Snowfall grips Alps - high avalanche warnings almost everywhere

Tuesday, 17 February 2026 06:30

Heavy snowfall is tightening its grip across the Swiss Alps, triggering deadly avalanches and major disruption.

The Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research has issued a level four warning across large parts of the Alps, a warning rarely this widespread.

Experts say even professionals face serious risk, urging skiers to stay strictly on marked slopes as more snow is forecast through Tuesday.

One mountain guide told the Blick newspaper that no skier - no matter how experienced - should stray off the parked pistes at all.

The snow is particularly dangerous at the moment because a large amount has recently fallen on older snow packs - making it very unstable.

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