TL;DR
Recent avalanche incidents in Switzerland's Valais Alps underscore the importance of the new three-tiered danger scale developed by the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research.
Swiss Alps Avalanches Claim Two Lives as New Danger Scale Debuts
Two separate avalanches in Switzerland's Valais Alps resulted in the deaths of two skiers last week. These incidents occurred as the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) introduced a new three-tiered danger scale to improve risk assessment for backcountry users.
On April 3, a 34-year-old Swiss skier died near the Valsorey hut after triggering an avalanche while skiing steep terrain. Despite quick response from nearby guides and Air-Glaciers helicopter crews, the skier could not be saved. Two days later, a 58-year-old Belgian skier was killed near the Mauvoisin dam when an icefall triggered a mixed avalanche of ice and rock.
The SLF has warned of 'considerable' danger (Level 3) above 2,200 metres elevation. This level is now part of a new three-tiered system that subdivides existing danger levels into minus (-), equals (=), and plus (+) categories. For example, Level 3 now includes 3-, 3=, and 3+.
This refinement aims to provide more precise risk assessments, especially for dry snow avalanches. It's particularly important for Level 3, which is associated with half of all avalanche fatalities in Switzerland. The new system allows forecasters to better communicate changing conditions as snow stabilises or destabilises over time.The SLF developed these sublevels in response to requests from avalanche forecasters and snow sports professionals. Data analysis has shown that avalanche activity correlates strongly with these sublevels, confirming their practical value. For instance, more avalanches are reported on days marked as '3+' compared to '3-'.
