Zervreila

In the regions south of a line from the Rhône to the Rhine, the weak layers that have persisted since the beginning of January are still present. The number of places where human activity can trigger avalanches in the weak layers of the old snowpack has now decreased significantly. However, any avalanches may still become large.

In the regions north of a line from the Rhône to the Rhine and in the extreme west of Lower Valais, weak layers in the snowpack are mostly thickly covered. Triggering by human activity is unlikely.

With temperatures falling, further moistening of the snowpack and deeper weak layers has slowed down. Gliding avalanche activity has also decreased significantly over the last few days.

Overnight to Wednesday, conditions were cloudy with clear intervals. There was a little precipitation on the northern and southern flanks of the Alps, falling as snow above approximately 1700 m. During the day, conditions were mostly sunny in the inneralpine regions of Valais and Grisons, while elsewhere, there were only sunny intervals and it was very cloudy on the southern flank of the Alps.

Fresh snow

Along the Prealps and on the southern flank of the Alps: a widespread few centimetres, locally up to 15 cm

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between +1 °C in the north and -1 °C in the south

Wind

Light to moderate southwesterly

Overnight to Thursday, conditions will be mostly cloudy, with some snowfall above approximately 1200 m. During the day, the west and south will gradually become sunny, while the central and eastern parts of the northern flank of the Alps and northern Grisons will see only sunny intervals.

Fresh snow

From Wednesday evening to Thursday morning, above 1500 m:

• extreme west of Lower Valais, northern flank of the Alps, Jura: 10 to 25 cm
• rest of Valais and northern Grisons: 5 to 10 cm
• elsewhere a widespread few centimetres

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between -2 °C in the north and +1 °C in the south

Wind

• During the night in the north initially moderate to strong from westerly directions, then easing and veering to the north
• Mostly light during the day

Friday

Overnight to Friday, conditions will mostly be clear. During the day, it will be mostly sunny in the north, with sunny intervals in the south. With a freshening southwesterly wind, the north will become appreciably milder.

The danger of dry avalanches will not change significantly. The danger of wet and gliding avalanches will increase a little during the day, especially in the north. Touring and off-piste descents should be completed in good time.

Saturday

Overnight to Saturday, conditions will be mostly cloudy, with precipitation in the south. During the day, there will be widespread precipitation, with only the far east remaining dry. The snowfall level will drop from 1500 m to around 1100 m in the south and 700 m in the north. Around 20 to 40 cm of snow will fall on the central part of the main Alpine ridge and south of there by the evening; however, the amounts are still uncertain. There will be a light to moderate southerly wind.

The danger of dry avalanches will increase with the fresh snowfall, significantly on the central part of the main Alpine ridge and south of there, where naturally triggered avalanches will increasingly be possible.