Alps Braces for Extreme Cold Snap with Heavy Snow and Storm Winds
A sharp cold snap is set to hit the Alps this week, bringing heavy snow, plummeting temperatures and dangerous wind conditions. The weather shift will disrupt travel and raise avalanche risks, while also creating stark contrasts between the northern and southern regions.
Snow will arrive on Wednesday afternoon as a cold front moves into the northern Alps. The snow line will start at 1,200 meters before falling to as low as 700 meters by evening. By Wednesday night, scattered showers will push snow levels down to just 400 meters in places.
From Thursday, strong föhn winds will develop south of the Alps, gusting at 60 to 90 km/h in exposed areas. In the Chur Rheintal and north-south Alpine valleys, these winds could reach storm force, with peaks of 100 to 120 km/h. The föhn effect will push temperatures in the Chur Rheintal up to around 18°C, but elsewhere, conditions will turn increasingly harsh.
Lowland areas will see scattered snow showers on Thursday, some with thunder and lightning, briefly turning roads wintry. Winds will swing from southwest to northwest, bringing storm-force gusts of 60 to 90 km/h in valleys and foothills. The Alpine foothills and northern slopes will face persistent snowfall until Friday afternoon, with accumulations of 30 to 80 centimeters in places.
Overnight into Thursday, lowland temperatures will hover near freezing. The coldest night is forecast for Friday into Saturday, with lows of -3°C. Several cold nights will follow, keeping conditions icy.
The combination of heavy snow, high winds and freezing temperatures will likely cause travel delays and heighten avalanche dangers. South of the Alps, milder and sunnier weather will persist, but strong northerly föhn winds will create turbulent conditions in affected valleys.
