Knowledge Climate change will lead to more wet snow avalanches by 2100

The consequences of climate change are promoting an increase in wet snow avalanches above the tree line in winter. Avalanche safety services can hardly trigger these artificially. The only safety measure that can be taken is to close endangered areas in ski resorts.

In the case of wet snow avalanches, part of the snowpack is moistened by melt or rain water. Dry avalanches will decrease overall, as the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) announced on Wednesday. If the average winter temperature warms by around five degrees Celsius by 2100, the overall activity of avalanches will also decrease.

Avalanches are likely to reach valley locations less frequently in future due to rising temperatures, the associated higher snow line and less snow. However, there will still be extreme snowfall events in the future, the report continued. This could even lead to larger avalanches at higher altitudes. If these run off in a channeled manner, they could even reach the valley as they do today.

The SLF investigated the consequences of climate change on avalanche activity at seven locations in Switzerland. These included the Weissfluhjoch above Davos GR and a station at 2700 meters near Zermatt VS. The results are transferable to the entire Alpine region. They can also be applied to mountain ranges with similar climatic conditions, such as the Columbia Mountains in Canada.

SDA