Zervreila

Snowpack

An unusually large amount of new snow has fallen in the south in recent days, accompanied by strong southerly winds since Saturday afternoon. A widespread compact layer of snow from the repeated snowfall last week lies beneath the large amount of fresh snow that has fallen in recent days. In the northern regions, the strong southerly foehn wind displaced a lot of loose snow and some large wind slabs that are prone to triggering have formed.

The old snowpack is compact in many places under the layers of new snow and snowdrift from the last week. However, it also contains various crusts and, between them, layers with a faceted crystal structure, in which avalanches have been repeatedly released by people in recent days, especially in the inneralpine regions.

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 in isolated cases in the north and more often in the south.

Weather forecast until Monday, 04.03.2024

Intense precipitation will continue to fall in the south during the first half of the night, falling as snow above 1200 to 1400 m. The intensity of the precipitation will then ease, coming to an end on Monday morning. During the day, it will be partly sunny in the mountains and mostly sunny in Valais and the south.

New snow

From Sunday noon to Monday morning, the following amounts of fresh snow are expected above approximately 1600 m:

• Main Alpine Ridge from the Monte Rosa area to the northern Simplon region: 30 to 50 cm, locally up to 60 cm;
• rest of the Main Alpine Ridge in Valais, Aletsch region, Gotthard region, western Ticino, basso Moesano: 15 to 30 cm;
• elsewhere: less, or it will remain dry.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -2 °C in the north and +1 °C in the south.

Wind

• On Sunday evening, there will still be strong, partly stormy southerly winds, especially at high altitudes. These will ease during Sunday night into Monday.
• The wind will mostly be weak during the day.

Weather review for Sunday, 03.03.2024

It was often cloudy, with longer sunny spells in the west and inneralpine regions. Intense precipitation fell in the south, falling as snow above 1200 to 1400 m.

New snow

From Saturday noon to Sunday noon, the following amounts of fresh snow were recorded above approximately 1800 m:

• Main Alpine Ridge from the Monte Rosa area to Obergoms along the border with Italy, western Ticino: 50 to 70 cm;
• neighbouring regions, rest of the Main Alpine Ridge in Valais, rest of Ticino, Moesano: 20 to 40 cm;
• Upper Engadine, Val Bregaglia, Val Poschiavo, Val Müstair: 10 to 20 cm, less in the other regions.

Since the precipitation began on Thursday evening, the following amounts of precipitation have been recorded above approximately 1800 m:

• Main Alpine Ridge from the Simplon region to Obergoms, western Ticino: 120 to 170 cm;
• neighbouring regions to the north, the rest of the Upper Valais Main Alpine Ridge, the rest of the central part of the southern flank of the Alps, Main Alpine Ridge from the Lukmanier Pass to the Bernina Pass: 40 to 80 cm;
• Lower Valais Main Alpine Ridge, rest of Upper Engadine: 20 to 40 cm;
• elsewhere: widely 10 to 20 cm.

Temperature

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

Wind

There was a strong to storm-force wind on the Northern Alpine Ridge, otherwise there were often strong winds.

Trend until Wednesday, 06.03.2024

It will be mostly cloudy. In Valais and the south, there will be clear spells on Wednesday. There will be widespread precipitation on both days. On Tuesday, 10 to 15 cm of snow will fall widely, with 15 to 30 cm of snow expected on Wednesday. The snowfall level will be between 1000 m in the north and 1400 m in the south. There will be a moderate to strong northerly wind at times.

The avalanche danger will fall in the south and will rise slightly and widely in the north.