"The season's danger came down to a familiar but deadly pattern: a weak early snowpack followed by heavy snowfall. The early winter created an unstable base layer - the 'Altschneeproblem' (old snow problem) - across much of the region."
"When storms arrived in January and February, new snow loaded onto that fragile foundation, resetting instability rather than stabilizing it. Patrick Nairz, head of Tyrol's avalanche warning service, described a prolonged stretch where classic red flags - spontaneous releases, cracking, settling, and remote triggering - were constant."
"Across Europe, 146 people died in avalanches this season - more than double last year's total and 40% above the 20-year average. The Euregio alone accounted for roughly 27% of those deaths."
"Sadly, the Euregio region - the cross-border territory shared by Austria's Tyrol, Italy's South Tyrol, and the autonomous province of Trentino - followed the same trajectory seen across the western Alps."
The winter of 2025-26 in the Euregio was marked by a significant avalanche crisis, with 40 fatalities and 34 injuries from 62 incidents. This alarming trend reflected a broader European pattern, where avalanche deaths reached 146, more than double the previous year. The season's danger stemmed from a weak early snowpack followed by heavy snowfall, creating instability. Classic warning signs were prevalent, indicating a dangerous snowpack situation across the Alps, particularly in Tyrol, South Tyrol, and Trentino.
Read at SnowBrains
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