Central Grisons and Anterior Rhine

Zervreila

Thu 26 Feb Sunrise 08:08 19:04 Overcast

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

Day Risk Profile

Considerable
All day

Avalanche Problems

Dry snow level 3 Persistent weak layers dry All day
All aspects
above 2000m
Distinct weak layers exist in the bottom section of the snowpack. Avalanches can in many places be released by a single winter sport participant. They can be triggered in near-ground layers and reach large size. Whumpfing sounds serve as an alarm indicating the danger. Remotely triggered avalanches are possible. The weather will be very warm. As a consequence of warming during the day and solar radiation individual natural avalanches are possible as the day progresses, even large ones. The conditions are critical for backcountry touring and other off-piste activities outside marked and open pistes.
Wet snow level 3 Wet snow + Gliding snow wet All day
SE, S, SW, W
below 2200m
The weather will be very mild. On steep grassy slopes gliding avalanches are to be expected. Areas with glide cracks are to be avoided. In addition as the day progresses in particular on south, west facing slopes, wet avalanches are to be expected. Avalanches can in some cases reach large size.

Snowpack & Weather

Snowpack

North of a line from the Rhône to the Rhine and in the extreme west of Lower Valais, 2 to 3.5 m of snow have fallen over the last two weeks. As a result, weak layers in the old snowpack below are thickly covered and can only rarely be triggered by human activity. However, avalanches may become very large.

South of a line from the Rhône to the Rhine, the persistent weak layers that have persisted since the beginning of January are still pronounced. During the night, a crust forms on the surface of the snowpack in many places. The snowpack appears more stable as a result and danger signs such as cracks or whumpfing sounds become less frequent. However, the low-lying weak layers still exist and avalanches can still be triggered by human activity and become large. In Grisons, avalanche-prone locations are still common. In southern Valais, the significant weak layers in the lower part of the snowpack are mostly rather more thickly covered. Avalanche-prone locations where avalanches can be triggered in the weak old snowpack are therefore less frequent and mainly located in areas with relatively little snow.

With the rise in temperature through the day, the likelihood of dry slab avalanches being triggered increases slightly during the day. In addition, gliding avalanches are to be expected on steep grassy slopes and wet avalanches on sunny slopes.

Weather review for Wednesday

After a clear night, conditions were sunny and very mild in the mountains.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between +8 °C in the north and +5 °C in the south

Wind

Light

Weather forecast to Thursday

After a clear night, it will be sunny and will continue to be mild with a zero-degree level at around 3000 m.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around +5 °C

Wind

Light

Outlook to Saturday

Clear nights will be followed by sunny days. On Saturday, clouds will gather from the west in the afternoon. It will remain mild, with the zero-degree level at just under 3000 m on Friday and around 2500 m on Saturday. The wind will be light and at times moderate from the west.

The danger of dry avalanches will continue to decrease, but only very slowly in southern Valais, Ticino and Grisons due to the pronounced weak layers. Gliding avalanches are still to be expected, as well as wet avalanches on sunny slopes. These may become large in the west and north.

Issued

26 Feb 07:00 UTC

Valid until

26 Feb 16:00 UTC

Next update

26 Feb 16:00 UTC

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