Waadtländer Voralpen

Snowpack

The snow depths at intermediate and high altitudes are generally below average for the time of year. There is particularly little snow on the southern flank of the Alps. Only in parts of Lower Valais is snow depth roughly in line with the long-term average. On south-facing slopes and generally below 2400 m, the snowpack is mostly wet or crusted.

Along the Main Alpine Ridge and south of there, fresh and drifted snow was deposited at high altitudes on a thin but heavily faceted snowpack on Tuesday. Avalanches are particularly likely to be triggered in these regions.

North of the Main Alpine Ridge, there are pronounced weak layers in the snowpack, particularly on northern and eastern slopes above approximately 2400 m, but hardly any avalanches have been triggered there by human activity in recent days. At high altitudes, Tuesday’s strong southerly wind has transported some of the old snow, resulting in local snowdrift accumulations.

Weather forecast to Wednesday

Overnight to Wednesday, some snow will continue to fall on the southern flank of the Alps above 1400 m. During the day, it will be mostly cloudy on the eastern part of the northern flank of the Alps, in Grisons and in Ticino, but elsewhere quite sunny.

Fresh snow

Between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning, the following amounts are expected above 1600 m:

• Main Alpine Ridge from the Grand St Bernard Pass to the Bernina and south of there: 5 to 15 cm
• elsewhere dry

Overall between Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning above 1600 m:

• Main Alpine Ridge from Monte Rosa to the Nufenen Pass, western Ticino, Sotto Ceneri: 20 to 30 cm
• remaining Main Alpine Ridge of the Valais Alps and Main Alpine Ridge from the Nufenen Pass to the Bernina region, other regions of the central part of the southern flank of the Alps: 10 to 20 cm
• elsewhere dry

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around 0°C.

Wind

Rapidly subsiding southerly, light during the day

Weather review for Tuesday

Towards Tuesday morning, precipitation set in on the Main Alpine Ridge and south of there. The snowfall level was at around 1200 m. In other regions, it was mostly cloudy but dry.

Fresh snow

The following amounts had fallen above 1600 m by Tuesday afternoon:

• Main Alpine Ridge from the Grand St Bernard Pass to the Bernina and south of there: 5 to 15 cm, in western Ticino up to 20 cm
• elsewhere dry

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between +3°C in the north and -2°C in the south

Wind

From southerly directions:

• strong in northern regions exposed to the foehn wind and generally at high altitudes
• moderate at high altitudes on the southern flank of the Alps

Outlook to Friday

On Thursday conditions will be very cloudy on the southern flank of the Alps, with sunny conditions elsewhere. Friday will be quite sunny everywhere. In the west, winds will be occasionally moderate and sometimes strong from the southwest, elsewhere light.

Avalanche risk will decrease slowly in the south but will otherwise remain largely unchanged.