Peak peril: Why are there more avalanche deaths than ever in Europe?

Scientists and researchers have expressed serious concerns about the safety of winter sports in Europe as climate change triggers a rising number of avalanches and deaths.

Avalanches caused by melted snow from warmer temperatures are increasing, posing a serious threat to countless families heading to ski resorts across Europe for holidays in February.

Avalanches claim an average of 100 lives in Europe every year, according to the European Avalanche Warning Service.

A total of 130 people were killed in avalanches over the 2020/2021 season, up from the 53 who died in 2019/200. The deaths mainly happened in France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria and Norway.

This is despite massive strides in the technology used to forecast potential avalanches over the past few decades.

Luca Mercalli, a meteorologist who studies the Italian alpine region, said that warmer weather and high winds are a perfect recipe for avalanches, since accumulated snow is heavier as it melts.

“We can’t warn everyone off the mountain during the height of ski season, but this is a particularly worrying phenomenon. It is hard to say it is safe out there,” he told The Daily Beast.

Earlier this month, nine people were killed over three days after more than 100 avalanches hit Austria.

Heavy snowfall followed by warmer temperatures created dangerous conditions leading to the wave of avalanches that struck the western Tyrol region. On one day alone there were five fatalities, rescue services said.

Authorities in Austria’s popular ski region called the situation “unprecedented”.

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Martin Burtscher at the University of Innsbruck in Austria, said: “Avalanches are major natural hazards in snow-covered mountains, threatening people and infrastructure.

“With ongoing climate change, the frequency and types of snow avalanches may change, affecting the rates of avalanche burial and survival. With a wetter and warmer snow climate, consequences of burial may become more severe.”

In Switzerland, the Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research reported 318 damaging avalanches (causing property damage and personal injury) from October 2020 to March 2021. A total of 296 people were affected, around two-thirds above the average of 177 over the past 20 years.

As of 30 March last year, 27 people died in avalanches in Switzerland. All victims were winter sports enthusiasts who were in unsecured terrain, with 11 on tours and 16 on various descents. Notably, one of the deaths was in the Swiss Jura region, where fatal avalanche accidents are usually very rare.

Michael Meusburger, a skier and mountain photographer, admits he has become more fearful of the mountains over recent years.

The structural engineer from Bregenzerwald, Austria, said: “As the weather extremes become more frequent, we are witnessing stronger winds and faster changing temperatures. This leads to a more unstable snowpack which can cause bigger avalanches, and increase their likelihood.

“The snowpack will be harder to predict. That means you have to be a little more careful with everything,” he told The Independent.

“Skiing in general will be probably more affected by less snowfalls and the higher temperatures. If seasonal predictions become more difficult in terms of snow, temperatures and avalanches, this will also have an impact on tourism.

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Mr Meusburger said the world must combat climate change in the long term, but said a short term solution was to improve avalanche safety practices and knowledge.

“Everyone needs to know the risks, and how to avoid the most dangerous situations,” he added.

In a report analysing the effect of climate change on avalanches, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated that “glacier, snow and permafrost decline has altered the frequency, magnitude and location of most related natural hazards”.

“Exposure of people and infrastructure to natural hazards has increased due to growing population, tourism and socioeconomic development. Glacier retreat and permafrost thaw have decreased the stability of mountain slopes and the integrity of infrastructure,” the report said.

“In some regions, snow avalanches involving wet snow have increased. Rain-on-snow floods have decreased at low elevations in spring and increased at high elevations in winter.”