Grimselpass

Snowpack

New and drifted snow from the last few days is sometimes prone to triggering, particularly at high altitudes. Most of it is located on the central part of the southern flank of the Alps and on the Main Alpine Ridge.

The old snowpack is water-saturated on southern slopes up to the high alpine regions, on eastern and western slopes up to around 3000 m, and on northern slopes up to a maximum of 2800 m. The moist snowpack stabilises during the night. At high altitudes, the surface of the snowpack usually freezes solid, especially north of the Main Alpine Ridge, where hardly any new snow has fallen. As the day progresses, the crusts soften and wet avalanches are possible. Loose snow avalanches from the new fallen snow are also to be expected, especially on the Main Alpine Ridge and to the south of it.

Weather forecast to Saturday

After a mostly clear night, it will be quite sunny. As the day progresses, there will be cumulus clouds and isolated showers.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around +7 °C

Wind

Mainly light

Weather review for Friday

Snow fell during the night on Friday, primarily in the south. During the day, there were widespread showers. The snowfall level temporarily dropped to around 1800 m.

Fresh snow

From Thursday evening to Friday evening above 2400 m:

• Central part of the southern flank of the Alps: 20 to 30 cm
• Main Alpine Ridge: a widespread 10 to 20 cm
• Otherwise less or no new snow

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between 0 °C in the south and +3 °C in the other regions

Wind

There will be light winds.

Outlook

Conditions will be mainly clear overnight to Sunday and Monday. On Sunday, it will be quite sunny with cumulus clouds and isolated showers during the course of the day. On Monday, denser clouds will gather from the west and south and some snow will fall above approximately 2400 m. It will remain quite sunny in the east. On both days, the zero-degree level will be just under 3000 m and the wind will be mostly light.

The risk of dry avalanches will decrease. There are still avalanche prone locations for dry avalanches, especially on very steep north-facing slopes in the high alpine regions. The moist snowpack will stabilise during the clear nights. Due to the rising temperature and as a consequence of solar radiation, the danger of wet avalanches will increase during the day.