Waadtländer Voralpen

Snowpack

The large amount of fresh snow that has fallen has been deposited on layers of new and drifted snow from the previous days. The underlying surface of the old snowpack was often faceted and weak, especially on shady slopes.

In the south, on the eastern part of the main Alpine ridge, in the inneralpine regions of central Grisons and in the Engadine, often the entire old snowpack is faceted and loose, especially on shady slopes protected from the wind. In such places, avalanches can entrain the entire snowpack. Due to the highly unfavourable snowpack structure, the avalanche situation in these regions will ease very slowly.

North of a line from the Rhône to the Rhine and in the extreme west of Lower Valais, the middle part of the snowpack is often well consolidated, and in these regions avalanches are to be expected mainly within the new and drifted snow layers and at the point of transition to the old snowpack.

Weather forecast to Wednesday

Precipitation will fall overnight in the north and west, as snow above approximately 1000 m. During the day it will be mostly sunny, with high clouds gathering from the west in the afternoon.

Fresh snow

From Tuesday afternoon until precipitation ends on Wednesday morning:

• westernmost Lower Valais, Vaud Alps: 15 to 30 cm
• other regions of the northern flank of the Alps and Valais, Jura: 5 to 15 cm
• elsewhere less or dry

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m around -4 °C

Wind

• Strong westerly winds overnight on the northern flank of the Alps and at high altitudes
• Otherwise often moderate westerly to southwesterly

Weather review for Tuesday

Snow fell, sometimes persistently. The snowfall level dropped from 2000 m to around 800 m in the north. In the south, it temporarily rose to 2000 m before dropping to 1400 m at the very end of the day. In the west, the afternoon saw only little continued precipitation.

Fresh snow

From Monday morning to Tuesday afternoon above approximately 2200 m:

• westernmost and northern Lower Valais as well as the main Alpine ridge from the Lukmanier Pass to the Bernina Pass and south from there: 50 to 80 cm
• elsewhere widespread 30 to 50 cm; somewhat less in the southern Upper Valais with 15 to 30 cm and in the Jura with 10 to 20 cm

Following amounts have fallen since preciptitation begin on Saturday:

• main Alpine Ridge from the Lukmanier Pass to the Bernina Pass and south from there: 80 to 110 cm
• neighbouring regions as well as westernmost and northern Lower Valais: 60 to 80 cm
• elsewhere a widespread 40 to 60 cm, with just 10 to 20 cm in the Jura

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m around -4 °C.

Wind

• In the north and in Valais moderate, locally strong southwesterly to westerly
• Overnight in Ticino and Grisons occasionally still strong from the south; weak to moderate from the northwest during the day

Outlook

On Thursday conditions will be cloudy. In the north a tendency towards a foehn wind will result in longer clear spells, while in the south a little snow will fall above approximately 1000 m. On Friday, it will be very cloudy in the north and a few snowflakes will fall in the Prealps. In the south and in central Valais conditions are likely to be quite sunny.

The danger of dry avalanches will decrease, but only slowly in the south and in Grisons due to the weak snowpack structure. In these regions conditions for off-piste snow sports remain critical.