Record November snowfall affects ski stations and roads
Heavy snow over the weekend was recorded in the southern and eastern parts of the country. The record for November has been broken and ski stations at Saas Fee and Saas Grund are cut off.
According to the Institute for Snow and Avalanche ResearchExternal link, the southern ridges of the Alps have received “a great deal of snowfall” over the last three days with as much as 30cm recorded in some parts of the country. A record monthly snowfall of 71cm for November was registered in Santa Maria in canton Graubünden in eastern Switzerland. The previous record for November snow was 69cm, set also in Santa Maria, in 1959.
As a result of the heavy snow, road and rail transport are experiencing their first major winter disruptions. In addition to the winter closure of many passes, several roads are closed, according to traffic information service Viasuisse. The Stalden-Saas Grund axis in Valais, for example, is shut down, making it impossible to access the ski station of Saas Fee by road. Several roads in canton Graubünden, particularly around Davos, Arosa and Silvaplana, are also covered in snow. This weekend, the Rhaetian Railway (RhB) line from Pontresina to Poschiavo was closed.
Avalanche danger is “considerable” - the third-highest risk level - in most of southeastern Switzerland, according to the Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research.
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