Bex-Villars

Snowpack

The sometimes large amounts of fresh snow that fell this week are gradually settling and consolidating.

From the beginning of the precipitation on Sunday, 21 September, until Friday afternoon, 26 September, the following amounts of fresh snow fell above 3500 m:

• from Monte Rosa to the Simplon region: 90 to 180 cm
• elsewhere along the main Alpine ridge of Valais, in the Aletsch region and in the Bernina region: 40 to 80 cm

Elsewhere, above 3000 m:

• along the northern Alpine ridge west of the Aletsch region: 20 to 40 cm
• along the northern Alpine ridge east of the Aletsch region: 40 to 80 cm
• along the central part of the main Alpine ridge: 50 to 90 cm
• in the Engadine: 20 to 40 cm

In general, above 3000 m the snow depth increases significantly with altitude.

Weak layers are primarily to be expected within new snow and wind-drifted snow layers.

Outlook

On Sunday and Monday it will be mostly sunny. The zero-degree level will rise to around 3000 m. Winds will be light to moderate from northerly directions.

The avalanche danger will decrease slowly. In the high Alpine regions, however, wintry conditions will persist over the next few days. On very steep slopes, moist loose snow slides and avalanches are to be expected in particular on Sunday with solar radiation. In addition to the risk of burial, the danger of being swept along and falling must also be taken into account.