Central Prealps

Melchtal

Sun 30 Nov Sunrise 08:50 17:41 Snow

Hard-to-read day. Persistent or gliding-snow problems can mask the real risk.

Day Risk Profile

Moderate
All day

Avalanche Problems

Dry snow level 2 Wind slab + Persistent weak layers dry All day
N, NE, E, SE, SW, W, NW
above 2000m
Faceted weak layers exist deep in the snowpack in particular above approximately 2400 m. In isolated cases avalanches can be released in deep layers and reach large size. Caution is to be exercised in areas where the snow cover is rather shallow, as well as at transitions from a shallow to a deep snowpack. As a consequence of a moderate to strong northeasterly wind, wind slabs formed at elevated altitudes. These are rather small but in some cases prone to triggering. They are to be evaluated with care and prudence in very steep terrain. Snow sport activities outside marked and open pistes call for careful route selection.
Wet snow level 2 Gliding snow wet All day
E, SE, S, SW, W
below 2000m
Gliding avalanches are to be expected on steep grassy slopes. These can reach medium size. Caution is to be exercised in areas with glide cracks.

Snowpack & Weather

Snowpack

Snow depths are well above average in the west and north, with more than twice as much snow as usual for this time of year in places. In other regions, there is a widespread 50 to 100% of the usual amount of snow and only 30 to 60% on the southern flank of the Alps.

Deep layers of the snowpack are faceted and weak, especially on shady slopes above approximately 2400 m and generally in high Alpine regions. In regions with deep snow in the west and north, these weak layers are now thickly overlaid and are therefore no longer so easily triggered by winter sports participants. However, any avalanches triggered in these deep layers can still become large. In regions with little fresh snow, avalanches are easier to trigger in deep layers of old snow and will usually be of medium size.

Small to medium gliding avalanches are still expected in the west and north.

Weather review for Saturday

Overnight to Saturday, a few centimetres of snow fell in the east above approximately 1500 m. During the day, conditions were sunny in the west and south and increasingly sunny in the east.

Fresh snow

A few centimetres in the east, otherwise dry

Temperature

Around 0°C at midday at 2000 m in the east and +3°C in the west and south

Wind

Mostly light from westerly directions

Weather forecast to Sunday

Clouds will rapidly gather overnight to Sunday. There will be brighter intervals during the day, especially in northern and central Grisons and Lower Engadine. Elsewhere it will be mostly cloudy. In the afternoon, light snowfall will set in in the north-west above approximately 1400 m.

Fresh snow

A few centimetres in the west on Sunday afternoon

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around 0°C

Wind

The southwesterly wind will be moderate in the west, otherwise mostly light. In the Jura, there will be a strong westerly wind at times in the afternoon.

Outlook

Around 5 cm of snow will fall in the north overnight to Monday. The snowfall level will drop to 900 m. Some clouds will remain during the day along the Prealps and in the east while conditions will be mostly sunny in the mountains. On Tuesday, conditions will often be cloudy on the southern flank of the Alps but elsewhere mostly sunny. The zero-degree level will be around 2000 m. There will be a light southerly wind on both days.

Avalanche risk will continue to fall. Gliding avalanches are still possible in regions with deep snow in the west and north.

Issued

29 Nov 15:56 UTC

Valid until

30 Nov 16:00 UTC

Next update

30 Nov 16:00 UTC

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