Valais Chablais
Vouvry
Avalanche Problems
No distinct problem
1
Field notes
SLF uses this label when no single problem dominates the assessment, often on lower-danger days. It doesn't mean conditions are safe: any avalanche type is still possible, and normal caution applies. On stable days this is usually a signal to enjoy the mountains with general awareness; on less-stable days where the assessment is still inconclusive, it's a signal to be cautious specifically because there's no clear pattern to follow.
Snowpack & Weather
Snowpack
Precipitation set in last Saturday, initially in the south and later also in the north. Before this snowfall, conditions had been generally sunny and dry in the mountains for almost two weeks.
In Usually a steep, elongated, eroded trench; typically prone to snowdrift accumulation.EAWS glossary and Rounded or elongated concavity; typically tending to accumulate snowdrift.EAWS glossary on shady slopes above around 2000 m and in Areas above approximately 3000 m (particularly glaciated areas).EAWS glossary, the fresh and drifted snow fell on a patchy continuous Snow deposited on the ground in a multiplicity of layers.EAWS glossary, otherwise on bare ground. On shady slopes above approximately 2400 m and generally in high Alpine regions, the fresh snow has fallen on pronounced 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, where avalanches can still easily be triggered.
Outlook
Precipitation will set in from the northwest overnight to Thursday. Thursday and Friday will be cloudy in the north, with occasional snowfall. By midday on Friday, 20 to 30 cm of snow is possible on the northern flank of the Alps and in the west of Lower Valais. Winds will veer from westerly to northeasterly. At high altitudes, winds will be light to moderate. There will be sunny intervals in southern Valais and on the southern flank of the Alps.
Avalanche risk will increase somewhat, especially over much of the northern flank of the Alps. There will be little change in other regions. Isolated avalanches may be triggered not only in fresh snowdrift accumulations but also in the Snow layers deposited from earlier precipitation, prior to fresh fallen snow. Old snow layers consist of metamorphosed snow crystals.EAWS glossary, especially on northern slopes above 2400 m and in Areas above approximately 3000 m (particularly glaciated areas).EAWS glossary.