Avalanche - European Avalanche Risk Table

European Avalanche Risk Table

In Europe, the avalanche risk is widely rated on the following scale, which was adopted in April 1993 to replace the earlier non-standard national schemes. Descriptions were last updated in May 2003 to enhance uniformity.

In France, most avalanche deaths occur at risk levels 3 and 4. In Switzerland most occur at levels 2 and 3. It is thought that this may be due to national differences of interpretation when assessing the risks.

Risk Level	Snow Stability	Avalanche Risk
1 - Low	Snow is generally very stable.	Avalanches are unlikely except when heavy loads are applied on a very few extreme steep slopes. Any spontaneous avalanches will be minor (sluffs). In general, safe conditions.
2 - Limited	On some steep slopes the snow is only moderately unstable . Elsewhere it is very stable.	Avalanches may be triggered when heavy loads are applied, especially on a few generally identified steep slopes. Large spontaneous avalanches are not expected.
3 - Medium	On many steep slopes the snow is only moderately or weakly stable.	Avalanches may be triggered on many slopes even if only light loads are applied. On some slopes, medium or even fairly large spontaneous avalanches may occur.
4 - High	On most steep slopes the snow is not very stable.	Avalanches are likely to be triggered on many slopes even if only light loads are applied. In some places, many medium or sometimes large spontaneous avalanches are likely.
5 - Very High	The snow is generally unstable.	Even on gentle slopes, many large spontaneous avalanches are likely to occur.

Stability:

Generally described in more detail in the avalanche bulletin (regarding the altitude, aspect, type of terrain etc.)

additional load:

heavy: two or more skiers or boarders without spacing between them, a single hiker or climber, a grooming machine, avalanche blasting.
light: a single skier or snowboarder smoothly linking turns and without falling, a group of skiers or snowboarders with a minimum 10 m gap between each person, a single person on snowshoes.

Gradient:

gentle slopes: with an incline below about 30°.
steep slopes: with an incline over 30°.
very steep slopes: with an incline over 35°.
extremely steep slopes: extreme in terms of the incline (over 40°), the terrain profile, proximity of the ridge, smoothness of underlying ground.

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