regions of Switzerland, only a few centimetres, or else it remained dry.

Temperature At midday at 2000 m, between -2 °C in the northern regions and +1 °C in the southern regions. Wind Winds were blowing from northerly directions,

• at moderate to strong velocity in the southern regions and in general at heightened altitudes;
• in the other regions of Switzerland blowing at light to moderate strength.

Weather forecast through Monday, 17.04.2023 In the Valais and in the southern regions, skies on Sunday night will be partly clear, during the daytime hours on Monday it will be quite sunny. In the other regions of Switzerland skies will be predominantly overcast. Further towards the east a small amount of additional snowfall is expected above 1200 to 1400 m by midday. Fresh snow Between Sunday afternoon and Monday midday, the following amounts of fresh snow are expected above approximately 1800 m:

• central and eastern sectors of the northern flank of the Alps: 10 to 15 cm;
• Bernese Oberland, northern and central Grisons: 5 to 10 cm;
• in the other regions of Switzerland, less; or else it will remain dry.

Temperature At midday at 2000 m, between -1 °C in the northern regions and +2 °C in the southern regions. Wind Winds during the nocturnal hours on Sunday will be blowing from northeasterly directions,

• at moderate to strong velocity in the southern regions and in general at heightened altitudes;
• in the other regions of Switzerland blowing at light to moderate strength;

Shifting to easterly during the daytime hours,

• blowing predominantly at light strength, intermittently at moderate velocity;
• blowing at moderate to strong velocity in the Jura region.

Outlook through Wednesday, 19.04.2023 During the nighttime hours on Monday, skies are expected to clear only partially; nocturnal skies on Tuesday will be predominantly clear. During the daytime hours on both days it is expected to be quite sunny, accompanied by convective cloud build-up. From place to place, some showers are possible. Temperatures are expected to rise somewhat, the zero-degree level will lie at 2300 to 2500 m. Winds will be light, intermittently blowing at moderate strength, from northeasterly directions. The danger of dry-snow avalanches will incrementally decrease. The danger of wet-snow avalanches is expected to increase during the course of each day.