Avalanche Warnings in Switzerland to be modified starting this winter. The SLF is enhancing the precision by subdividing the danger levels. It will indicate whether the danger is towards the bottom end, in the middle or towards the top end of the reported level.
The SLF (Swiss Institute for Avalanche Research) says the new system will provide “users with more precise information for assessing the risk”.
The five danger levels themselves remain unchanged.
Scotland avalanche forecasting season has begun.
The Scottish Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) assesses snow and avalanche conditions in six mountain areas from early or mid-December to mid-April.
The areas are Lochaber, Glen Coe, Creag Meagaidh, Southern Cairngorms, Northern Cairngorms and Torridon.
Last season, 212 avalanches were recorded - 10 of them involved people but there were no fatalities.
There were 133 reports of avalanches in Iceland in 10 days.
No people have been injured as a result of the events, though one recent avalanche in Skagafjörður killed at least three horses and destroyed a shed. One avalanche on the Skarðsdalur skiing grounds in North Iceland caused significant damage to the facilities. A third near Eskifjörður, East Iceland, damaged a shooting range and appears to have damaged facilities in the area as well.
Two people caught in a Swiss avalanche were rescued after their dogs barked for help. The barking attracted the attention of nearby snowshoers who were able to dig them out.
“The dogs attracted the attention of a group of snowshoers who were some distance away in the same valley but had not witnessed the avalanche.”
About 15-20 minutes after the avalanche, the group was at the scene, where one of the avalanche victims’ hands was visible; the other person was buried entirely, Rega said. Both were dug out slightly injured and with mild hypothermia. Rega then flew them by helicopter to hospital.
A man has been found alive in the French Alps after being buried for several hours under 2.5 metres of snow after being hit by an avalanche during a walk with his family.
More than 100 rescuers were able to free the buried man, who was still alive, after 2 hours 40 of searching.
More than 100 rescuers spent 2 hours 40 minutes searching for the man, who was buried under 2.5 metres of snow after an avalanche in Val d'Isère, a ski resort in Savoie, on January 28.
There have been many fatal avalanches recently in the Alps. Some of the people caught were inexperienced, but professionals have also died.
Last week there were five fatalities in France. Additional accidents occurred in France over the weekend.
There was at least one fatal avalanche in Italy.
Switzerland, where ski resorts are open, has had 16 avalanche deaths so far this winter.
