Avers

In the early morning a generally favourable avalanche situation will prevail. Wet avalanches during the day

In the early morning a generally favourable avalanche situation will prevail. Wet avalanches during the day

Individual avalanche prone locations for dry avalanches are to be found in particular in extremely steep terrain above approximately 2400 m. In very isolated cases avalanches can be released in deep layers. These avalanche prone locations are very rare but are barely recognisable. Apart from the danger of being buried, restraint should be exercised in particular in view of the danger of avalanches sweeping people along and giving rise to falls.

South-facing slopes are thoroughly wet far up into high alpine regions, west-facing and east-facing slopes below approximately 3000 m, north-facing slopes below approximately 2400 m. During the nights the moist snowpack surface freezes and forms a melt-freeze crust which in western and southern regions is capable of bearing loads over widespread areas. In eastern regions the snowpack surface hardly freezes due to overcast skies. During the course of the day the crust softens and thaws and the snowpack thereby loses its stability. Isolated danger zones for dry-snow avalanches occur on very steep north-facing slopes above approximately 2400 m more than anywhere else.

In the central and eastern sectors of the northern flank of the Alps as well as in northern and central Grisons, skies were overcast. During the nocturnal hours there was a small amount of fresh snow above approximately 2500 m which fell in showers from place to place. In the western and the southern regions it was sunny to start with, following a night of clear skies. During the course of the day there was convective cloud build-up. Fresh snow: In the northern regions there was a few centimetres of snow registered which fell from place to place as showers above approximately 2500 m. Temperature: At midday at 2000 m, between +5 °C in the northeastern regions and +8 °C in the remaining regions of Switzerland. Wind: Winds were predominantly light, intermittently blowing at moderate strength, from northerly directions. Nocturnal skies on Friday will be predominantly clear in the western and the southern regions, overcast in the eastern regions. From place to place a small amount of precipitation is possible. During the daytime hours on Saturday it will be sunny in the western and southern regions. In the eastern regions and along the Prealps skies will initially be overcast with high-fog like cloud cover. During the course of the day there will be convective cloud build-up, a great deal of convective cloud in the eastern regions. Fresh snow: - Temperature: At midday at 2000 m, between 0 °C in the northeastern regions and +6 °C in the western and the southern regions. Wind: Winds are expected to be blowing at moderate strength from northeasterly directions.

Following a night of clear skies it will be sunny during the daytime. As a result of bise wind it will be somewhat less mild. The zero-degree level in eastern regions will lie at approximately 2000 m, in the western regions at approximately 2500 m. The avalanche situation in early morning is favourable. As a consequence of solar radiation and daytime warming, wet-snow and gliding avalanches are possible. Backcountry tours and ascents to mountain refuges should be launched early in the day and brought to an end early in the day. Isolated danger zones for dry-snow avalanches are located on very steep north-facing slopes above approximately 2400 m more than anywhere else.