Zervreila

Over the last two days, lots of snow has fallen in the north down to low altitudes. This snow has been transported significantly by sometimes stormy northerly winds and also by the Bise wind on Friday. In the south, it was mainly looser old snow that was transported. This has resulted in snowdrift accumulations in all regions; in the north these accumulations are large. On wind-protected north-facing slopes, fresh and drifted snow is lying on very loose snow. On south-facing slopes, meanwhile, it is often lying on a crust up to high altitudes. In many cases, the surface of the old snowpack has also been shaped by the wind and is irregular.

In the upper part of the old snowpack, in locations sheltered from the wind there is a burried surface hoar layer in which avalanches may still be triggered. In the inneralpine regions of Valais and in Grisons in particular, avalanches are also possible in weak layers near the ground.

During the night, there was widespread snowfall down to low altitudes, but only isolated snowfall in the northeast during the day. During the course of the day, it was quite sunny in the far west, in Valais and in the south.

Fresh snow

From Thursday afternoon until precipitation stopped on Friday, the following amounts fell above 1000 m:

• Northern flank of the Alps east of the Wildstrubel, northern Lower Valais: 15 to 30 cm
• less elsewhere; dry in the south.

In total, the following amounts of snow have fallen since the onset of precipitation on Wednesday afternoon:

• Northern flank of the Alps east of the Gemmi Pass: 80 to 110 cm
• Northern Alpine ridge west of the Gemmi Pass: 50 to 80 cm
• Other regions of the western part of the northern flank of the Alps and of western Lower Valais, northern Grisons: 30 to 50 cm
• Elsewhere a widespread 10 to 30 cm; dry in the far south

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, between a cold -10 °C in the north and -6 °C in the south

Wind

• Northerly winds, moderate on the northern flank of the Alps, otherwise strong to stormy, easing somewhat over the course of the day
• Moderate Bise wind in the western Prealps and the Jura

After a clear night, conditions will initially be sunny on Saturday. Clouds will gather from the northwest in the afternoon, and the first snowflakes will fall in the Jura. It will remain sunny in the south and in Grisons.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

Less cold, at midday at 2000 m between -4 °C in the north and +1 °C in the south

Wind

Light to moderate from northerly directions

Sunday

There will be heavy cloud cover in the north and a widespread 10 to 20 cm of snowfall down to low altitudes. It will be quite sunny in Valais and the south. The northeasterly wind will be mostly moderate. A strong Bise wind will rise in the Jura and the western Prealps.

The avalanche danger will not change significantly in the north and will decrease in the south.

Monday

After the weather calms during the night, on Monday strong northwesterly winds will set in as the day progresses as well as intense snowfall in the north. The snowfall level will remain at low altitudes. It will be quite sunny in the far south.

The avalanche danger will increase significantly in the north in the afternoon. There will be no significant change in the south.