WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF

Satellite radars reveal early signs of slope instability years before Blatten rock/ice avalanche - eo science for society On 28 May 2025, a massive rock/ice avalanche detached from the Birch Glacier above the village of Blatten in the Lötschental valley (Valais, Switzerland).

#Satellites reveal early signs of slope instability: #SLF scientist Andrea Manconi shows that #radar monitoring with satellites help to detect slope instabilities like at Blatten years in advance.
For details check the #ESA news article: eo4society.esa.int/2025/08/08/s...
@esa.int @esaearth.esa.int

A group of hydrologists are standing next to a mountain stream.

Last week, James Kirchner, @harshberia.bsky.social and @mfhydro.bsky.social visited us in Davos to discuss the ongoing field study of river water temperature and their study on river isotopes! Thanks for the nice discussions!

#dischma
@manuelaibrunner.bsky.social @mariagrundmann.bsky.social

Things are getting serious on the #Arctic expedition #CONTRASTS: The #SLF researchers experience their first bear alert and start taking measurements.
Read all the details in part 2 of the logbook blog: www.slf.ch/en/news/bear...

📷️ M. Haugeneder / C. Elmaleh / R. Dadic

Climate change has minor impact on marmots for now Marmots now live at higher altitudes than they did 40 years ago, but climate change has not led to a major habitat shift.

#Climatechange is causing #marmots to move, but not far: this is the conclusion of a recent study by #SLF biologist @annekempel.bsky.social. She investigated the altitude at which most marmots currently live and compared her findings with data from 1982.
More information: www.slf.ch/en/news/clim...

The Swiss Cryosphere Report 2024 is out: Despite heavy snow, Swiss glaciers lost >2% of their volume. Permafrost hit record levels as heatwaves & Saharan dust take a toll on snow & ice. 🧊📉 #Kryosphärenbericht2024 #GLAMOS @slfdavos.bsky.social #PERMOS @scnat.ch

🖇️ cryosphere.scnat.ch/de/publicati...

Start of the #Arctic expedition #CONTRASTS: Three #SLF employees spend two months on the research vessel #Polarstern to collect various #snow data in the Arctic ice. They report on their journey in the logbook blog.
Click here for the first part: www.slf.ch/de/news/star...
📷️ Melinda Webster / SLF

On finding my water temperature community Walking the halls of the EGU General Assembly 2025 a few weeks ago, I was full of child-like curiosity. Being surrounded by people doing fascinating, creative, and innovative research felt like a drea...

Back from holiday, I finally have time to show you this: I am so happy I got the chance by @hs.egu.eu to talk about how a #watertemperature community would benefit research. As a young scientist, I am looking forward to becoming part of a group!

blogs.egu.eu/divisions/hs...

New models improve predictions of snow, rock and ice avalanches A new 3D simulation tool developed by ETH and SLF researchers now allows for significantly more accurate predictions of complex alpine mass movements, supporting alpine risk management.

A new 3D simulation tool developed by ETH and SLF @slfdavos.bsky.social researchers now allows for significantly more accurate predictions of complex alpine mass movements, supporting alpine risk management. ethz.ch/en/news-and-...

YouTube video by WSL-Institut für Schnee- und Lawinenforschung SLF Anna wird Lawinenwarnerin

Anna has been an #avalanche forcaster at the #SLF since the beginning of 2025, fulfilling a big dream. In the video, she talks about how her colleagues are training her in her tasks, what she is looking forward to and what experience she brings with her: youtu.be/tATza20b7O8
(Subtitles on YouTube)

How often these extreme events occur and how bad can they get, these are the questions that we are adressing within the RiHeat project at @slfdavos.bsky.social.

@mariagrundmann.bsky.social @manuelaibrunner.bsky.social

Vernissage «Wandern, wo andere forschen. Davos und Umgebung» An Hand von Vorträgen, Ausstellung und Beispielwanderung erhalten Besuchende tiefere Einblicke in das neue Wanderbuch von SLF und WSL, das auf acht Wanderungen in Davos und Umgebung zu spannenden Orte...

Einladung zur #Vernissage des Buchs "Wandern, wo andere forschen": Am Dienstag, 1. Juli, stellen wir das neue #Wanderbuch mit Vorträgen, einer Beispielwanderung und einem Apéro allen Interessierten vor. 16-19 Uhr am #SLF in Davos.
Alle Infos: www.slf.ch/de/veranstal...

Around 230 experts spent the last three days at an international seminar on avalanches and law in Davos organised by the SLF to deepen their knowledge and promote mutual understanding. Thank you for participating!

📷️ J. Trachsel

#SLF #SLFDavos #Avalanche #Law #Safety #FEB #SBV #SAC #AlpineRettung

Lawinenabgang in verschneitem Gebirge mit Rettungskräften und Fahrzeugen bei Bergungseinsatz

Auf #Skitour – nicht ohne meinen Anwalt? Im Interview mit dem Magazin DIAGONAL spricht #SLF -Leiter Jürg Schweizer über juristische Aspekte von Lawinenunglücken. Darum geht es auch im Seminar #Lawinen und #Recht vom 11.-13.6.2025 in Davos.
Zum Interview: www.slf.ch/de/news/auf-...

📷️ J. Schweizer

#Job at the #SLF: The research unit "Snow and Atmosphere" is looking for a leader for the "Snow Physics" group. Your role will be high-level research and scientific leadership, funding acquisition, and coordination of the group's projects and activities.
All details: apply.refline.ch/273855/1744/...

Failure zone of the Piz Scerscen rock slope failure with water flowing out of the permafrost (Photo: D. Hunziker 14.4.2024)

FAQ "Influence of #permafrost on #rockslopefailure": The permafrost in the Alps is warming rapidly and affecting major rock slope instabilities. Experts from the #SLF provide answers to the most important questions: www.slf.ch/en/permafros...

📷️ D. Hunziker

#CERC #naturalhazards

We are looking for a #Postdoc in 'hydrological modelling and climate impact assessments of extreme events'. Are you excited about #flood modeling and working on an applied project in the Canton of Valais? Apply here:
apply.refline.ch/273855/1743/...
@slfdavos.bsky.social @usyseth.bsky.social

Thanks for the question, I will check next with my colleagues and get back to you...

Stop! Danger! #Permafrost is thawing, mountains are crumbling: Combined with extreme weather, these and other processes are leading to more #naturalhazards. More in the latest issue of Diagonal magazine: www.slf.ch/en/publicati...

#WSL #SLF #CCAMM #CERC #climatechange

📹 R. Oester

Die Annmeldung für das Seminar "Lawinen und Recht" ist neu bis 6. Juni möglich. Anmeldung und detailliertes Programm: www.slf.ch/de/ueber-das...

Did you know that storing snow over the summer for Nordic skiing already started in the early 2000s?
More information and facts about sustainable snow management can be found on the project page: www.slf.ch/en/projects/...

#SLF #SLFDavos#snow #snowstorage #snowfarming #nordicskiing

Job alert! Open Research position in our group on "Tree line ecology in mountain regions" at @slfdavos.bsky.social Apply and become my colleague 😊
apply.refline.ch/273855/1731/...

Das Buch "Wandern, wo andere forschen" begleitet euch auf acht teils hochalpinen Wanderungen in die #Bergwelt rund um #Davos und zu Orten, wo das #SLF forscht. Und eine App ergänzt den Wanderführer mit umfangreichen Zusatzinformationen.
Mehr Infos und Bestellung: www.haupt.ch/.../wandern-...
#CERC

From the classroom to the #research laboratory: Mira Lange, a secondary school student, spent three weeks at the #SLF as an intern. She writes about her experiences in #snow research during this time in the logbook: www.slf.ch/en/news/from...

📷️ M. Lange

CH Media Zeitungen, Mylène Jacquemart: avenue.argusdatainsights.ch/Article/Aven...

Wenn der Berg kommt – wie bedroht uns die Natur wirklich? Ein plötzlicher Bergsturz zwingt die Bevölkerung von Blatten VS zur überstürzten Evakuierung – und wirft erneut die Frage auf: Wie sicher sind unsere Alpen? Immer häufiger geraten ganze Bergflanken in...

TeleZüri TalkTäglich, Christoph Hegg: www.telezueri.ch/talktaeglich...

Blatten VS: das dreistufige System der Bergüberwachung Wenn der Berg kommt, sind die Bewohner von Blatten gerettet. Wie man das vorhersehen konnte, weiss Forscher Yves Bühler.

SRF Tagesschau, @slfyvi.bsky.social: www.srf.ch/news/schweiz...

Robert Kenner: «Über die Hälfte des Permafrosts ist aufgetaut» Risse im Berg, notfallmässig muss ein ganzes Dorf evakuiert werden. Gründe für den Bergsturz in Blatten gibt es viele, noch ist aber vieles unklar. Robert Kenner forscht beim Institut für Schnee und L...

SRF 1 Tagesgespräch, Robert Kenner: www.srf.ch/audio/tagesg...

📷 Screenshot SRF

Verschiedene Expert/innen von #WSL und #SLF gaben in den vergangenen Tagen gegenüber Medien zum Beispiel Auskunft darüber, was hinter #Naturgefahren wie Bergstürzen steckt und welche Methoden zur Überwachung eingesetzt werden können.
U.a. in folgenden Formaten... 🧵

#CERC @wslresearch.bsky.social

In the dossier "Rockfalls, rockslides and more", our experts answer the most frequently asked questions about mountain hazards: www.slf.ch/en/natural-h...

📷️ R. Kenner

#SLF #SLFDavos #WSL #CERC #naturalhazards #rockfall #rockslide #debrisflow

"Wandern, wo andere forschen – Davos und Umgebung"
8 Wanderungen in den Bergen rund um Davos, mit vielfältigen Einblicken in die Bergwelt und die Arbeit des SLF.
Buch jetzt erhältlich: www.haupt.ch/buecher/natu...
#SLF #SLFDavos #Wandern #Forschung #Berge #Alpen #Lawinen #Schnee #Naturgefahren #CERC