Best Snowfall Tracking Site for Switzerland - White Risk

[ChrisC]

This website "White Risk" uses Swiss Government data to report snow bases and new snowfall. This is much better than most ski resort websites. You can find a location that either is at the resort or a nearby peak.

What is most beneficial is you can find base depths and new snow at altitude or resort level from a reputable source. Looks like it is data from the
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF that Tony was always trying to get.

WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research

WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF

The SLF Davos conducts research on snow, the atmosphere, natural hazards, permafrost and mountain ecological systems, and develops innovative products.

www.wsl.ch

White Risk Swiss

White Risk

White Risk helps you ensure that your winter mountain tours are as safe as possible. It can be used at the planning stage, while in the field, and for education and training.

whiterisk.ch

Snowfall Data:

Base Depths. Here

New Snow at 1,3, or 7-day intervals. Here


Don't know if a subscription would allow you to download data sets.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

That's helpful. Thanks for the heads-up!

 

[ChrisC]

For example Zermatt: (Currently I can no longer post screenshots)

Zermatt -1600m here

new snow 1 day	0 cm
New snow last 3 days	5 cm
New snow last 7 days	73 cm
Snow depth	20 cm

Gornergratsee - 2953m here

new snow 1 day	0 cm
New snow last 3 days	29 cm
New snow last 7 days	112 cm
Snow depth	135 cm

Also, they have long-term mean, min, and max, so you can see how the season is doing relative to prior years. Unclear how far 'long-term' the data set is.

You can see Zermatt is having one of its worst seasons ever with snow bases even falling below even long-term minimums.

 

[ChrisC]

Looks like every resort in Southern and Western Switzerland hit multi-year snow base minimums around March 1st.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

You can see Zermatt is having one of its worst seasons ever with snow bases even falling below even long-term minimums.

Didn't the recent storms help? Fraser mentioned that Zermatt was closed off for a day or two due to all the snow: between 60cm and 120cm (with even more in places) above 2200m between Friday and Tuesday.

 

[ChrisC]

Didn't the recent storms help? Fraser mentioned that Zermatt was closed off for a day or two due to all the snow.

It looks like every Swiss location received 100-150cm above 2000m over the past 7 days.....With some locations in the NW Alps close to 200cm.

Brought most back to near average.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

With some locations in the NW Alps close to 200cm.

Better late than never but the region would've really preferred this snow 4-6 weeks earlier.

Monday, I overnighted in Annecy 40 minutes south of GVA and experienced an unbelievably long and loud thunderstorm -- it must've added at least another foot to the mountains.