Winter of Terror
The avalanche winter of 1951 includes two weather events during which large amounts of snow fell in the Alps. This went numerous avalanches within a short period down spontaneously; many of them of unusual location or in a thickness that it was to serious damage and many deaths.
In January and February, 265 people died in the Alpine region as a direct result of the weather events triggered by avalanches. The January event was a pronounced north- westerly position that all the Central and Eastern Alps ( Switzerland, Austria, Italy) was concerned, the February event affected a Vb - weather conditions, resulting in the Southern Alps ( Switzerland, Italy).
- 5.1 January
- 5.2 in February
Meteorological history
Back in November fell on average much snow that lay there until the end of the year in the Alps. In early January came much snow to do so. Middle of the month had already fallen more than 200 percent of the usual amount of new snow southeast of the line Zermatt -Simplon Furka Erstfeld -Glarus -Sargans. In Central Grisons, the Engadine, the southern valleys of Graubünden and Ticino 300 up to 400 percent.
January
On the night of the 15th to January 16th, 1951 began an active northwest flow. This brought north of the Alps for five days nearly continuous snowfall. At times, fell up to 15 inches of new snow per hour. Overall, the amount of new snow between 16 and 22 January was between one and more than two and a half meter of fresh snow. Especially in the Glarus Alps fell more than two meters, and in the upper Prättigau even two and a half meters. As a result, there were many avalanches. After 22 January, the snow solidified pretty quickly and the danger was averted for now.
February
On the southern side but paved to another event. On February 4, 1951, a Südwindlage set in, the well brought north of the Alps and in the Ticino hairdryer in the higher layers within two days a meter of fresh snow. Then there was a short weather calms down. However, on 8 February, a new storage location with lasting until 11 February rainfall on the southern side forms. With these two events over 400 percent of the usual February rainfall had been measured, in the Valle Onsernone even 600 percent. These were the highest measured rainfall since 1864. Maggia In the valleys and in Bedrettotal about four feet of new snow fell, even the north of the Alpine main ridge lying areas were still more than two meters of fresh snow. As a result, it came again to many avalanches, but this time the major harmful avalanches than in January, where almost the entire Alpine region was affected to a smaller area remained limited.
Avalanche victims in Italy
On the Italian side of the Brenner Pass, 18 people died in January and in the Livigno valley 7 people in avalanches. In February, 14 people died in Italy, in the Val Formazza, in the upper Val San Giacomo and in South Tyrol, in avalanches.
Avalanche victims in Austria
In Austria, mainly in the provinces of Tyrol, Carinthia and Salzburg, 135 people died in this period. Over 200 buildings were destroyed or damaged in Austria and pulled 350,000 m³ forest affected.
Avalanche victims in Switzerland
From 19 to January 22, 1951 went off in the Swiss Alps over 1,000 harmful avalanches, in these 75 people died. Between 11 and February 15, 1951 went to Switzerland from almost 300 harmful avalanches, in which 16 people died. It was concerned about 2.000 ha forest area of avalanches, where a damaged timber volume of 175,000 m³ finalScore.
Chronology and analysis of the individual avalanches
The following list includes only significant harmful avalanches (Because source location currently Switzerland only ).
January
February
By about 100 avalanches 350 buildings were damaged or destroyed. The remaining 200 avalanches malicious damage done to the forest. In Switzerland, around 560 ha of forest were affected, which was destroyed in the process, the damage will be 35,000 m³ of wood.
Effects and processing
In Switzerland, had by the approximately 1,500 harmful avalanches all 20 originate in areas with avalanche barriers. Thus, effectiveness and benefits of these barriers were found impressive proof. This had a massive expansion of these barriers result. So after about 10 kilometers of barriers were created ( 1951-1984 an order volume of around 1.6 billion Swiss francs) annually. The Gefahrenkartengeografierung was driven especially in this area, so that barriers could also be placed in the right locations in the sequence.
On the Stillberg in Dischmatal ( at Davos ) was applied an extensive research area for reforestation by the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF ) together with the Forest Research Institute ( EAFV ).