südliches Urseren

Snowpack

There has been widespread snowfall, which has been heavy on the eastern part of the main Alpine ridge. Snowdrift accumulations created by often strong southwesterly winds are lying on shady slopes on an often unfavourable old snowpack surface. These have ultimately been loosely covered with fresh snow in many places. With strong southwesterly winds, storm-force foehn winds in the north and snowfall in some regions, Monday will see further snowdrifts accumulating.

In the south and in the Engadine, the entire old snowpack is faceted and loose, especially on shady slopes protected from the wind. On Monday and Tuesday, a lot more fresh snow will be deposited on this very weak snowpack from eastern Ticino to Upper Engadine. North of a line from the Rhône to the Rhine and in the extreme west of Lower Valais, the middle part of the snowpack is often well consolidated, and there is little likelihood of avalanches deep in the old snowpack.

Weather forecast to Monday

Monday will be very cloudy, with foehn-like bright intervals possible in the north-east. Widespread precipitation from the west and south will set in in the morning, with the snowfall level at between around 1800 m in the west and 1400 m in the south.

Fresh snow

By Monday afternoon, the following amounts of snow will have fallen:

• westermost Lower Valais, main Alpine ridge from Mont Dolent to the Matterhorn, and from the San Bernardino Pass to the Bernina region: 20 to 30 cm
• northern Valais, Vaud and Fribourg Alps, rest of Ticino and rest of central Grisons: 10 to 20 cm
• elsewhere less or dry

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m between +3 °C in the north and -1 °C in the south

Wind

• strong to storm-force from the southwest in the north and generally at high altitudes
• a storm-force foehn wind in the valleys of the north
• moderate southerly winds in the south

Weather review for Sunday

Snow fell widely during the night to Sunday. The snowfall level dropped from 1800 m in the north and 1400 m in the south to around 1200 m everywhere. During the day, conditions became quite sunny in the west and south. In the east, morning snowfall was followed by bright intervals.

Fresh snow

From Saturday afternoon to Sunday lunchtime:

• main Alpine ridge from the Lukmanier Pass to the Bernina region and south from there: 30 to 50 cm
• rest of Ticino and rest of central Grisons: 15 to 30 cm
• elsewhere a widespread 5 to 15 cm

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around -3 °C.

Wind

From the south-west:

• strong to storm-force during the night, with a strong foehn wind from the south in the valleys of the north
• during the day mostly moderate, sometimes strong in the west

OutlookTuesday

Overnight to Tuesday it will snow, persistently and heavily in the south. In the west there will be longer bright spells during the day, while a little snow will continue to fall in the east. From Monday to Tuesday afternoon, there will be a widespread 15 to 30 cm of fresh snow, with 40 to 60 cm on the main Alpine ridge from the Lukmanier Pass to the Bernina and south from there. The snowfall level will be around 1200 m. The wind will be a moderate to strong westerly.

There will be a widespread increase in avalanche danger. In the night to Tuesday, danger level 4 (high) is expected to be reached from eastern Ticino via Val Moesa, Rheinwald, Avers and Val Bregaglia to the Bernina region. Numerous medium and large naturally triggered avalanches are expected in these regions. Very large avalanches may also occur, especially in the high Alpine regions, but they will not advance all that far because there is very little snow in the avalanche tracks. However, high-altitude transport routes will be at risk. The avalanche situation for winter sport participants will also become critical in the far west and in the other regions of Grisons and Ticino.

Wednesday

Overnight to Wednesday there will be some precipitation, especially in the west. During the day it will be quite sunny everywhere.

The risk of dry avalanches will decrease. The sunshine and fresh snow may result in moist loose snow avalanches, especially in the regions exposed to heavier precipitation in the southeast.