Articles | Volume 14, issue 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-14-1299-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-14-1299-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| Highlight paper
| 
11 Sep 2018
Research article | Highlight paper |
| 11 Sep 2018
| 11 Sep 2018
Wet avalanches: long-term evolution in the Western Alps under climate and human forcing
Laurent Fouinat
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
EDYTEM, University Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, 73376 Le Bourget-du-Lac CEDEX, France
Pierre Sabatier
EDYTEM, University Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, 73376 Le Bourget-du-Lac CEDEX, France
Fernand David
CEREGE, University Aix-Marseille, 13545 Aix-en-Provence, France
Xavier Montet
University of Geneva Department of Radiology and Medical Informatics Genève, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Philippe Schoeneich
IUGA, University Grenoble Alpes, 38100 Grenoble, France
Eric Chaumillon
LIENSs University of La Rochelle, 17 000 La Rochelle, France
Jérôme Poulenard
EDYTEM, University Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, 73376 Le Bourget-du-Lac CEDEX, France
Fabien Arnaud
EDYTEM, University Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, 73376 Le Bourget-du-Lac CEDEX, France
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Cited
16 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Distinct grain-size patterns in sandy turbidites: Implications for identifying the triggers of ancient turbidity currents in lacustrine settings P. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2025.106806
- Assessing Geological Hazards in a Changing World Through Regional Multidisciplinary Approaches to European Glacial Lakes (Northern Pyrenees, Northern and Western Alps) E. Chapron et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/geohazards6040072
- 10 000 years of snow avalanche activity in western Norway: a multiproxy lake sediment record from Lake Vatnasetvatnet, Hardanger J. Hardeng et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-265-2026
- A Review of Event Deposits in Lake Sediments P. Sabatier et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/quat5030034
- Lacustrine sedimentary evidence of cascading mountain hazards at the inner-Alpine Lake Altaussee (Eastern Alps, Austria) during the Late Holocene M. Ortler et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2025.106881
- Climate change impacts on snow avalanche activity and related risks N. Eckert et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-024-00540-2
- A 7000-year record of extreme flood events reconstructed from a threshold lake in southern Norway J. Hardeng et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2024.108659
- Paleo-data is policy relevant: How do we better incorporate it in policy and decision making? K. Allen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2025.104707
- Reconstructing Paleoflood Occurrence and Magnitude from Lake Sediments B. Wilhelm et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/quat5010009
- Seismic stratigraphy and sediment cores reveal lake-level fluctuations in Lake Iznik (NW Turkey) over the past ∼70 ka R. Gastineau et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2024.106620
- Avalanche Hazard Dynamics and Causal Analysis Along China’s G219 Corridor: A Case Study of the Wenquan–Khorgas Section X. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16070817
- The Holocene history of Arsine Glacier (Western European Alps): a detailed 10Be record of oscillations driven by climate and modulated by rock avalanches M. Le Roy et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2025.109455
- Refining gravity flow and snow avalanche signatures in lacustrine sediments—a novel facies model D. Rüther et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.70055
- Instant sedimentation in a deep Alpine lake (Iseo, Italy) controlled by climate, human and geodynamic forcing W. Rapuc et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.12972
- Wet snow avalanches on Corsica Island: a long-term perspective from lake sediments P. Sabatier et al. https://doi.org/10.57035/journals/sdk.2025.e31.1669
- Dropstones in Lacustrine Sediments as a Record of Snow Avalanches—A Validation of the Proxy by Combining Satellite Imagery and Varve Chronology at Kenai Lake (South-Central Alaska) S. Thys et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/quat2010011
16 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Distinct grain-size patterns in sandy turbidites: Implications for identifying the triggers of ancient turbidity currents in lacustrine settings P. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2025.106806
- Assessing Geological Hazards in a Changing World Through Regional Multidisciplinary Approaches to European Glacial Lakes (Northern Pyrenees, Northern and Western Alps) E. Chapron et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/geohazards6040072
- 10 000 years of snow avalanche activity in western Norway: a multiproxy lake sediment record from Lake Vatnasetvatnet, Hardanger J. Hardeng et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-265-2026
- A Review of Event Deposits in Lake Sediments P. Sabatier et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/quat5030034
- Lacustrine sedimentary evidence of cascading mountain hazards at the inner-Alpine Lake Altaussee (Eastern Alps, Austria) during the Late Holocene M. Ortler et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2025.106881
- Climate change impacts on snow avalanche activity and related risks N. Eckert et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-024-00540-2
- A 7000-year record of extreme flood events reconstructed from a threshold lake in southern Norway J. Hardeng et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2024.108659
- Paleo-data is policy relevant: How do we better incorporate it in policy and decision making? K. Allen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2025.104707
- Reconstructing Paleoflood Occurrence and Magnitude from Lake Sediments B. Wilhelm et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/quat5010009
- Seismic stratigraphy and sediment cores reveal lake-level fluctuations in Lake Iznik (NW Turkey) over the past ∼70 ka R. Gastineau et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2024.106620
- Avalanche Hazard Dynamics and Causal Analysis Along China’s G219 Corridor: A Case Study of the Wenquan–Khorgas Section X. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16070817
- The Holocene history of Arsine Glacier (Western European Alps): a detailed 10Be record of oscillations driven by climate and modulated by rock avalanches M. Le Roy et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2025.109455
- Refining gravity flow and snow avalanche signatures in lacustrine sediments—a novel facies model D. Rüther et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.70055
- Instant sedimentation in a deep Alpine lake (Iseo, Italy) controlled by climate, human and geodynamic forcing W. Rapuc et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.12972
- Wet snow avalanches on Corsica Island: a long-term perspective from lake sediments P. Sabatier et al. https://doi.org/10.57035/journals/sdk.2025.e31.1669
- Dropstones in Lacustrine Sediments as a Record of Snow Avalanches—A Validation of the Proxy by Combining Satellite Imagery and Varve Chronology at Kenai Lake (South-Central Alaska) S. Thys et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/quat2010011
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 08 Jul 2026
Short summary
In the context of a warming climate, mountain environments are especially vulnerable to a change in the risk pattern. Our study focuses on the past evolution of wet avalanches, likely triggered by warmer temperatures destabilizing the snow cover. In the last 3300 years we observed an increase of wet avalanche occurrence related to human activities, intensifying pressure on forest cover, as well as favorable climate conditions such as warmer temperatures coinciding with retreating glacier phases.
In the context of a warming climate, mountain environments are especially vulnerable to a change...
