Mendrisiotto

Snowpack

Along the Main Alpine Ridge and south of this, there has been a lot of new snow which the southerly winds have caused to drift in large quantities. Large wind slabs have formed there, even at a distance from ridgelines. These are slowly stabilising. In the north, the storm-force southerly winds and the foehn winds have caused the loose snow to drift. Some ridges and surfaces adjacent to ridgelines have been blown completely clear. The wind slabs are mostly medium-sized to large and prone to triggering. In some regions, they were covered with new snow on Wednesday afternoon, making them difficult to spot.

Deep layers of the snowpack are compact in many places and for the most part do not contain distinct weak layers. In the past week, the old snowpack was soaked up to approximately 3000 m on south-facing slopes, up to 2000-2500 m on east- and west-facing slopes, and up to approximately 1800-2000 m on north-facing slopes.

Gliding avalanches are still possible, primarily on east-, south- and west-facing slopes below approximately 2600 m and on north-facing slopes below approximately 2000 m. These may be large.

Weather forecast until Thursday, 28.03.2024

In the north, it will initially be cloudy after a night which will be clear at times, and there will be some precipitation. It will become increasingly sunny from the west in the afternoon. In the south, it will be cloudy all day and there will widely be some precipitation. The snowfall level will be between approximately 1000 m in the north and 1300 m in the south.

New snow

From Wednesday afternoon to Thursday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow are anticipated above approximately 1500 m:

• extreme west of Lower Valais, Main Alpine Ridge from the Furka Pass to the Bernina Pass: 15 to 20 cm;
• elsewhere: widely 5 to 15 cm; a few centimetres in Grisons.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around -4 °C.

Wind

• There will be mostly strong southwesterly winds.
• There will be strong foehn winds during the night in the Alpine valleys of the north.

Weather review for Wednesday, 27.03.2024

There was widespread snowfall; this was heavy in the south. The snowfall level was between 1800 m in the north and 1300 m in the south. In the Alpine valleys of Ticino, it snowed down to low altitudes during periods of heavier precipitation.

New snow

From Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow fell above approximately 1500 m:

• Main Alpine Ridge from the Monte Rosa region to the Bernina Pass and south of this: 40 to 60 cm, and locally up to 80 cm;
• neighbouring regions to the north and the rest of the Main Alpine Ridge: 20 to 40 cm;
• rest of Valais, rest of central Grisons, rest of Upper Engadine: 10 to 20 cm;
• towards the north: widely a few centimetres.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -3 °C in the southwest and +3 °C in the northeast.

Wind

• There were strong to storm-force and in the afternoon moderate winds, blowing from the south.
• There were strong to storm-force foehn winds in the Alpine valleys of the north until midday.

Trend until Holy Saturday, 30.03.2024

It will be cloudy in the south on Good Friday and Holy Saturday, and especially in Ticino there will be a lot of precipitation, with this being heavy on Saturday. Along the Main Alpine Ridge from the Monte Rosa region to the San Bernardino Pass and south of this, 40 to 60 cm of snow is to be expected by Saturday afternoon. Up to 30 cm of snow will fall in neighbouring regions to the north and along the rest of the Main Alpine Ridge. The snowfall level will mostly be around 2000 m, or even lower in the event of heavy showers. It will be sunny at times in the north on both days. In the north, there will be strong to storm-force southwesterly winds, and storm-force foehn winds in the Alpine valleys. In the south, there will be mostly strong southerly winds.

The avalanche danger will increase significantly again in the south. Level 4 may be reached on Saturday along the Main Alpine Ridge in Upper Valais and south of this. With the increase in the snowfall level, more wet and gliding avalanches are to be expected below 2200 m. In the north, the danger of dry avalanches will not change significantly. Gliding avalanches will still be possible.