Waadtländer Voralpen

Snowpack

The large amount of new snow in the south is falling on an irregular surface of old snow. However, that surface sometimes has an angular structure and is unfavourable for the arriving snowfall, especially on north-facing slopes that are at a distance from ridgelines and protected from the wind. New snow and snowdrift are prone to triggering. As the additional load of new snow increases, avalanches may also be triggered in deeper layers of the old snowpack in places. In the north, strong southerly winds will lead to the formation of wind slabs, some of which will be prone to triggering.

Gliding avalanches are still to be expected. This applies particularly to east-, south- and west-facing slopes below approximately 2600 m and more rarely to north-facing slopes below approximately 2200 m. These avalanches may be large in regions with a lot of snow.

Weather forecast until Friday, 09.02.2024

There will be heavy snow in the south. Only a little snow will fall to the north of the Main Alpine Ridge, while it will remain dry in central and eastern Switzerland. The snowfall level in the west and in the Sotto Ceneri will be around 1700 m; in the Alpine valleys of the southern flank of the Alps it will be around 1200 m.

New snow

From Thursday evening to Friday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow are expected above approximately 2000 m:

• central Ticino, Val Blenio, Moesano, Rheinwald, Averstal, Val Bregaglia, Bernina area: 30 to 50 cm;
• the rest of the Main Alpine Ridge from the Great St Bernard Pass to Upper Engadine and to the south of this, Val Müstair: 15 to 30 cm;
• immediately neighbouring regions and a strip north of a line between the Rhone and Rhine: 5 to 15 cm;
• elsewhere: less, or it will remain dry.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around 1 °C.

Wind

There will be often strong winds, which will be occasionally storm force in the high Alpine regions, blowing from the southwest; in the Alpine valleys in the north, there will be a strong foehn wind.

Weather review for Thursday, 08.02.2024

Snow fell in the north during Wednesday night into Thursday. The snowfall level rose from 1500 to 2000 m. In the late morning there were still clear spells in the south; otherwise it was mostly cloudy.

New snow

From Wednesday evening to Thursday morning, the following amounts of fresh snow were recorded above approximately 2000 m:

• northern flank of the Alps and northern Valais: 10 to 20 cm;
• southern Valais, northern Grisons: 5 to 10 cm;
• elsewhere: mostly dry.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around 2 °C.

Wind

Overnight, the wind was moderate to strong in the north and otherwise weak to moderate, blowing from the southwest.

Trend until Sunday, 11.02.2024Saturday

It will continue to snow heavily in the south. On the Main Alpine Ridge from the Monte Rosa to the Bernina area and to the south of this, there will be another 30 to 50 cm of snowfall, and around 30 cm of snowfall on the rest of the Main Alpine Ridge in Valais. The snowfall level will be around 1500 m. There will be a strong southerly wind, which will even be storm force at high altitudes. In the central part of the southern flank of the Alps and from the Rheinwald via Avers and Val Bregaglia to the Bernina area, danger level 4 (high) will be reached widely. The avalanche danger will also increase further on the rest of the Main Alpine Ridge in Valais. The danger will increase slightly to the north of the Main Alpine Ridge.

Sunday

The snowfall will end in the south on Sunday. In the north, some snow will fall above approximately 1000 m. The wind will shift to the west and will be moderate to strong. The danger of dry avalanches will decrease in the south. It will increase slightly in the north. Gliding avalanches are still expected, with even large ones anticipated in regions with a lot of snow.