Upper Engadine and Silvretta

Samnaun

Sat 31 Jan Sunrise 08:44 18:19 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
N, NE, E, W, NW
above 2200m
Avalanches can be released in the weakly bonded old snow, even by a single winter sport participant. Slopes that have been little used this winter thus far are especially unfavourable. Avalanches can reach large size in isolated cases. Remotely triggered avalanches are possible. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack can indicate the danger. Backcountry touring and other off-piste activities call for experience in the assessment of avalanche danger.

Snowpack & Weather

Snowpack

On the southern flank of the Alps and in Upper Engadine, this week's fresh and drifted snow has been deposited on a weak snowpack, resulting in numerous medium and even large naturally triggered avalanches and avalanches triggered by human activity. In these regions, avalanches can still be triggered very easily in the old snowpack in many areas, including remotely. Avalanches may also be triggered deeper in the snowpack in southern Valais and in the inneralpine regions of Grisons, especially on northern and eastern slopes.

The snowpack structure is somewhat more favourable on the northern flank of the Alps and in northern Valais. In these regions too, there are weak layers deeper in the snowpack. These may still be triggered in some places, especially where there is little snow and at transitions from a deep to shallow snowpack.

Weather review for Friday

It was mostly cloudy in the north and west. Some snow fell at times above 800 m. In the late morning it was quite sunny in the east and south, then cloudy but mostly dry.

Fresh snow

  • Western Jura, extreme west of Lower Valais, Vaud and Fribourg Alps: 5 to 10 cm
  • elsewhere less or dry

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around -4 °C

Wind

In the west and north, moderate at times from the southwest, otherwise mostly light

Weather forecast to Saturday

After a partly clear night in the west, it will often be cloudy but dry. Otherwise it will be quite sunny, especially in the late morning, then increasingly cloudy.

Fresh snow

-

Temperature

At midday at 2000 m, around -4 °C

Wind

Mostly light from the south to southwest

Outlook to Sunday

On Sunday and Monday it will be quite sunny in the mountains with patches of cloud. On the southern flank of the Alps, it will be quite sunny on Sunday and mostly cloudy on Monday.

Winds will be mostly light, with occasionally moderate southwesterly winds in the northwest on Monday.

The avalanche danger will decrease, but only very slowly in the inneralpine regions and in the south due to the weak old snowpack. Avalanches triggered by human activity are still to be expected in these regions. Caution and restraint are required.

Issued

31 Jan 07:00 UTC

Valid until

31 Jan 16:00 UTC

Next update

31 Jan 16:00 UTC

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