More Than 90 Deaths This Season: Are We Seeing More Avalanches?
📅 February 20, 2026
✍️ Editor: Sudhir Choudhary, The Vagabond News
Geneva — February 20, 2026: More than 90 people have died globally in avalanche incidents during the current winter season, according to reporting by the Associated Press and regional avalanche monitoring agencies, prompting renewed concern about whether avalanche frequency and severity are increasing.
Fatal incidents have been reported across the European Alps, the western United States, Canada, and parts of the Himalayas, with authorities warning that unstable snowpacks and shifting climate patterns may be contributing to heightened risk.
Experts caution that while seasonal death tolls fluctuate year to year, the combination of heavier snowfall events followed by rapid warming cycles has created particularly volatile conditions this winter.
Where the Fatalities Are Occurring
Avalanche centers in France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, the United States, and Canada have documented a series of fatal slides involving skiers, snowboarders, climbers, and trekkers.
In the United States, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center and similar state agencies have reported multiple backcountry fatalities during periods of high avalanche danger. European agencies, including Switzerland’s WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF), have also issued repeated Level 4 and Level 5 warnings this season.
Authorities note that many of the deaths occurred in backcountry terrain outside ski resort boundaries, where avalanche mitigation measures are not actively conducted.
Are Avalanches Increasing?
Avalanche scientists emphasize that fatality totals vary annually and do not necessarily indicate a long-term upward trend. However, several contributing factors are being examined:
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Intense winter storm cycles depositing heavy snow in short periods
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Wind loading that creates unstable slab layers
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Rapid warming events destabilizing snowpack
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Increased backcountry recreation participation
According to researchers, climate variability plays a role by altering freeze–thaw cycles and snow structure. Warmer temperatures followed by heavy snowfall can create weak layers beneath fresh accumulation, increasing slide risk.
At the same time, participation in backcountry skiing and winter trekking has expanded significantly in the past decade, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic shifted recreational patterns toward outdoor activities.
Safety Warnings and Prevention
Avalanche safety experts stress that education, preparation, and real-time forecasting remain the most effective prevention tools.
Most avalanche forecasting centers advise travelers to:
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Check daily avalanche bulletins
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Carry avalanche transceivers, probes, and shovels
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Travel with trained partners
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Avoid high-angle slopes during elevated danger ratings
Officials reiterate that even experienced mountaineers can be caught in rapidly changing snow conditions.
A Deadly but Predictable Hazard
While more than 90 deaths this season mark a sobering toll, avalanche professionals stress that these incidents remain geographically concentrated and highly dependent on weather conditions and human activity.
Global avalanche fatality numbers have historically ranged between 100 and 150 per year worldwide, though totals fluctuate based on winter severity and recreational exposure.
Authorities across mountain regions continue to urge caution as winter conditions persist in the Northern Hemisphere.
Sources
Associated Press
Colorado Avalanche Information Center
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research
Tags
Avalanche Season, Winter Storms, Backcountry Skiing, Climate Variability, Mountain Safety, European Alps, United States
News by The Vagabond News
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