Fresh snowfall increases risk of Swiss avalanches

Even lone skiers could trigger large avalanches in some areas. © Keystone / Jean-christophe Bott

Fresh snow and storms have resulted in an elevated avalanche risk in some areas of the Swiss Alps on Saturday.

From Friday to Saturday afternoon, 30 to 50 centimetres of fresh snow fell at higher altitudes from the Bernese Oberland to the Uri and Glarus Alps in central Switzerland.

But 20 to 40 centimetres of snow also fell over the northern Alpine ridge from the Dent des Morcles to Liechtenstein, northern Graubünden and the Lower Engadine, according to the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF.

There were also snowflakes at lower altitudes. In the cities of Chur and Zurich, for example, there was a thin layer of snow on roofs and certain areas of land.

The avalanche warning service described the danger on the northern slopes of the Alps as “high” due to the amount of fresh snow and the sometimes gale-force winds. This triggered the second-highest of five warning levels. Even lone winter sports enthusiasts could easily trigger large avalanches, according to the latest avalanche bulletin.

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