Northern Lepontine Alps

Wind and new snow above the tree line: As the snowfall level drops the avalanche prone locations will become more prevalent as the day progresses.

Wind and new snow above the tree line: As the snowfall level drops the avalanche prone locations will become more prevalent as the day progresses.

As a consequence of new snow and southerly wind, sometimes avalanche prone wind slabs will form in high Alpine regions. Dry and moist avalanches can be released in near-surface layers and reach medium size, caution is to be exercised on very steep slopes. In particular low altitudes: As a consequence of the rain moist and wet snow slides are possible as the day progresses, even medium-sized ones. In particular on very steep grassy slopes these can slide on the ground. The current avalanche situation calls for careful route selection.

Since Saturday the weather has been exceptionally warm. These spring-like weather conditions gave rise to increasing settling of the snowpack in particular at low and intermediate altitudes. Above approximately 2000 m there is still a very large amount of snow. The surface of the snowpack cooled hardly at all during the overcast night. The rain will give rise as the day progresses to rapid moistening of the snowpack below the tree line. 20 to 40 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, will fall until the evening above approximately 2000 m.

Above approximately 1200 m snow will fall over a wide area. Increase in avalanche danger as a consequence of new snow and wind.