Martigny-Verbier

A generally favourable avalanche situation will prevail. As the day progresses wet and gliding avalanches are to be expected

A generally favourable avalanche situation will prevail. As the day progresses wet and gliding avalanches are to be expected

As a consequence of a strong southwesterly wind, mostly small wind slabs formed in the last few days. These are in some cases prone to triggering in particular on north facing slopes. They are to be evaluated with care and prudence especially in terrain where there is a danger of falling. Faceted weak layers exist deep in the snowpack. In very isolated cases avalanches can be released in the old snowpack and reach medium size. This applies especially on extreme north and east facing slopes above approximately 2200 m in little used terrain. These avalanche prone locations are very rare but are barely recognisable, even to the trained eye. Very steep shady slopes are to be traversed by snow sport participants one at a time. As a consequence of warming during the day and solar radiation more frequent small and medium-sized wet avalanches are to be expected. This applies in particular on steep east, south and west facing slopes below approximately 2500 m. Backcountry tours should be concluded timely. On steep grassy slopes individual gliding avalanches are possible. Areas with glide cracks are to be avoided.

The strong south to southwesterly wind has transported the fresh snow and, on north facing slopes, in some cases a little old snow as well. On north facing slopes, the snow drift accumulations are lying on faceted old snow and prone to triggering in some cases. In southern Valais and the inneralpine and southern regions of Grisons in particular, distinct weak layers exist deeper in the snowpack. Since the end of February, however, no fractures in these layers giving rise to dry avalanches have been reported. As moistening begins, fractures in these weak layers will become possible again.

The daytime was dull with cloud and Saharan dust. In the south and west, a little snow fell above 1200 to 1600 m, but the other regions remained mostly dry. Fresh snow: The following amounts of snow fell above approximately 2000 m in the period from Monday afternoon until Tuesday afternoon: - Extreme west of Lower Valais, northern Valais, northwestern Ticino: 10 to 15 cm, but more in some localities - Elsewhere: a few centimetres or none Temperature: At midday at 2000 m: from +5 °C in the west to 0 °C in the east and -2 °C in the south Wind: - Frequently strong south to southwesterly, foehn wind in the northern valleys - In the south and in southern Valais, light to moderate from the south After a quite clear night, it will be mostly sunny and mild during the day despite the Saharan dust. Fresh snow: - Temperature: At midday at 2000 m: between +9 °C in the west and +6 °C in the east Wind: - During the early part of the night in the north, sometimes strong from the west - Light during the day

On Thursday after a quite clear night, despite the Saharan dust it will be quite sunny and remain very mild in the mountains. On Friday, after a partly cloudy night it will be partly sunny, but frequently cloudy in the south. The bise wind will cause the zero degree level to drop to approximately 2600 m. The danger of dry avalanches will decrease, so that quite favourable avalanche conditions will prevail in the early morning on each of the coming days. The danger of wet avalanches will increase significantly during each of the coming days. In particular north of a line between the Rhone and Rhine, gliding avalanches are still to be expected, including large ones.