Results from snowcourse observations under forest and in open terrain during the winters 1972/73 through 1974/75 are used to assess the variability of snowpack water equivalent in a region of the Northern Prealps of Switzerland. Field measurements were taken at elevations of about 1400 m a.s.l. and in twoweek intervals, Topographic position (slope/aspect), forest stand characteristics and meteorological parameters are used to compute periodical changes of snowpack water equivalent. Deviatiora from observed data indicate that effects of meteorological factors such as air temperature lapse rate, wind conditions as well as duration and intensity of precipitation need careful evaluation in the proposed model. This is of particular importance when air-temperature is near 0° c.