Saint-Cergue

Snowpack

In places above approximately 2200 m that are protected from the wind, a lot of the new snow and snowdrift are, in some regions, lying on a weak layer which has an angular structure and is prone to triggering. People can trigger avalanches in this layer, especially where it is thinly overlaid, i.e. in areas with little fresh snow or in places with little snow located in areas that have seen a lot of fresh snow. Aside from more recent snowdrift accumulations, the number of avalanche-prone locations where avalanches can be released within new snow and snowdrift is decreasing.

Below approximately 2200 m, the snow is damp under the snow that fell from Thursday to Friday and is stabilising with the cold. However, gliding avalanches are still possible.

Weather forecast until Saturday, 20.01.2024

It will be sunny in the mountains.

New snow

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Temperature

The temperature will rise. At midday at 2000 m, between -4 °C in the north and -7 °C in the south.

Wind

There will be a northeasterly wind.

• During Friday night into Saturday and in the morning, there will be a mostly moderate wind at altitude, with a strong Bise wind in the Jura and on the western part of the northern flank of the Alps.
• This wind will then fade and turn to the east.

Weather review for Friday, 19.01.2024

In the morning, the snowfall ended in the east. In the south, it was already sunny in the morning with a strong foehn wind from the north, otherwise it gradually cleared up during the day.

New snow

The snowfall level dropped from 1600 m to low altitudes during Thursday night into Friday. From Thursday afternoon to Friday morning, the following amounts of fresh snow were recorded above approximately 1600 m:

• western Lower Valais, northern flank of the Alps: widespread 15 to 30 cm;
• rest of Valais, Grisons: 5 to 15 cm;
• Ticino: less, or it remained dry.

This means that in three days, the following amounts of fresh snow were recorded above approximately 2400 m:

• Lower Valais, Vaud Alps, northern Valais, neighbouring Bernese Oberland: 60 to 80 cm, and up to 100 cm on the border with France;
• the other parts of Upper Valais excluding the Visp valleys and southern Upper Valais; and the other western and central parts of the northern flank of the Alps: 30 to 60 cm;
• less elsewhere.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -12 °C in the north and -8 °C in the south.

Wind

• During Thursday night into Friday, there was a weak to moderate wind turning from the west to the northeast.
• There was a moderate to strong northerly wind during the day on the central part of the Main Alpine Ridge and south of it, with a rising Bise wind in the Jura and on the western part of the northern flank of the Alps.

TrendSunday

It will be quite sunny with occasional extensive, high cloud cover. It will be noticeably milder with moderate to strong westerly to southwesterly winds. The danger of dry avalanches will decrease initially and may increase again as the day progresses with fresh snowdrift. The danger of gliding avalanches will not change significantly.

Monday

Sunday night to Monday will be mostly clear and the zero-degree level will temporarily lie at 3000 m in the west and north. In the morning, there will still be clear spells in the east and south. It will then be very cloudy. The temperatures will drop. Precipitation will fall in the west and north. The danger of dry avalanches will rise somewhat in the west and north. The danger of gliding avalanches will not change significantly.