Winter and recent spring snowfalls have brought record amounts of snow to Switzerland. Experts ponder whether this could lead to floods as it did in 1999.
Snowfall in Switzerland this winter was contrasted by altitude. Down low (below 2,000m) there was significant rain, leaving many low altitude ski resorts short of snow. However, above 2,000m there were record levels of snowfall in many places.
On the Säntis, a 2,502m peak in the Alpstein Mountains in eastern Switzerland, the snow depth reached nearly 7m last week, more snow than the peak has seen in 25 years, reported SRF. On average the snow depth there reaches an April maximum of 3.88 metres. High altitude ski resorts such as Verbier have more snow above 2,000m than they have seen in many years.
In 1999, similarly high amounts of snow (8m), combined with heavy rain when the snow melted caused devastating spring floods in large parts of Switzerland. The floods, which were of a once a century magnitude, caused damage costing more than half a billion francs.
Could this happen again?
Felix Blumer from SRF Meteo doesn’t think flooding is likely this time. Although the soil in flood prone regions is heavily saturated, another risk factor, there is little snow below 2,000m. This lack of low level snow reduces the risk, according to the expert.
More on this:
SRF article (in German)
For more stories like this on Switzerland follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
