Most reported avalanche incidents occur in February and March.

March is also the month when the most deaths in avalanche accidents in Sweden have occurred since the year 2000.

Statistics show that almost half of the reported incidents occur with moderate, or lower, avalanche danger.

- A second on the five-degree avalanche scale can be perceived as relatively harmless, but the statistics show that many avalanches also occur at this level.

It shows how important it is to think through your route choices and assess the snow cover and terrain carefully, says Petter Palmgren.

Most accidents and deaths occur in March

A total of 281 avalanche incidents were reported between 2016 and 2021, of which 69 in February, 106 in March and 61 in April.

During the other winter months, 45 avalanche incidents were reported during the same period.

Since 2001, 13 people have died in avalanches in Sweden.

Five of the deaths occurred in March, making the month the most accident-prone.

The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's avalanche forecasting service has been collecting statistics on reported avalanche incidents since 2016.

- The avalanche danger is not generally greater during this time of year, but there are more people moving in avalanche-dangerous places.

The period from the sports holiday to Easter is the high season for top touring skiing and snowmobiling in the mountains, says Petter Palmgren, avalanche expert at the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, in a press release.

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Hear Per-Olov Wikberg at the Mountain Safety Council talk about his best tips if you want to go off-piste.

Photo: SVT, Fjällsäkerhetsrådet