Waadtländer Voralpen

Snowpack

With the warmth of the last few days, the snowpack has been water-saturated on southern slopes up to the high Alpine regions, on eastern and western slopes up to a good 3000 m, and on northern slopes up to a maximum of 2800 m. At these altitudes, old weak layers became moist for the first time and were thus temporarily weakened. There were naturally triggered avalanches, and isolated wet slab avalanches were also triggered by human activity.

During the night into Sunday, which will be mostly cloudy, the snowpack will freeze at high altitudes and will barely be capable of bearing loads. Moist avalanches are still expected with diffuse solar radiation and on northern slopes below approximately 2800 m with the rain as well.

Weather forecast to Sunday

In the southeast, the night will be partly clear and dry. Otherwise, it will be cloudy to very cloudy everywhere with showers and thunderstorms. The snowfall level will drop from 2900 m to around 2600 m.

Fresh snow

From Saturday afternoon to Sunday afternoon at high altitudes:

• from Lower Valais to western Bernese Oberland: 15 to 30 cm
• elsewhere: 5 to 15 cm.
• 20 to 30 mm of rain will fall along the Prealps

The quantities stated are average values. Much larger amounts are expected in some areas with heavy thunderstorms.

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, +10 °C; zero-degree level around 3200 m

Wind

Southwesterly:

• strong during the night on the northern flank of the Alps
• elsewhere light to moderate

Strong gusts in the vicinity of thunderstorms.

Weather review for Saturday

The night into Saturday was mostly cloudy. On Saturday there were extended bright spells in the south, otherwise it was mostly cloudy with Saharan dust and some precipitation fell in showers. The snowfall level was around 2800 m.

Fresh snow

The following amounts of fresh snow fell in the high Alpine regions up until Saturday afternoon:

• extreme west of Lower Valais, northern Valais: around 10 cm
• otherwise less, in Grisons and Ticino largely dry

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, +7 °C in the north and +10 °C in the south

Wind

Mostly light during the night, moderate during the day from the southwest

OutlookMonday

It will be very cloudy with precipitation. The most snow will fall in the south and east with 20 to 30 cm, and as much as 40 to 50 cm from Moesano to the Bernina region. The snowfall level will drop from 2400 m to 1700 m in the north and from 2600 m to 2300 m in the south. There will be a moderate southwesterly wind in southern Grisons during the night into Monday, otherwise mostly light winds.

The danger of dry avalanches will increase, significantly from Moesano to the Bernina region. Wet avalanches are still possible, especially on northern slopes, and are expected in the south with the rain.

Tuesday

It will be very cloudy with little precipitation. The snowfall level will be 1700 m in the north and 2300 m in the south. Winds will mainly be light.

The risk of dry avalanches will not change significantly. With the cooler weather, only isolated wet avalanches are possible.