Emosson

Snowpack

Friday's new snow fell with little wind. It may be displaced during the course of Saturday as the southerly wind picks up.

A thick layer of snow from last week lies beneath the new fallen snow in the south. Below this, the old snowpack is mostly compact. However, it also contains various crusts and, between them, layers with a faceted crystal structure, in which avalanches have been repeatedly released in recent days, especially in the inneralpine regions.

Gliding avalanches are still possible, primarily on east-, south- and west-facing slopes below approximately 2400 m and more rarely on north-facing slopes. These may occasionally be large.

Weather forecast until Saturday, 02.03.2024

It will be sunny at times in the north. It will be very cloudy with precipitation on the Main Alpine Ridge and south of it, with snow falling above approximately 1400 m.

New snow

Until Saturday afternoon, the following amounts of snow will fall above approximately 1800 m:

• Ticino and Moesano: 15 to 25 cm;
• rest of the Main Alpine Ridge from Upper Valais to Val Müstair, Engadine: 5 to 10 cm;
• elsewhere: less, or it will remain dry.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between +3 °C in the north and -3 °C in the south.

Wind

• The southerly wind will increase as the day progresses, becoming strong at times in the afternoon.
• A foehn wind will set in in the valleys of the north.

Weather review for Friday, 01.03.2024

It was very cloudy with precipitation. Snow fell above 1200 to 1600 m.

New snow

Until Friday afternoon, the following amounts of snow fell above 2000 m:

• Main Alpine Ridge from the Simplon region to the Lukmanier Pass, Valle Maggia: 30 to 40 cm, locally 50 cm;
• other regions of the Main Alpine Ridge from the Matterhorn to the Bernina and south of this, Hasli valleys, southern Urn Alps: 20 to 30 cm;
• other regions of the central and eastern parts of the northern flank of the Alps, central Grisons and Upper Engadine: 10 to 20 cm;
• less elsewhere.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, -2 °C, in Engadine 0 °C.

Wind

• There were moderate and locally strong southerly winds during the night in the regions exposed to the foehn wind in the north.
• Otherwise, winds were weak and locally moderate, blowing from various directions.

Trend until Monday, 04.03.2024

In the south and on the Main Alpine Ridge in Valais, a lot of new snow is expected from Saturday evening until Sunday night:

• Main Alpine Ridge in Upper Valais, Bedretto, Valle Maggia: 80 to 120 cm; from Monte Rosa to the Simplon region: up to 150 cm;
• rest of the Main Alpine Ridge from Val Ferret to the Lukmanier Pass and regions immediately to the north, rest of western Ticino: 50 to 80 cm;
• from the Lukmanier Pass to the Bernina region and south of this: 20 to 50 cm.

The snowfall level will drop from 1500 m to around 1000 m. On Sunday, the storm-force southerly wind will transport the new snow significantly. On Monday, the winds will ease and shift to the west. As the day progresses, it will turn increasingly sunny.

Danger level 4 (high) should be expected on the Main Alpine Ridge in Upper Valais as well as in western Ticino. Avalanches may be triggered in the old snowpack, meaning that very large avalanches are anticipated, making their way into the valleys along the usual avalanche paths. Avalanche activity is expected to peak on Sunday evening. Danger level 4 (high) may also be reached on the Main Alpine Ridge in Lower Valais and in the other regions of the central part of the Main Alpine Ridge. Naturally occurring avalanche activity will decrease on Monday.

In the north, there will be brighter skies on Sunday with the foehn wind, but also fresh wind slabs. The avalanche danger will increase. On Monday, it will become increasingly sunny in the high Alpine regions and the avalanche danger will decrease slightly.