Overview
- The national weather service DWD expanded warnings Thursday for the Alps and forelands, calling for 15 to 30 centimeters of snow above about 1,000 meters and up to 50 centimeters in terrain that traps snowfall.
- Bavaria’s avalanche service raised the danger level above the tree line to the second-highest tier, and police reported disruptions including a B31 closure where trucks got stuck in snow.
- Strong winds accompanied the cold surge, with 60 to 90 km/h gusts in many lowland areas and up to 120 km/h on exposed peaks, along with brief showers and isolated thunderstorms.
- The snow line dropped to roughly 400 to 600 meters in places, bringing slick roads and a risk of night frost into the start of Easter travel before conditions gradually calm by the weekend.
- Meteorologists describe a classic late‑March pattern where polar sea air meets the Alps and forces moist air up the slopes, wringing out heavy orographic snow that can quickly raise avalanche risk.