WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF

Research 10.06.2026
Recipe for hazardous debris flows
Recipe for hazardous debris flows

Research into ten Swiss debris flow channels is yielding valuable data for debris flow calculations.

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A person in an orange shirt stands on rocky terrain, looking up at a large, textured rock formation resembling a natural arch. Majestic mountains rise in the background under a cloudy sky, highlighting a remote and rugged landscape.
 
Research 26.05.2026
Permafrost – the thin ice of current knowledge
Permafrost – the thin ice of current knowledge

What role do thawing permafrost and melting glaciers play in rock slope failures? Permafrost researcher Robert Kenner gives a summary.

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Rocky mountain peak with patches of snow under a blue sky.
 
Research 15.04.2026
Avalanches: when the house of cards collapses
Avalanches: when the house of cards collapses

Weak layers in snow remain a mystery. For a new SLF study, controlled fractures of these layers were triggered in the laboratory.

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A researcher in a colorful winter jacket and gloves is focused on operating a scientific instrument. The device is testing a block of snow, in a laboratory setting.
 
Research 08.04.2026
How forests affect snow cover
How forests affect snow cover

Forest, sunshine and slope position all affect when snow melts. The SLF has conducted the first large-scale study into these interactions.

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A scenic mountain landscape featuring a snow-capped peak in the background. In the foreground, a ridge covered with rocky terrain and evergreen trees slopes down towards a densely forested valley. The sky is clear with a few clouds.
 

Research for people and the environment in a changing world

NEWS

Services and products
04.06.2026
Two hikers are standing on rocks covered in a light dusting of snow, looking out over a mountain landscape with snow-capped peaks. Yellow larch trees stand beside them. The sky is clear and blue.

Nothing stays the same: understanding change

To be prepared for the future, we need to understand the past. The new DIAGONAL explains how WSL and SLF are helping to achieve this.

Research
04.06.2026
The deep riverbed of the Illgraben gives a sense of the enormous masses of scree that thunder down into the valley here.

Measuring metre-high surge waves

For the first time, WSL researchers tracked debris flows over two kilometres, revealing how these dangerous mudflows unfold.

Institutional
01.06.2026
Four individuals stand together in a modern interior setting. They are dressed in casual and business attire. The first person on the left wears a light sweater, the second has a red shirt, the third is in a button-up shirt, and the fourth wears a dark top.

New SLF management team

Following the retirement of the former head of the SLF, the institute is now being co-led by the four on-site heads of unit.

Institutional
29.05.2026

"No plan but plenty of passion"

SLF head Jürg Schweizer is retiring. In this interview, he discusses his career highlights and why he plans to continue researching.

Snow and avalanches
28.05.2026

Avalanche danger: How Europe perceives us

Even small avalanches can be deadly – many people know this, but not everyone. The initial results of a survey are in.

Institutional
22.05.2026

Two new members join the WSL Directorate

The ETH Board has appointed climate researcher Nadine Salzmann and forest ecologist Arthur Gessler to the WSL Directorate.

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AvaBlog

Our experts analyze the avalanche situation.
15 April 2026

current AvaBlog (in German)
current AvaBlog (in French)