Climate change puts Alps in danger: snow becomes rain!

Climate change puts Alps in danger: snow becomes rain!

Alpenraum, Österreich - climate change has profound effects on the mountains in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, as a current expert forum shows. 14 climate and sports research institutions from the three countries are involved in this forum. The average warming since the pre -industrial period until the end of 2024 is 3.1 degrees Celsius in Austria, 2.5 degrees Celsius in Germany and 2.9 degrees Celsius in Switzerland. The forecasts indicate that the annual mean temperature in the roof room will increase by at least another two degrees by the end of the century, regardless of the climate protection measures taken. This development has a direct impact on the winter season and the water budget conditions in the Alps.

The current changes lead to a decline in the natural snow cover in the depths and medium -sized locations, which reach up to about 1,500 meters above sea level. At these altitudes, an increase in precipitation in the form of rain instead of snow can be expected. There are robust signals for more intensive precipitation, which are often also characterized by high natural variability. This can affect the meteorological conditions for technical snow production, since fewer snowmaking times and higher water and energy requirements can be expected. Especially in summer, increasing drought and more intensive strong showers can be observed, which can intensify alpine natural hazards such as Muren exits and slope slips.

effects on nature and sporting activities

climate change exposes the fragile ecosystems of the Alps and has a significant impact on local biodiversity. A current report by bund-naturschutz.de emphasizes that the average temperatures in the mountains rise twice as quickly as in the global average. This not only affects the vegetation periods and the water balance, but also has far -reaching consequences for rivers and seas across Europe.

The changes in glaciers are particularly pronounced. For example, the glaciers of the black sanctuary in the Allgäu Alps and the Schneerer Glacier on the Zugspitze show significant melting symptoms in recent decades. Larger amounts of snow combined with wintry heat breakdowns also increase the risk of wet snow avalanches. The expert report indicates that softened floors, often caused by intensive alpine pasture, can lead to increased degradation slips. This is not only a danger to nature, but also for infrastructures, such as roads and buildings.

research results and recommendations

The effects of climate change on mass movements in the mountains were analyzed in a comprehensive study, which was coordinated by Samuel Weber and Mylène Jacquemart. This research project is part of the WSL research program CCAMM and has evaluated over 300 scientific work in the past three decades. The results show significant processes such as rockfall, clash, murder and ice and snow avalanches, which are likely to increase in the face of the climatic changes.