Bex-Villars

Snowpack

In the north, snowfall and a moderate northwesterly wind are seeing the formation of wind slabs that are prone to triggering. Deep layers of the snowpack are compact in many places. However, around the crusts in the upper third of the old snowpack, weak layers with a sometimes faceted crystal structure, and in some cases also snow-covered surface hoar, are deposited.

A lot of fresh snow fell on and to the south of the Main Alpine Ridge at the weekend. The southerly winds led to the formation of extensive wind slabs at high altitudes. These are increasingly settling and stabilising.

Gliding avalanches are still possible, primarily on east-, south- and west-facing slopes below approximately 2400 m and more rarely on north-facing slopes. These may be large.

Weather forecast until Wednesday, 13.03.2024

In the north, precipitation will set in on Tuesday evening. Initially in the west and as the day progresses also in the east, the snowfall level will rise from 1300 m to 1800 m. During the day there will still be some precipitation in the east, with increasingly clear spells arriving from the west. It will be fairly sunny in the south, with winds tending to be from the north.

New snow

From Tuesday evening to Wednesday afternoon:

• Northern Alpine Ridge from the Gemmi Pass to Liechtenstein: 30 to 40 cm and locally up to 50 cm;
• northern Grisons: 20 to 30 cm;
• rest of the northern flank of the Alps and rest of northern Valais, Goms, central Grisons, Lower Engadine: 10 to 20 cm;
• less elsewhere; dry in the south.

Temperature

Temperatures will rise, reaching around 0 °C at midday at 2000 m.

Wind

• Mostly moderate northwesterly winds will blow along the northern flank of the Alps.
• Moderate northerly winds will blow in the south.
• There will be sometimes strong northerly winds at high altitudes.

Weather review for Tuesday, 12.03.2024

It was fairly sunny in the south. Elsewhere it was very cloudy, and some snow fell above approximately 1300 m.

New snow

From Monday afternoon to Tuesday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow fell:

• north of a line between the Rhone and the Rhine and in northern Grisons: 5 to 10 cm;
• less elsewhere; dry in the south.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -3 °C in the north and +1 °C in the south.

Wind

• There were moderate westerly winds along the northern flank of the Alps.
• Moderate northerly winds blew in the south.

Trend until Friday, 15 March 2024Thursday

It will be mostly sunny and as the day progresses increasingly mild. There will be light winds, increasingly becoming moderate as the day progresses, blowing from the west.

The danger of dry avalanches will decrease. Occasional gliding avalanches, some of which could be large, will still be possible.

Friday

In the north, it will probably be cloudy with bright intervals and there will be some precipitation in some regions, falling as snow above 1800 m. In the south, it will be dry and at times sunny.

The danger of dry avalanches will continue to decrease.