Martigny-Verbier

Considerable avalanche danger will be encountered over a wide area.

The new snow and wind slabs are in some cases still prone to triggering. Avalanches can in some places be released by a single winter sport participant and reach large size. Additionally in isolated cases dry avalanches can also be released in deep layers. These avalanche prone locations are to be found in particular in areas where the snow cover is rather shallow. Avalanches can in some cases release the wet snowpack. This applies in particular on north and east facing slopes below approximately 2400 m. Backcountry touring and other off-piste activities call for experience in the assessment of avalanche danger.

Snowpack The fresh fallen snow and freshly generated snowdrift accumulations of this last week are still prone to triggering in some places at heightened altitudes. Beneath these more recently fallen layers of snow, particularly from the Valais as far as Grisons on west-facing, north-facing and east-facing slopes, there are weak layers evident deeply embedded inside the snowpack over far-reaching areas. As a consequence of higher temperatures and rainfall, these old snowpack layers have become thoroughly wet on north-facing slopes below approximately 2500 m, on west-facing and east-facing slopes below 2600 to 2800 m. In Grisons and in parts of the southern Valais more than anywhere else, where these weakened layers inside the old snow cover are more shallowly blanketed by fresher snowfall than in the other regions of Switzerland, avalanches can still be triggered in the moist weak layers by winter sports enthusiasts in some places. In spite of the lower temperatures, more deeply embedded layers inside the snow cover remain moist. In some places, the dry-snow avalanches which fracture can sweep away the entire moist snow cover in their plummet path when they release. Observed weather review Sunday, 02.04.2023 During the nocturnal hours there was shower-like precipitation. In the Valais and in the southern regions skies were partly clear. During the daytime hours in the Valais and in the southern regions it was quite sunny, in the remaining regions of Switzerland only partly sunny as a result of low-lying residual clouds, and in the northern regions in particular there were still some isolated showers. The snowfall level lay between 1200 and 1400 m. Fresh snow Between Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow were registered:

• Lower Valais, northern flank of the Alps: 5 to 10 cm over widespread areas. In the other regions of Switzerland, lesser amounts.

Thus, since Friday afternoon the following overall amounts of fresh snow have been registered above approximately 2500 m:

• Lower Valais, northern Upper Valais: 50 to 70 cm;
• remaining regions of the northern Alpine Ridge into the Glarus Alps, southern part of Upper Valais, remaining parts of Gotthard region: 20 to 40 cm;
• Jura region, remaining parts of the northern flank of the Alps, remaining parts of northern Grisons, Lower Engadine, remaining parts of Ticino: 10 to 20 cm;
• in the other regions of Switzerland, less.

Temperature At midday at 2000 m, between -3 °C in the northern regions and +2 °C in the southern regions. Wind Winds were blowing at light to moderate strength from northwesterly to northeasterly directions. Weather forecast through Monday, 03.04.2023 During the nighttime hours in the northern and the eastern regions, a small amount of additional snowfall is still expected. The snowfall level will lie at approximately 1200 m. In the Valais and in the southern regions, nocturnal skies will be partly clear. During the daytime in the western and the southern regions it will be partly sunny, in the other regions of Switzerland predominantly so. Fresh snow Between Sunday afternoon and Monday afternoon the following amounts of fresh snow are expected above 1600 m:

• northern flank of the Alps, Grisons: up to 5 cm over widespread areas; in the central sector of the northern flank of the Alps as much as 10 cm;
• in the other regions of Switzerland it will remain predominantly dry.

Temperature At midday at 2000 m, between -2 °C in the western regions and -6 °C in the northeastern regions; at 0 °C in the southern regions. Wind Winds will be blowing predominantly at light to moderate strength from northeasterly directions; in the southern regions a strong-velocity northerly foehn wind will be blowing. Outlook through Wednesday, 05.04.2023 On Tuesday and on Wednesday it will be quite sunny following nights of clear skies. On Tuesday, temperatures will remain relatively low. On Wednesday, the temperatures will drop a further notch. At 2000 m the temperature at midday will lie between -6 °C and 0 °C. A moderate-strength northerly to northeasterly wind will frequently be blowing, at elevated altitudes often at higher velocity. Avalanche danger levels are expected to decrease further.