Vaud Alps
Waadtländer Voralpen
Stable day. Low, with wet snow and gliding snow named together — one of them visible at the surface, the other buried.
Day Risk Profile
Avalanche Problems
Wet snow + Gliding snow
1
Field notes
Wet snow
Rolling snowballs, deep penetration when you step or ski, and small natural slides are clear signals that the Snow deposited on the ground in a multiplicity of layers.EAWS glossary is losing strength. After a clear, cold night the surface often freezes into a strong supporting Layer of hard-compacted snow resulting from a melt-freeze process or wind.EAWS glossary, and conditions are favourable in the early morning. After a warm, overcast night, the problem may be present from the start of the day. Plan early returns and watch the runout zones below you.
Gliding snow
Almost impossible to predict precisely, even when the warning signs are visible. A crack visible on the snowpack surface formed by snow-gliding on steep, and particularly grass-covered slopes. Areas below slopes with visible glide cracks should be avoided whenever possible due to threat of gliding sluffs or avalanches.EAWS glossary — gaps that open in the Snow deposited on the ground in a multiplicity of layers.EAWS glossary down to the ground — are often precursors to release, but they don't tell you when. A glide avalanche can release minutes after the cracks appear, or weeks later, or not at all. Some release without any visible warning. Avoid lingering anywhere near glide cracks: above them, alongside them, or below in the runout.
Snowpack & Weather
Snowpack
Saturation of the Snow deposited on the ground in a multiplicity of layers.EAWS glossary is well advanced. The most precarious areas are slopes where Snowpack layer in which the crystals are poorly bonded and the layer has the potential to fail. Typical crystals in dry weak layers causing avalanches are : precipitation particles; surface hoar; faceted crystals; hollow crystals; graupel. Generally >1mm in size, loose grains with few bonds Wet weak layers can be formed by all snow crystal/grain types.EAWS glossary in the Snow layers deposited from earlier precipitation, prior to fresh fallen snow. Old snow layers consist of metamorphosed snow crystals.EAWS glossary are becoming wet for the first time. At present, this is mainly affecting north-facing slopes between approximately 2200 and 2500 m, and east- and west-facing slopes between approximately 2500 and 2800 m. In many places, steep south-facing slopes are snow-free up to around 3000 m; where there is still snow, it is wet as far as the Areas above approximately 3000 m (particularly glaciated areas).EAWS glossary.
In the mostly clear overnight conditions, a load-bearing Layer of hard-compacted snow resulting from a melt-freeze process or wind.EAWS glossary forms above approximately 2000 m, which softens over the course of the day.
Weather review for Thursday
It was mostly sunny in the north and cloudy in the south.
Fresh snow
A few centimetres above approximately 2400 m on the main Alpine ridge
Temperature
At midday at 2000 m, between +9 °C in the west, +6 °C in the north and +2 °C in the south.
Wind
Mainly light
Weather forecast to Friday
Conditions will be mostly clear overnight to Friday, with occasional cloud in the south, while the daytime will be mostly sunny.
Fresh snow
-
Temperature
At midday at 2000 m, between +7 °C in the north and +5 °C in the south
Wind
Light
Outlook to Sunday
The night to Saturday will mostly be clear. During the day, it will mostly be sunny but cumulus clouds will develop in the west and isolated showers are possible. There will be patchy cloud overnight to Sunday. During the day, there will be sunny intervals; in the east it will be sunny. Winds will be light to moderate from southerly directions. The zero-degree level will be around 3000 m.
Conditions will be favourable in the morning. The danger of wet avalanches will increase over the course of each day, rapidly so on Sunday due to the overnight reduction in outgoing longwave radiation.