With the mild weather, partly overcast nights and occasional rain, moistening of the snowpack continued over the course of last week. On south-facing slopes the snowpack is water-saturated up to around 3000 m, and on east- and west-facing slopes up to 2500 to 2700 m, while on north-facing slopes it is water-saturated below 2000 m, with moistening progressing between 2000 and 2400 m.

Given the expected volumes of fresh snow, heavy at times in the south, large snowdrift accumulations will form at high altitudes. On north-facing slopes in particular, naturally triggered avalanches may sweep away the entire snowpack, especially in regions exposed to heavier precipitation in Valais, but occasionally also in other regions. In addition, avalanches in the fresh and drifted snow may be triggered by human activity.

With the rain, more wet and gliding avalanches are also to be expected.

Conditions were mostly cloudy, with light showers in the Prealps. The snowfall level was around 2000 m. There were brighter intervals in Grisons.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around +3 °C in the north and in Ticino and +6 °C in the inneralpine regions

Wind

Light to moderate southerly, increasing to moderate to strong on the northern Alpine ridge during the course of the day

On Sunday evening precipitation will set in in the south, becoming heavier overnight to Monday, with some regions of the south seeing very heavy precipitation. The precipitation will also spread to northern regions, but will be lighter there. The snowfall level will be around 1800 to 2000 m, falling to 1500 to 1700 m by Monday morning in the regions exposed to heavier precipitation on the main Alpine ridge in Upper Valais.

Fresh snow

By Monday afternoon above 2200 to 2400 m:

• Monte Rosa region, Saas Valley, Simplon region: 60 to 80 cm
• rest of main Alpine ridge in upper Valais, northwest Ticino: 40 to 60 cm
• rest of main Alpine ridge from the Great St. Bernard Pass to the Lukmanier Pass, northern Alpine ridge from the Lötschental to the Reuss, lower Valle Maggia, Valle Leventina: 20 to 40 cm
• rest of Valais, rest of northern Alpine ridge west of Tödi, main Alpine ridge from the Lukmanier Pass to the Bernina region: 15 to 30 cm
• elsewhere a few centimetres or dry

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around +2 °C in the west and south and +4 °C in the east

Wind

Strong south to southeasterly overnight to Monday in the high Alpine regions, elsewhere moderate to strong, dying down in the afternoon

Tuesday

Conditions will be very cloudy with light precipitation. The snowfall level will be around 1500 to 1800 m in the north and 1800 to 2000 m in the south. As the day progresses it will brighten up, especially in Valais and in the south. There will be a light to moderate northeasterly wind.

The danger of dry avalanches will decrease in the south. However, off-piste skiing conditions will remain critical at high altitudes. In the north, there will be hardly any change in dry avalanche danger. Wet avalanches are possible in all regions, especially on west-, north- and east-facing slopes below approximately 2400 m. In the regions with fresh snow, loose snow avalanches are to be expected in the fresh snow at high altitudes with the warmth from the sun, and also moist snow slides and glide snow avalanches at intermediate altitudes.

Wednesday

Conditions will be quite sunny, with a possibility of isolated light showers over the course of the day. The zero-degree level will rise to 2800 m. Winds will mostly be light. The danger of dry avalanches will decrease. The danger of wet avalanches will increase during the day.