Schächental

On the northern flank of the Alps, the new and drifted snow of the last few days cover cover, at higher elevations on shaded, wind-sheltered slopes, an often faceted and therefore weak old snow surface. Elsewhere, the snow surface was often shaped by the wind and frequently frozen solid below 2400 m.

In western and northern Lower Valais, the snowpack structure is relatively favourable and the danger comes mainly from fresh drifted snow.

In other regions, the snowpack is thin and weak, and mostly consists of faceted crystals with embedded crusts. Snowdrift accumulations deposited on top of this snowpack are in some cases easily triggerable. In addition, individual avalanches may still be triggered in the near-ground old snowpack, especially on the Main Alpine Ridge in Upper Valais and on the central part of the southern flank of the Alps.

A few snowflakes fell locally during the night. During the day conditions were sunny but cold.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around -9°C

Wind

• Moderate, locally strong westerly; northerly in the south
• Subsiding over the course of the day

In the mountains conditions will be mostly sunny but cold.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around -11°C

Wind

Light

Conditions will remain sunny and cold. The northerly wind will be light at first, then moderate to strong on Wednesday at higher altitudes and in the south.

The unfavourable snowpack structure means that avalanche danger will decrease only very slowly.