Mendrisiotto

Snowpack

There has been heavy snowfall in some regions in the south this weekend. In the north, strong to storm-force southerly winds have caused the old snow that is still loose and close to the surface to drift. Avalanches may be triggered especially in the new and drift snow layers.

The old snowpack is mostly well consolidated under the new and drift snow, although from mid-April onwards sometimes a weak layer with a faceted crystal structure has formed at the transition to the surface of the old snow. This is particularly the case in the inneralpine regions.

In the north, the incoming radiation and warm temperatures led to the layers of fresh snow from last week being largely soaked. Before last week's cold snap, the old snowpack on east-, south- and west-facing slopes was already soaked up to above 3000 m and on north-facing slopes up to approximately 2500 m.

Gliding avalanches are still possible, increasingly so once again at high altitudes.

Weather forecast until Monday, 29.04.2024

The skies will clear at times in the north and east during Sunday night into Monday. In Valais, in the Gotthard region and along the central part of the southern flank of the Alps, it will be a cloudy night with some precipitation continuing until the late morning. The snowfall level will be around 2000 m. During the day, it will be cloudy at times with some clear spells in the west and south, and fairly sunny in the east. Saharan dust will obscure visibility. In the afternoon, denser cloud cover will move in from the west.

New snow

From Sunday afternoon to Monday morning, the following amounts of new snow are expected above approximately 2200 m:

Valais, northern Ticino, Moesano, Rheinwald region: 5 cm, locally up to 10 cm; along the Main Alpine Ridge in Lower Valais: up to 20 cm.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, +6 °C in the west, +8 °C in the east and +4 °C in the south.

Wind

There will be a moderate to strong southerly wind, and a moderate foehn wind from the south in the regions of the north exposed to the foehn wind, freshening up in the afternoon.

Weather review for Sunday, 28.04.2024

It was very cloudy in the south and west, with heavy precipitation in the south at times. The precipitation eased in the course of the day. The snowfall level was between 1700 and 2000 m. In the east, with a foehn wind it was sunny at times with patches of cloud.

New snow

From Saturday afternoon to Sunday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow were recorded above approximately 2000 m:

• southern Simplon region and northwestern and central Ticino: 20 to 40 cm, and locally up to 50 cm;
• the rest of the Main Alpine Ridge from the Saas Valley to the Rheinwald region, and the rest of the central part of the southern flank of the Alps: 10 cm, and locally up to 20 cm;

Since the precipitation began on Thursday evening, the following amounts have been recorded above approximately 2000 m:

• southern Simplon region and northwestern Ticino: 40 to 60 cm, and locally up to 80 cm;
• other regions of the central part of the southern flank of the Alps and of the Main Alpine Ridge from the Great St Bernard Pass to the Bernina region: 10 to 30 cm.

Temperature

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

Wind

There was a southerly wind:

• strong to storm force in the north at high altitudes;
• in the regions of the north that are exposed to the foehn wind, a strong foehn wind from the south, easing somewhat in the course of the day;
• moderate to strong at times south of the Main Alpine Ridge.

TrendTuesday, 30.04.2024

There will still be some precipitation along the Main Alpine Ridge in Valais and in northwestern Ticino, falling as snow above approximately 2400 m. There will be a strong southerly wind. The day will start off fairly sunny in the west and north but become increasingly cloudy as it goes on. In the east, with a foehn wind it will be fairly sunny with patches of cloud. Saharan dust will obscure visibility.

The danger of dry avalanches will decrease. As a result of solar radiation, moist loose snow avalanches arising from the new snow are expected in the regions of the south with new snow. The danger of wet and gliding avalanches will generally change in the course of the day. Gliding avalanches may become large and are also possible in isolated cases at night and in the morning.

Wednesday, 01.05.2024

In the south and west it will be mostly cloudy with precipitation, falling as snow above 2500 m. The precipitation will centre on the Main Alpine Ridge in Upper Valais. There, 40 to 70 cm of new snow may fall at high altitudes. Below 2500 m, the precipitation will fall as rain. In the north and in the inneralpine regions, it will be cloudy at times with some clear spells. There will be a southerly wind which will be strong to storm force at high altitudes.

The danger of dry and wet avalanches will increase, especially in Valais and Ticino, and significantly along the Main Alpine Ridge in Upper Valais. In the other regions, the avalanche danger will not change significantly.