Waadtländer Voralpen

In the west a high avalanche danger will be encountered in some regions.

Snowpack

At the end of October in the high alpine regions, atop the glaciers and in north-facing gullies and bowls above approximately 2800 m there was already a multi-layered but often still thin snowpack. In the Bernina region at high alpine altitudes there was already a thick snow cover. Since the beginning of November, the high altitude regions have been snowed in, and over the last few days there was snowfall down to intermediate altitudes. Across the flat-surface fields where automated measurements are recorded there was 20 to 40 cm of snow on the ground at 2500 m over widespread areas, in the western and the southern regions 40 to 60 cm, as much as 80 cm along the French border. As a consequence of strong to storm-strength southwesterly winds on Saturday, avalanche prone snowdrift accumulations were generated over widespread areas. These snowdrifts are increasing significantly in magnitude due to fresh fallen snow and continuous strong-to-stormy southwesterly winds.

Weather forecast through Sunday, 05.11.2023

Precipitation is anticipated over widespread areas which in the western regions will be heavy and very intensive. In the southern regions the precipitation is expected to slacken off during the course of the day and skies will brighten. In the furthermost eastern regions only a small amount of precipitation is anticipated. The snowfall level is expected to temporarily ascend to 1600 to 2000 m in the furthermost western regions and on the northern flank of the Alps, in the other regions of Switzerland it will lie at 1000 to 1400 m.

Fresh snow

Between Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon the following amounts of fresh snow are anticipated, in western regions above approximately 2200 m, in the other regions of Switzerland above approximately 1800 m:

• northern and furthermost western parts of Lower Valais, Lötschental: 50 to 70 cm, as much as 90 cm along the French border;
• Vaud Alps and Fribourg Alps, western sector of Bernese Oberland, remaining parts of the Valais not including the regions from Simplon into southern Goms: 30 to 50 cm;
• eastern sector of Bernese Oberland, central sector of northern flank of the Alps, regions from Simplon into southern Goms, Main Alpine Ridge from the Furka Pass well into the Bernina region: 15 to 30 cm;
• in the other regions of Switzerland, 5 to 15 cm.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, 0 °C.

Wind

• Winds in the western and the northern regions will be blowing at strong to storm strength from westerly to southwesterly directions;
• winds at high altitudes in the southern regions will be blowing at moderate to strong velocity from westerly directions.

Observed weather review Saturday, 04.11.2023

Following an interim in precipitation on Friday night, precipitation from the west set in anew on Saturday morning, which subsequently intensified during the afternoon. The snowfall level in the northern and the furthermost western regions ascended to 1600 m, in the other regions of Switzerland the snowfall level lay at 1000 to 1400 m.

Fresh snow

Between Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow were registered above approximately 2000 m:

• northern and furthermost western parts of the Lower Valais: 10 to 20 cm, as much as 30 cm from place to place;
• remaining parts of Valais: 5 to 10 cm;
• in the other parts of Switzerland, only a few centimetres, or else it remained dry.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, in the western regions 0 °C, in the eastern regions -2 °C, and in the southern regions -4 °C.

Wind

• Winds on Friday night will be blowing at moderate to strong velocity from southwesterly directions,
• at strong to storm velocity from southwesterly directions in the northern regions during the daytime hours, in the valleys of the north intensifying strong-to-stormy foehn wind;
• in the southern regions at high altitudes, moderate to strong-velocity southerly to southwesterly winds during the course of the day.

Outlook through Tuesday, 07.11.2023

On Monday in the northern and the western regions, conditions will be variable, and a small amount of additional precipitation is anticipated, falling as snow above 1500 m. In the southern regions it will be partly sunny. On Tuesday in the northern regions it will be partly sunny, predominantly sunny in the southern regions. Winds on Monday will still be blowing at strong velocity from westerly to southwesterly directions, subsequently they are expected to slacken off on Tuesday. The zero-degree level lies at 1800 to 2000 m. Avalanche danger levels are expected to decrease. Nevertheless, in the western and the northern regions more than anywhere else the situation for winter sports remains delicate.