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Alpine snow getting thinner

Tuesday, 21 October 2025 06:30

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The snow in the Alps is getting thinner.

A new study by the Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research shows that average snow depth between November and April has dropped by about eight centimetres per decade in some areas over the past sixty years.

The study modelled the snow cover across the country since 1962. It found that the Swiss Plateau has seen the sharpest decline - up to 20 percent less snow per decade.

At 2,000 metres, the loss is smaller, around four percent.

The findings are already being used to improve forecasts for winter tourism, water management and avalanche safety.

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