Luganese

Snowpack

There is loose, transportable snow, especially on north-facing slopes. On south-facing and also some east- and west-facing slopes, a strong or brittle crust is present at intermediate altitudes. The increasing southerly wind is transporting loose snow. Wind slabs are growing and their number is increasing. The fresh wind slabs are lying locally on surface hoar and are often prone to triggering.

Deep layers of the snowpack are compact in many places. However, around the crusts in the upper third of the old snowpack, layers with a sometimes faceted crystal structure are deposited, in which, especially in the inneralpine regions of Grisons above around 2400 m, avalanches have still been released in recent days.

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 be large.

Weather forecast until Saturday, 09.03.2024

Friday night into Saturday will be partly cloudy in the north and very cloudy in the south. During the day, it will be quite sunny in the north at first, with clouds gathering from the west in the afternoon. On the Main Alpine Ridge and south of it, it will be very cloudy with precipitation. There will be brighter skies in Lower Valais and Engadine.

New snow

The snowfall level will be between 800 and 1200 m. Above that, the following amounts of snow will fall:

• from the Saas Valley via the Simplon region and the Binntal to the Valle Maggia: 15 to 30 cm;
• elsewhere on the central part of the southern flank of the Alps: mostly 10 to 20 cm;
• on the rest of the Main Alpine Ridge: up to 10 cm;
• further north: dry.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between +3 °C in the north and -4 °C in the south.

Wind

• There will be an increasingly strong to storm-force southerly wind as the day progresses.
• A strong to storm-force foehn wind will blow from the south in the Alpine valleys.

Weather review for Friday, 08.03.2024

In the north, it was mostly sunny in the late morning, turning cloudier from the west in the afternoon. In the south, it was very cloudy with light precipitation, initially on the central part of the southern flank of the Alps, then generally in the south.

New snow

A few centimetres of fresh snow were recorded above 1200 m on the central part of the southern flank of the Alps.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between +1 °C in the north and -3 °C in the south.

Wind

There was a southerly wind:

• weak to moderate during the night;
• increasing during the day, becoming moderate to strong in the afternoon in the regions exposed to the foehn wind.

Trend until Monday, 11.03.2024Sunday

It will be mostly cloudy with a storm-force southerly wind. From the Monte Rosa region via southern Goms to the Valle Maggia, 50 to 80 cm of snow will fall. The snowfall level will be between 1200 and 1400 m. Elsewhere, 30 to 50 cm will fall on the Main Alpine Ridge and south of it. The amount of precipitation will decrease appreciably to the north. There may be some clear spells here, with storm-force foehn winds.

The avalanche danger will increase appreciably, especially in the regions exposed to heavier precipitation, where it will reach level 4 (high). Level 4 (high) could also be reached on the remaining central part of the southern flank of the Alps, in the rest of the Gotthard region, from Val Bregaglia to the Bernina region and possibly also on the Main Alpine Ridge in Lower Valais.

Monday

The weather will be changeable, with cloud, snow showers and clear spells. The snowfall level will be around 1200 m. There will be a weak to moderate northerly wind.

The danger of dry avalanches will decrease. Gliding avalanches will still be possible, some of which could be large.