Pays d'Enhaut

Snowpack

Before the snowfalls this week, an extensive, cohesive snowpack was present mainly on north-facing slopes above 2800 m and generally in the high Alpine regions. At low and intermediate altitudes, new snow fell on bare ground. At high altitudes, there was little snow in particular on shady slopes, with terrain roughness mostly not yet levelled out.

With fresh snow and sometimes stormy winds from the northwest to the southwest, wind slabs have formed in the last few days, including particularly large ones in the west and north. In the high Alpine regions, this snow lies on an faceted, former old snowpack surface, which is still prone to triggering in places. Weak layers within the new snow and wind slabs are stabilising quickly.

On Saturday, significant warming will set in, which will moisten the snow, especially on steep southern slopes up to high altitudes.

Weather forecast until Saturday, 23.11.2024

After the last snow showers at night, it will be quite sunny during the day with denser clouds, especially in the north in the afternoon.

Fresh snow

There will be snowfall down to low altitudes:

• The northern flank of the Alps from the eastern Bernese Oberland to the Alpstein area and Prättigau: 10 to 15 cm;
• Elsewhere less than 10 cm, dry on the southern flank of the Alps

Temperature

Significantly increasing throughout the day, at midday at 2000 m, it will be between +2 °C in the west and -3 °C in the east and south.

Wind

• Moderate to strong northwest wind during the night at high altitudes
• Moderate during the day, veering southwest

Weather review for Friday, 22.11.2024

During the night from Thursday to Friday, snow fell across a wide area and at times intensely in the north. During the day, it cleared up on the southern flank of the Alps and there were bright spells in central Grisons and Engadine. In the afternoon, there were showers again in the north.

Fresh snow

It snowed from Thursday evening to Friday morning up to low altitudes:

• The northern flank of the Alps from the eastern Bernese Oberland to the Alpstein area, central parts of the Upper Valais, Gotthard area, northern Ticino: 30 to 50 cm;
• Elsewhere: widely 10 to 30 cm.
• Vaud Alps, central Grisons, Sotto Ceneri: mostly less than 10 cm

It snowed between Tuesday and Friday morning:

• In the far west of the Lower Valais on the border with France: locally up to 120 cm
• Northern Alpine ridge, northern Ticino: widespread 60 to 90 cm
• Remaining Valais, remaining central and eastern northern flank of the Alps: 40 to 60 cm;
• Otherwise generally 20 to 40 cm elsewhere, less in the western Swiss plateau, central Grisons, Sotto Ceneri and Grisons southern valleys

Temperature

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

Wind

During the night leading into Friday, initially still strong to stormy from the southwest, then veering northwest and becoming moderate to strong, especially at high altitudes.

Outlook

In the north, it will be mostly sunny on Sunday and Monday. The zero-degree level will be around 3300 m in the north and around 1800 m in the south. On Monday afternoon, clouds will gradually set in from the west. On the southern flank of the Alps, it will be mostly sunny on Sunday and partly sunny on Monday. The wind will be blowing moderately from the southwest in the Jura and generally at higher altitudes. There will be a foehn wind in the northern Alpine valleys.

The danger of dry avalanches will decrease, but only slowly in the high Alpine regions. With the significant warming and solar radiation, loose and gliding snow slides are to be expected, especially on steep sunny slopes.