Below Average Number of Avalanche Deaths in Switzerland
15th April 2025
Last modified on April 19th, 2025
Ten people died in avalanches in the Swiss Alps this winter, according to the Swiss Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research. This is below the average for the past 20 years.
Between October 1st 2024, and April 14th 2025, there was a total of 172 avalanches that caused damage to people or property.
Of these, 156 were triggered by people.
A total of 216 people were caught up in an avalanche.
This was slightly above the average of the last 20 years, 205 people.
There were ten fatalities in nine avalanche incidents – well below the 20-year average of 19 fatalities.
The SLF said the low number of victims may be due to various factors:
- There were no accidents with large numbers of fatalities
- Avalanches were mostly small and therefore less dangerous than in previous years
- The rescue operations for people caught in avalanches went well
This season also saw low levels of snow, with a generally stable snowpack.
According to SLF, the last time there was such little snow was in April 1972.
The winter of 2024/2025 was one of the ten mildest since measurements began in 1864.
The SLF also said “good luck” played its part.
Switzerland. Image © PlanetSKI
SLF said there were 21 avalanches that caused damage to properties last winter – well below the annual average of the last 20 years.
There was less snow than normal in the Swiss Alps, particularly in the east.
There were two early starts to inter in autumn 2024.
The first was at the beginning of October above 3,000m, where it snowed “repeatedly” during the rainy and cloudy month.
At lower altitudes, on the other hand, it mostly rained.
The second was during November 19-22 when “an extraordinary amount” of snow fell in the west and north down to low altitudes.
It snowed repeatedly in December, leading to a White Christmas.
There was a rise in lift ticket sales across the winter with the largest rise in some of the lower Swiss resorts.
Overall, the winter saw well below average snow depths throughout Switzerland due to low precipitation.
In mid-April, for example, there was only 1.21m of snow on the Weissfluhjoch measuring field above Davos; the normal average figure would be almost double at 2.18m.
See here for more details on Swiss Info
Avalanche in the Alps. Image © PlanetSKI
However there is forecast to be huge amounts of snow in the next few days ahead of Easter and the avalanche risk is expected to be at Level 4 – High – in places.
Over 1m is forecast in Zermatt and Saas-Fee in Switzerland, with significant quantities in Verbier.
The authorities are advising people to exercise caution and if skiing off piste, and to have the necessary safety equipment plus be familiar with using it.
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