Alps are big, so is Valais;)
http://www.verbinet.com/snow_report.php
The good news Tortin is open again.
SLF gives the general conditions, but the level of actual danger will vary from one resort to another one. I would expect that the more accurate informatin is that provided by resorts with SLF averaging it.
I never went for any off-piste itinerary when the danger was above 3. At 3 I went three times with a guided group and 2 or 3 times with couple of friends and we were all geared up. We went few times at 2 and most of these times I was without a packpack, we've had level 1 for a while now, and it's not even fun. I don't think I will ever go off-piste with the level of danger higher than 3. Extreme care might not be enough at 4 and 5 sounds totally suicidal.
