Climate change tipped to alter Swiss avalanche patterns by 2100

Climate change is expected to result in fewer avalanches overall in Switzerland but to increase the danger of wet snow avalanches by 2100. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The only effective safety measure is to close ski resorts in danger zones, warn researchers. In wet snow avalanches, part of the snowpack is moistened by melt or rain water. These are expected to increase above the tree line. + Read how Switzerland tries to defeat extreme weather events But dry snow avalanches will decrease, 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 ...