The rain and snow fall of the past days – up to 30 centimetres of snow has fallen in higher areas - appears to have saved the beginning of the ski season.
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MeteoSwiss, the national weather service, expects around 70 centimetres by the end of the week.
The snow line is between 800 and 1,500 metres above sea level, Jacques Ambühl from MeteoSwiss told the Swiss News Agency. The reason is a milder air from the Atlantic, which alternates with Polar Easterlies.
“The situation has eased,” Ambühl said, adding that he expected the current conditions to continue.
There had been fears over the ski season, following a dry autumn that was the second warmest on record.
Central Switzerland and north Graubünden have had a large amount of snow, as has Valais.
The national avalanche bulletin compiled by the Swiss Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research has urged caution towards freshly formed snowdrift accumulations. It warned that a single individual could trigger avalanches, particularly on higher, shady slopes. The avalanche danger is expected to subside over the weekend.
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From these humble beginnings grew the Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF), which is now famed for its expertise and produces the all-important avalanche bulletins for skiers during the wintertime. Davos, the mountain resort in eastern Switzerland, may be known to many as the home of the World Economic Forum or even as the…
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