Luganese

Snowpack

The moderate to strong southerly wind is causing Wednesday’s loose new snow to drift. The fresh wind slabs are prone to triggering. They are growing as the day progresses. In places, this week's thick layers of new snow are still 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, avalanches have been released.

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 Friday, 08.03.2024

In the south, some snow will fall above approximately 1100 m. In the north, it will be quite sunny after a mostly clear night. In the afternoon, clouds will gather in the west.

New snow

From Thursday evening to Friday afternoon, the following amounts of new snow are expected:

• Simplon region, southern Goms, central part of the southern flank of the Alps, Val Bregaglia: widely 5 to 10 cm; Valle Maggia: up to 20 cm;
• dry elsewhere.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between 0 °C in the north and -5 °C in the south.

Wind

There will be a moderate to strong southerly wind along the Northern Alpine Ridge and the Main Alpine Ridge, and during the day a moderate to strong foehn wind in the Alpine valleys.

Weather review for Thursday, 07.03.2024

During the first half of Wednesday night into Thursday, the snowfall also stopped in the east. The snowfall level was around 800 m. The skies then cleared from the west. During the day, it was mostly sunny in the mountains. There were residual clouds along the Prealps.

New snow

Above 1500 m from Tuesday afternoon until during Wednesday night into Thursday, the following amounts of fresh snow were recorded:

• Northern Alpine Ridge from the Gemmi Pass to the Reuss: 50 to 80 cm;
• Northern Alpine Ridge from the Dents de Morcles to the Gemmi Pass, rest of the central part of the northern flank of the Alps, Glarus Alps, Avers, Bivio, Val Bregaglia and the Bernina region: 30 to 50 cm;
• elsewhere: widely 15 to 30 cm.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -3 °C in the far east and -1 °C in the other regions.

Wind

• During the night, there will continue to be a moderate northerly to northeasterly wind along the Main Alpine Ridge and south of it as well as at higher altitudes.
• During the day, there will be a mostly weak southerly wind.

Trend until Sunday, 10.03.2024Saturday

In the south, some snow will fall above approximately 1000 m. The Upper Valais part of the Main Alpine Ridge and western Ticino are expected to see the most new snow, with 20 to 30 cm of it. It will be fairly sunny north of the Main Alpine Ridge. Strong and, as the day progresses, increasingly storm-force southerly winds will blow in the mountains and in the foehn valleys.

The avalanche danger will increase slightly in the south with the arrival of new snow. The avalanche danger will hardly change north of the Main Alpine Ridge. The sometimes large wind slabs could easily be released by the southerly wind. Gliding avalanches will still be possible.

Sunday

Another 40 to 60 cm of snow will fall along the Upper Valais part of the Main Alpine Ridge and in western Ticino. The snowfall level will be around 1300 m. In the north, it will be cloudy but mostly dry. The southerly wind will reach storm force, especially during Saturday night into Sunday. The avalanche danger will increase in the south, with a significant rise in the regions exposed to heavier precipitation. Danger level 4 (high) may be reached there during Saturday night into Sunday. In the north, the avalanche situation will hardly change. Gliding avalanches will still be possible.