Confederation warns of strong winds in large parts of Switzerland
Published: Saturday, Nov 4th 2023, 17:51
Updated At: Sunday, Nov 5th 2023, 00:54
Zurück zu Live Feed
The federal government is warning of strong winds in large parts of Switzerland on the natural hazards portal. By Saturday evening, wind speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour are expected in exposed locations. The risk of avalanches is also likely to increase significantly on Sunday.
Danger level 3 for wind applies to practically all of Switzerland north of the Alps, from Geneva to St. Gallen and from Basel to Chur, according to the federal government's natural hazard portal. Only parts of the Bernese Oberland, the lower Valais, the Rhine Valley and the northern part of Graubünden are at moderate risk.
Gusts could reach up to 130 kilometers per hour in the Jura - at an altitude of over 1000 meters above sea level. Meteorologists are expecting wind speeds of up to 110 kilometers per hour in exposed locations in the Alps. Föhn winds will prevail there from mid-afternoon.
Danger level 3 means "considerable danger". It is to be expected that individual trees will fall, branches will break off and lightly attached objects such as tents or scaffolding will be at risk. There is an increased risk of accidents on the roads due to strong crosswinds in exposed areas.
The strongest wind phase is expected between midday on Saturday and Saturday evening. The Upper and Central Valais, Ticino and the southern part of Graubünden are not affected by the warning.
Strong winds made rail services between Aigle VD and Monthey VS in the lower Rhone Valley impossible on Saturday afternoon. Replacement buses were in operation, as announced by the rail traffic information service on X (formerly Twitter). And in the Jura, the railroad line between Renan BE and La Chaux-de-Fonds NE was interrupted for around two hours at midday due to a fallen tree.
Avalanche danger increases
With fresh snow and storms, the avalanche danger will increase significantly in the night to Sunday, according to the avalanche bulletin issued by the Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research on Saturday. On Sunday morning, danger level 4, "large", is likely to be reached on north-west to north to east-facing slopes above 2600 meters. This second-highest danger level is forecast for the Valais regions of Emosson, Génépi, Monthey-Val d'Illiez and Val d'Entremont-Val Ferret.
Even a single person could easily trigger an avalanche. The touring conditions are dangerous. The danger mainly relates to alpine snow sports terrain. According to the avalanche bulletin, avalanches that reach down into the valley and endanger exposed traffic routes are hardly to be expected.
©Keystone/SDA
German 
English 
French 
Spanish 
Arabic