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Avalanche bulletin through Monday, 18 January 2021
High avalanche danger will be encountered in some regions
Edition: Su. 17.01., 17:00 Next update: Mo. 18.01., 08:00 Validity
Avalanche bulletin through Monday, 18 January 2021
High avalanche danger will be encountered in some regions
Edition Su. 17.01., 17:00 Next update Mo. 18.01., 18:00 Validity
Avalanche bulletin through Monday, 18 January 2021
High avalanche danger will be encountered in some regions
Edition Su. 17.01., 17:00 Next update Mo. 18.01., 08:00 Validity
Avalanche bulletin through Monday, 18 January 2021
High avalanche danger will be encountered in some regions
Edition Su. 17.01., 17:00 Next update Mo. 18.01., 08:00 Validity







































Wind slabs
Avalanche prone locations
In all aspects above approximately 1400m.
Danger description
The storm force foehn wind will transport the old snow. Avalanche prone wind slabs will form. These are clearly recognisable to the trained eye. The wind slabs are to be avoided in steep terrain.
New snow, old snow
Avalanche prone locations
In all aspects above approximately 1600m.
Danger description
The new snow and wind slabs of Sunday can be released by a single winter sport participant. Remotely triggered avalanches are to be expected. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack serve as an alarm indicating the danger. The snow sport conditions outside marked and open pistes are very dangerous. This also applies below the tree line.
Additionally avalanches can also be triggered in the old snowpack. During the night individual large and, in isolated cases, very large natural avalanches are possible. Exposed parts of transportation routes are endangered in isolated cases.
Gliding avalanches
In particular at low altitude gliding avalanches are possible. Areas with glide cracks are to be avoided.
Old snow, wind slabs
Avalanche prone locations
In all aspects above approximately 1800m.
Danger description
The new snow of the last few days is lying on top of a weakly bonded old snowpack. Single winter sport participants can release avalanches easily. These can be released in the weakly bonded old snow and reach large size. Remotely triggered avalanches are possible. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack can indicate the danger.
Fresh wind slabs are mostly small but prone to triggering. They are to be avoided in steep terrain.
Ski touring and other off-piste activities, including snowshoe hiking, call for extensive experience in the assessment of avalanche danger and restraint.
Old snow, wind slabs
Avalanche prone locations
In all aspects above approximately 1800m.
Danger description
The new snow and wind slabs of the last few days are poorly bonded with the old snowpack. As a consequence of a sometimes strong northerly wind, avalanche prone wind slabs will form as well. Single winter sport participants can release avalanches easily, including large ones. Individual natural avalanches are possible.
The snow sport conditions outside marked and open pistes are critical. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack serve as an alarm indicating the danger. Remotely triggered avalanches are possible. This also applies below the tree line.
Wind slabs, old snow
Avalanche prone locations
In particular in west to north to southeast facing aspects above approximately 1200m.
Danger description
The new snow and wind slabs of the last few days are lying on the unfavourable surface of an old snowpack. Fresh wind slabs are mostly small but can in some cases be released easily. They are to be evaluated with care and prudence in steep terrain. Avalanches can additionally in isolated cases be released in deeper layers also. These can reach medium size in isolated cases.
Ski touring and snowshoe hiking call for experience in the assessment of avalanche danger.
New snow, old snow
Avalanche prone locations
In all aspects above approximately 1400m.
Danger description
The new snow and wind slabs of Sunday can be released by a single winter sport participant. Additionally avalanches can also be triggered in the old snowpack and reach large size. During the night natural avalanches are possible. Remotely triggered avalanches are to be expected. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack serve as an alarm indicating the danger.
The snow sport conditions outside marked and open pistes are very dangerous. This also applies below the tree line.
Gliding avalanches
In particular at low altitude gliding avalanches are possible. Areas with glide cracks are to be avoided.
As a result of the fresh snowfall and northerly winds during the weekend, new snowdrift accumulations were generated at high altitudes. Particularly in the regions of the Valais and the northern flank of the Alps where snowfall was heaviest, these avalanche prone locations are wide-ranging.
- Lower Valais, northern flank of the Alps not including Urseren: 20 to 40 cm;
- Jura region, Upper Valais not including Main Alpine Ridge, northern Grisons, northern Lower Engadine: 10 to 20 cm;
- in the remaining regions of Switzerland only a few centimetres; south of the Main Alpine Ridge it remained dry.
-
Winds in northern regions on Saturday night were blowing at moderate to strong velocity from westerly to southwesterly directions,
in southern regions blowing at light to moderate strength;
-
during the daytime blowing from northerly directions, in the western regions initially at light to moderate strength, in the
other regions of Switzerland at moderate to strong velocity.
-
northern flank of the Alps east of the Reuss: 20 to 30 cm, from place to place 40 cm;
- northern flank of the Alps from the eastern Bernese Alps as far as the Reuss, northern Surselva, northern Grisons, northern Lower Engadine: 10 to 20 cm;
- Jura region, remaining regions of the northern flank of the Alps, Valais, remaining parts of Grisons not including the southern valleys: maximum 10 cm;
-
on the southern flank of the Alps it will remain dry.
- On Sunday night: temporarily strong to storm-strength winds at high altitudes, in the southern regions intermittently strong northerly winds extending down into the valleys;
-
during the daytime on Monday: light to moderate-strength winds from westerly to northwesterly directions; in southern and
eastern regions at high altitudes blowing at moderate to strong velocity from northwesterly directions.
Your observations can improve the quality of the avalanche bulletin. We are very grateful for any reports and photos received.
Please report your observations of avalanches or alarm signs, or your estimation of the avalanche danger, or simply send us a picture illustrating the current situation. Your report from the field will be considered along with all the other information when we assess the avalanche danger. It is impossible, however, to reflect the exact content of each individual report in the avalanche bulletin.
The best way to file a report is by completing the interactive form on this page. If your report is to be used in the 5 pm avalanche bulletin, it should be submitted before 2:30 pm if possible. Reports received later will normally be given consideration in the next assessment.
Other reporting options:
- White Risk App
- E-mail to lwp(at)slf .ch
- Freephone number 0800 800 187
As a result of the fresh snowfall and northerly winds during the weekend, new snowdrift accumulations were generated at high altitudes. Particularly in the regions of the Valais and the northern flank of the Alps where snowfall was heaviest, these avalanche prone locations are wide-ranging.
- Lower Valais, northern flank of the Alps not including Urseren: 20 to 40 cm;
- Jura region, Upper Valais not including Main Alpine Ridge, northern Grisons, northern Lower Engadine: 10 to 20 cm;
- in the remaining regions of Switzerland only a few centimetres; south of the Main Alpine Ridge it remained dry.
-
Winds in northern regions on Saturday night were blowing at moderate to strong velocity from westerly to southwesterly directions,
in southern regions blowing at light to moderate strength;
-
during the daytime blowing from northerly directions, in the western regions initially at light to moderate strength, in the
other regions of Switzerland at moderate to strong velocity.
-
northern flank of the Alps east of the Reuss: 20 to 30 cm, from place to place 40 cm;
- northern flank of the Alps from the eastern Bernese Alps as far as the Reuss, northern Surselva, northern Grisons, northern Lower Engadine: 10 to 20 cm;
- Jura region, remaining regions of the northern flank of the Alps, Valais, remaining parts of Grisons not including the southern valleys: maximum 10 cm;
-
on the southern flank of the Alps it will remain dry.
- On Sunday night: temporarily strong to storm-strength winds at high altitudes, in the southern regions intermittently strong northerly winds extending down into the valleys;
-
during the daytime on Monday: light to moderate-strength winds from westerly to northwesterly directions; in southern and
eastern regions at high altitudes blowing at moderate to strong velocity from northwesterly directions.
Have you observed alarm signs or an avalanche?
More information about observations
Please report your observations of avalanches or alarm signs, or your estimation of the avalanche danger, or simply send us a picture illustrating the current situation. Your report from the field will be considered along with all the other information when we assess the avalanche danger. It is impossible, however, to reflect the exact content of each individual report in the avalanche bulletin.
The best way to file a report is by completing the interactive form on this page. If your report is to be used in the 5 pm avalanche bulletin, it should be submitted before 2:30 pm if possible. Reports received later will normally be given consideration in the next assessment.
Other reporting options:
- White Risk App
- E-mail to lwp(at)slf .ch
- Freephone number 0800 800 187
No avalanche bulletins are being published at the moment. Nevertheless, you should still stay up to date with the avalanche situation in the mountains, especially if there is fresh snow.
However, the SLF will, by way of exception, also issue avalanche bulletins in the summer in case of heavy snowfall. There are different ways you can be notified when these bulletins based on the snow situation are published:
- by push alert on SLF's free White Risk mobile app: appearing in four languages (English, German, French and Italian), this can be downloaded from iTunes App Store (for iPhones) or Google Play Store (for Android);
- by mobile text message (SMS): please send an SMS with the message START SLF SOMMER to the phone number 9234 – you can cancel this service at any time by sending an SMS with the message STOP SLF SOMMER; cost: CHF 0.20 per SMS;
This SMS service will be discontinued on 31.12.2020. Please use the SLF free mobile app "White Risk". - via an RSS feed which informs you whenever an avalanche bulletin is published.
Depending on the snow and avalanche situation, the regular publication of avalanche bulletin recommences in November/December.
Have you observed alarm signs or an avalanche?
More information about observations
Please report your observations of avalanches or alarm signs, or your estimation of the avalanche danger, or simply send us a picture illustrating the current situation. Your report from the field will be considered along with all the other information when we assess the avalanche danger. It is impossible, however, to reflect the exact content of each individual report in the avalanche bulletin.
The best way to file a report is by completing the interactive form on this page. If your report is to be used in the 5 pm avalanche bulletin, it should be submitted before 2:30 pm if possible. Reports received later will normally be given consideration in the next assessment.
Other reporting options:
- White Risk App
- E-mail to lwp(at)slf .ch
- Freephone number 0800 800 187