Articles | Volume 15, issue 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4335-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4335-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
08 Sep 2021
Research article |
| 08 Sep 2021
| 08 Sep 2021
Elevation-dependent trends in extreme snowfall in the French Alps from 1959 to 2019
UR ETNA, INRAE, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
Guillaume Evin
UR ETNA, INRAE, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
Nicolas Eckert
UR ETNA, INRAE, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
Juliette Blanchet
IGE, Grenoble INP, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, IRD, CNRS, Grenoble, France
Samuel Morin
CNRM, Météo-France, CNRS, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Toulouse, CEN, Grenoble, France
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Cited
30 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Large-ensemble climate simulations to assess changes in snow stability over northern Japan Y. Katsuyama et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2022.85
- Detecting the impact of climate change on alpine mass movements in observational records from the European Alps M. Jacquemart et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2024.104886
- Off-Piste Skiing Demand Patterns and Climate Change Adaptation Pathways in La Grave, France N. Yoshizawa et al. https://doi.org/10.1659/mrd.2023.00032
- Impacts of Climate Change on Snow Avalanche Activity Along a Transportation Corridor in the Tianshan Mountains J. Hao et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13753-023-00475-0
- Combining modelled snowpack stability with machine learning to predict avalanche activity L. Viallon-Galinier et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2245-2023
- Trends in avalanche problems in the French Alps between 1958 and 2020 B. Reuter et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2025.104555
- Towards a holistic paradigm for long-term snow avalanche risk assessment and mitigation N. Eckert & F. Giacona https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-022-01804-1
- Change in the potential snowfall phenology: past, present, and future in the Chinese Tianshan mountainous region, Central Asia X. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2437-2023
- Extreme snowfalls and atmospheric circulation patterns in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain) C. García-Hernández & J. López-Moreno https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2024.104170
- Upslope migration of snow avalanches in a warming climate F. Giacona et al. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2107306118
- Estimating changes in extreme snow load in Europe as a function of global warming levels G. Evin et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2025.104424
- Resilience-Oriented Extension of the RAMSSHEEP Framework to Address Natural Hazards Through Nature-Based Solutions: Insights from an Alpine Infrastructure Study S. Fernandes et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures11010035
- Climatology and Formation Environments of Heavy Snowfall Events in the Ural Region (Russia) A. Shikhov et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16121386
- Constitution of a multicentennial multirisk database in a mountainous environment from composite sources: the example of the Vallouise-Pelvoux municipality (Ecrins, France) L. Dallons Thanneur et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-4881-2025
- What weather variables are important for wet and slab avalanches under a changing climate in a low-altitude mountain range in Czechia? M. Součková et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-3501-2022
- Future winter snowfall and extreme snow events in the Pyrenees J. Bonsoms et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.107912
- Climate change impacts on snow avalanche activity and related risks N. Eckert et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-024-00540-2
- Diverging snowfall trends across months and elevation in the northeastern Italian Alps G. Bertoldi et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.8002
- The European Alps in a changing climate: physical trends and impacts M. Dumont et al. https://doi.org/10.5802/crgeos.288
- Snow sensitivity to temperature and precipitation change during compound cold–hot and wet–dry seasons in the Pyrenees J. Bonsoms et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1307-2023
- Development and evaluation of a method to identify potential release areas of snow avalanches based on watershed delineation C. Duvillier et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-1383-2023
- Diachronic quantitative snow avalanche risk assessment as a function of forest cover changes T. Zgheib et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2022.103
- Snow and avalanche climates in the French Alps using avalanche problem frequencies B. Reuter et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2023.23
- Projection of snowfall extremes in the French Alps as a function of elevation and global warming level E. Le Roux et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4691-2023
- Contrasting trends of extreme rainfall and snowfall in the Northern Hemisphere Y. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.accre.2025.09.002
- Long‐term snowfall trends and variability in the Alps M. Bozzoli et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.8597
- Legacy of snow cover on alpine landscapes P. Choler et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02702-6
- Assessing Meteorological (1950–2022) and Hydrological (1911–2022) Trends in the Northwestern Alps: Insights from the Upper Po River Basin L. Stucchi et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w18030348
- Study on the Constitutive Equation and Mechanical Properties of Natural Snow under Step Loading H. Han et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w15183271
- Investigating Extreme Snowfall Changes in China Based on an Ensemble of High-Resolution Regional Climate Models J. Zhu et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15053878
30 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Large-ensemble climate simulations to assess changes in snow stability over northern Japan Y. Katsuyama et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2022.85
- Detecting the impact of climate change on alpine mass movements in observational records from the European Alps M. Jacquemart et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2024.104886
- Off-Piste Skiing Demand Patterns and Climate Change Adaptation Pathways in La Grave, France N. Yoshizawa et al. https://doi.org/10.1659/mrd.2023.00032
- Impacts of Climate Change on Snow Avalanche Activity Along a Transportation Corridor in the Tianshan Mountains J. Hao et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13753-023-00475-0
- Combining modelled snowpack stability with machine learning to predict avalanche activity L. Viallon-Galinier et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2245-2023
- Trends in avalanche problems in the French Alps between 1958 and 2020 B. Reuter et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2025.104555
- Towards a holistic paradigm for long-term snow avalanche risk assessment and mitigation N. Eckert & F. Giacona https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-022-01804-1
- Change in the potential snowfall phenology: past, present, and future in the Chinese Tianshan mountainous region, Central Asia X. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2437-2023
- Extreme snowfalls and atmospheric circulation patterns in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain) C. García-Hernández & J. López-Moreno https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2024.104170
- Upslope migration of snow avalanches in a warming climate F. Giacona et al. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2107306118
- Estimating changes in extreme snow load in Europe as a function of global warming levels G. Evin et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2025.104424
- Resilience-Oriented Extension of the RAMSSHEEP Framework to Address Natural Hazards Through Nature-Based Solutions: Insights from an Alpine Infrastructure Study S. Fernandes et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures11010035
- Climatology and Formation Environments of Heavy Snowfall Events in the Ural Region (Russia) A. Shikhov et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16121386
- Constitution of a multicentennial multirisk database in a mountainous environment from composite sources: the example of the Vallouise-Pelvoux municipality (Ecrins, France) L. Dallons Thanneur et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-4881-2025
- What weather variables are important for wet and slab avalanches under a changing climate in a low-altitude mountain range in Czechia? M. Součková et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-3501-2022
- Future winter snowfall and extreme snow events in the Pyrenees J. Bonsoms et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.107912
- Climate change impacts on snow avalanche activity and related risks N. Eckert et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-024-00540-2
- Diverging snowfall trends across months and elevation in the northeastern Italian Alps G. Bertoldi et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.8002
- The European Alps in a changing climate: physical trends and impacts M. Dumont et al. https://doi.org/10.5802/crgeos.288
- Snow sensitivity to temperature and precipitation change during compound cold–hot and wet–dry seasons in the Pyrenees J. Bonsoms et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1307-2023
- Development and evaluation of a method to identify potential release areas of snow avalanches based on watershed delineation C. Duvillier et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-1383-2023
- Diachronic quantitative snow avalanche risk assessment as a function of forest cover changes T. Zgheib et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2022.103
- Snow and avalanche climates in the French Alps using avalanche problem frequencies B. Reuter et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2023.23
- Projection of snowfall extremes in the French Alps as a function of elevation and global warming level E. Le Roux et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4691-2023
- Contrasting trends of extreme rainfall and snowfall in the Northern Hemisphere Y. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.accre.2025.09.002
- Long‐term snowfall trends and variability in the Alps M. Bozzoli et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.8597
- Legacy of snow cover on alpine landscapes P. Choler et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02702-6
- Assessing Meteorological (1950–2022) and Hydrological (1911–2022) Trends in the Northwestern Alps: Insights from the Upper Po River Basin L. Stucchi et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w18030348
- Study on the Constitutive Equation and Mechanical Properties of Natural Snow under Step Loading H. Han et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w15183271
- Investigating Extreme Snowfall Changes in China Based on an Ensemble of High-Resolution Regional Climate Models J. Zhu et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15053878
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 04 Nov 2026
Short summary
Extreme snowfall can cause major natural hazards (avalanches, winter storms) that can generate casualties and economic damage. In the French Alps, we show that between 1959 and 2019 extreme snowfall mainly decreased below 2000 m of elevation and increased above 2000 m. At 2500 m, we find a contrasting pattern: extreme snowfall decreased in the north, while it increased in the south. This pattern might be related to increasing trends in extreme snowfall observed near the Mediterranean Sea.
Extreme snowfall can cause major natural hazards (avalanches, winter storms) that can generate...
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