Considerable avalanche danger will be encountered over a wide area
Edition: 2.4.2022, 17:00 / Next update: 3.4.2022, 18:00
Snowpack
Fresh fallen snow and freshly generated snowdrift accumulations of the last few days have been deposited atop a moist and frequently rawly configured old snowpack surface. Nevertheless, artificial triggerings in the major areas of precipitation were often quite successful.
Prior to the current round of snowfall there was a cohesive area-wide snowpack on north facing slopes above approximately 1000 to 1400 m in the northern regions, and above approximately 1800 to 2200 m in the southern regions. On south-facing slopes the snow lines generally lay 300 to 500 m higher up. Even following this snowfall there is still significantly less snow on the ground than is normal for this juncture of the season, in the southern regions extraordinarily much less snow.
Observed weather on Saturday, 02.04.2022
Skies were overcast for the most part, accompanied by snowfall which extended down to low lying areas. In the southern regions it was dry during the daytime hours, with some bright intervals.
Fresh snow
Between Friday afternoon and Saturday afternoon on the northern flank of the Alps from the Bernese Oberland into the Schwyzer Alps, as well as in the southern part of the Upper Valais, there was 20 to 30 cm of fresh snow registered down to low lying areas. In the other regions of Switzerland there was 10 to 20 cm of fresh snow registered over widespread areas; in the western Jura region, in the northern part of Lower Valais, in the northern Ticiino and in northern Grisons, there was less. Thus, since Thursday afternoon above approximately 1600 m there have been the following amounts of fresh snow registered overall:
  • Northern flank of the Alps from Les Diablerets as far as the Walensee: 40 to 60 cm;
  • remaining parts of the northern flank of the Alps, southern Valais, Upper Valais, Grisons south of the Anterior Rhine not including Moesano, Jura region: 20 to 40 cm;
  • in the remaining regions of Switzerland, 10 to 20 cm over widespread areas.
Temperature
It was cold. At 2000 m at midday: in the northern regions, -9 °C, and in the southern regions, -5 °C.
Wind
Winds were blowing at moderate strength, in isolated cases at strong velocity, from northerly directions.
Weather forecast through Sunday, 03.04.2022
Nocturnal skies will be heavily overcast and a small amount of snowfall is anticipated in the northern regions in particular, extending into the flatlands. On Sunday it will be quite sunny for a short period in the inneralpine regions, in the southern regions and generally in high alpine regions, in the afternoon the cloud cover will increase there as well.
Fresh snow
Between Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon, the following amounts of fresh snow are anticipated down to low lying areas:
  • Northern flank of the Alps from the eastern Bernese Oberland into the Alpstein: 5 to 10 cm;
  • in the other regions of Switzerland, less; in the southern regions it is expected to remain largely dry.
Temperature
It will remain cold. At midday at 2000 m: between -9 °C in the northern regions and -5 °C in the southern regions.
Wind
  • Bise wind in the Jura aregion and the western Prealps;
  • in the other regions of Switzerland, on Saturday evening still moderate strength northeasterly winds, in the southern regions strong-velocity northeasterly winds. Subsequently the winds will slacken off.
Outlook through Tuesday, 05.04.2022
Monday
In early morning in the southern regions skies will still be overcast and the final bit of fresh snow will fall above approximately 800 m. In the other regions of Switzerland, Monday is expected to be sunny. Winds will be blowing at light to moderate strength and shift from northeasterly to westerly.
The danger of dry-snow avalanches will diminish. During the course of the day, moist slides can be expected to release from the fresh snow on steep sunny slopes.
Tuesday
In the northern regions skies will be heavily overcast as a result of the moderate to strong-velocity westerly winds, and a small amount of precipitation is expected from region to region. The snowfall level will ascend to approximately 1500 m. In the Valais it will be partly sunny, in the southern regions beautiful weather is expected.
In the northern regions, snowdrift accumulations will be generated from place to place. In the other regions avalanche danger is expected to decrease.