Around this time of year, mountain trail personnel work hard to clear snow from the roads. Snowplows have been moving back and forth on the Stelvio Pass, the high-alpine Timmeloch route and the high-alpine Grossglockner route, among other routes, in recent months. The mission is also big this year on the Gotthard Pass in Switzerland. A lot of snow has fallen at the altitudes in this area and there are now piles of snow up to 8 meters thick!
The Gotthard Pass remains closed
There is an incredible amount of snow in the Swiss Alps at high altitudes. Conditions are particularly harsh on the Gotthard Pass (the 26-kilometre Alpine road linking the Swiss cities of Andermatt and Airolo). According to the weather website wetteronline.ch, the thickness of snow reaches 8 meters in some places. This is much more than in recent years. According to the weather expert, these amounts are not surprising. A cold front coming from Italy has brought a lot of snow in recent weeks. New records have been set for temperature at altitude, and this snow isn't just melting.
Main work
Staff have been working hard on the Gotthard Pass for the past four weeks clearing snow for summer guests. They want to clear the road before the end of May, but that is a difficult task this year. The situation is complicated by new snowfall and high avalanche danger. Many other mountain passes face the same conditions.
Read also: Avalanche on Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road during snow removal
Impressive pictures
Images of the Gotthard Pass were also shared on weeronline.ch. The snow walls are meters high and the places where the snow is still falling look surreal! Quantities have also been reported on the Dutch weather website Weer & Radar. View all photos ›››
Situation in known mountain passes:
- Grossglockner high road in the Alps: Mostly open since the end of April
- Silvretta high alpine road: Still closed, no known date
- Timmelsjoch high road in the Alps: Still closed, no known date
- Stelvio corridor: Still closed, no known date
- Grimsel Pass: It is expected to open from June 15
- Great St. Bernard Pass: Still closed, no known date
- Furka Pass: Partial opening planned for May 29
