As a consequence of warming and solar radiation a considerable danger of wet and gliding avalanches will be encountered over a wide area
Edition: 31.3.2021, 17:00 / Next update: 1.4.2021, 18:00
Snowpack
During the night to Thursday night skies are clear and the moist snowpack is able to stabilize. On south-facing slopes a melt-freeze crust capable of bearing loads forms up to high alpine regions. As daytime warming and solar radiation intensify, the snowpack subsequently forfeits its nocturnally regained firmness during the course of the day. Wet-snow avalanches can be expected, some of which will be of very large size.
In the upper third of the snowpack in may regions there is a marked weak layer evident. This layer is generally in the vicinity of the layers of dust blown north from the Sahara desert in February. In the Valais and in Grisons more than anywhere else, isolated avalanches were triggered by persons in these layers not only on north-facing slopes, but also on east-facing, south-facing and west-facing slopes during the last few days. These releases occurred also during the morning hours.
On high-altitude, steep north-facing slopes dry-snow avalanches can still be triggered in some places.
Observed weather on Wednesday, 31.03.2021
Following a night of clear skies it was sunny and very mild.
Fresh snow
-
Temperature
At midday at 2000 m, it was +9 °C.
Wind
Winds were light.
Weather forecast through Thursday, 01.04.2021
Following a night of predominantly clear skies it will be generally sunny.
Fresh snow
-
Temperature
At midday at 2000 m, +7 °C, zero-degree level will be at 3000 m.
Wind
Winds will be light.
Outlook through Saturday, 03.04.2021
On Good Friday and on Holy Saturday, somewhat moister air masses will be delivered to the Alps from the northwest. During the course of the day, convective cloud build-up is anticipated, accompanied by isolated possible showers. The conditions for nocturnal outgoing longwave radiation will no longer be as ideal as in recent days. Temperatures will be slightly lower, winds will remain mostly light.
The avalanche situation during the morning hours is generally favourable. The danger of wet-snow and gliding avalanches then rises during the course of the day rapidly and significantly. On east-facing, sough-facing and west-facing slopes, numerous naturally triggered avalanches can be expected. Backcountry tours should be launched early in the day and terminated early in the day.