climate
Retreating glaciers are forcing Switzerland to redraw its maps
New aerial surveys show how rapidly retreating glaciers are altering Switzerland’s physical landscape and forcing official maps to be updated.
10 days ago · 1 source
glaciers
Melting Swiss glaciers reveal ancient Alpine secrets
Melting Swiss glaciers are exposing Bronze Age weapons, animal remains and other archaeological evidence. Report on the race to recover artefacts before they deteriorate, what the discoveries reveal about Alpine history and the scientific challenges created by disappearing ice.
SWI swissinfo.ch
Alps
Inside Switzerland’s giant 3D model for predicting landslides
Researchers have built a large-scale 3D model of the Blatten region to improve predictions of landslides and other mass movements.
SWI swissinfo.ch
Swiss courts
Bondo rockslide acquittals test accountability for Alpine hazards
A Swiss court has acquitted all five defendants over the 2017 Bondo rockslide, finding no clear evidence that an imminent disaster should have been recognised or that paths should have been closed. The ruling raises broader questions about liability, risk warnings and public decisions in increasingly unstable Alpine terrain.
SWI swissinfo.ch
Environment
The ongoing heatwave and drought are creating widespread problems across the country, from dangerously low reservoir levels and increased Alpine risks to political pressure on the Environment Minister.
The Local Switzerland · +3 more
Environment
Switzerland is facing a severe environmental situation as rapid glacier melt, exemplified by the Rhône Glacier losing 1. 4 meters of ice in two weeks, combines with a prolonged drought. Rivers and reservoirs are at 20-year lows, and experts warn of increasingly dangerous conditions for mountain activities like climbing due to heightened risks of rockfalls.
The Local Switzerland · +5 more
Environment
A new WSL Institute study using hourly data predicts that extreme floods in the Swiss Alps will become significantly more intense and frequent by the century's end, presenting a bleaker outlook for the region than previous daily data models.
SWI swissinfo.ch
Environment
A new report from the Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network (GLAMOS) reveals that Swiss glaciers are entering the summer melt season with dangerously low levels of protective snow cover, raising alarms about accelerated ice loss in the coming months.
Le News
Alps
The Swiss Alpine Club reports a record 409,000 overnight stays in 2025, yet the recent rockfall on Titlis, forcing prolonged closures, underscores the increasing tension between booming mountain tourism and the threats posed by natural hazards.
SWI swissinfo.ch · +2 more
Agriculture
The alpine farming sector is sounding the alarm over a shortage of personnel, particularly for experienced dairy farmers. Despite job portal listings, a lack of well-trained and committed applicants threatens the upcoming summer season on the alp.
SWI swissinfo.ch
Environment
The 2025-2026 winter season was marked by a fragile snowpack, resulting in a higher-than-usual number of avalanche incidents. By the end of March, 244 people had been caught in 171 separate avalanches, according to the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research.
Le News
Public Safety
A deadly Easter weekend in the Swiss Alps saw at least three people killed in separate avalanches, including a mountaineer and a snowboarder. This adds to an already above-average number of avalanche victims this winter.
Le News · +2 more
Public Safety
A deadly Easter weekend saw at least three people, including a mountaineer and a snowboarder, killed in separate avalanches across the Swiss Alps, contributing to an above-average number of avalanche incidents this winter.
Le News · +2 more
Weather
The Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) has issued a high avalanche risk warning for parts of the northern Alps, including the Glarus Alps and Central Swiss Alps. Spontaneous avalanches are expected due to large amounts of fresh snow, making off-piste conditions highly critical.
SWI swissinfo.ch
Weather
Authorities have raised the avalanche risk to level 4 ('high') in the southern Swiss Alps, particularly in Ticino, following exceptionally heavy snowfall. Over a meter of fresh snow has been recorded in some areas, prompting warnings of spontaneous avalanches and potential transport disruptions.
SWI swissinfo.ch · +2 more
Avalanche
Following a week of heavy snowfall and a maximum-level avalanche warning, Switzerland is grappling with a skier's death and a train derailment. While authorities manage the immediate danger, researchers are developing an AI model that 'listens' for seismic signals to predict slides.
The Local Switzerland · +4 more
Avalanche
Swiss authorities have issued the highest avalanche alert for parts of the Alps following heavy snowfall. The extreme conditions have led to multiple road closures and caused a train to derail in canton Valais, injuring five passengers.
The Local Switzerland · +2 more
Weather
Authorities have declared the highest avalanche alert for parts of the Swiss Alps following heavy snowfall and storms. The severe conditions have led to road closures, a train derailment injuring five, and the death of a snowboarder.
The Local Switzerland · +4 more
Alps
A German man has died and four others were hurt after an avalanche struck a group of cross-country skiers in the Swiss Alps, police confirmed on Saturday.
The Local Switzerland
avalanche
A dangerous weekend in the Swiss Alps saw several people killed in separate avalanches. A German skier died near the Oberalp Pass, while another incident in canton Valais claimed the lives of two cantonal police officers during a ski tour.
The Local Switzerland · +3 more
