Eidg. Institut für Schnee- und Lawinenforschung SLF

Comprehensibility of the avalanche

danger scale – are the terms enough

intuitive?

Benjamin Zweifel

Avalanche danger scale

1

2

3

4

5What do people understand?

Are the terms intuitive enough?

1 Gering

low

2 mässig

moderate

3 erheblich

considerable

4 gross

high

5 sehr gross

very high

Problem: Level 3 - considerable

How do you rate the level “3” at the avalanche danger scale?

₰ Safe ₰ Intermediate ₰ Dangerous

How do you rate the level “considerable” at the avalanche danger scale?

₰ Safe ₰ Intermediate ₰ Dangerous

Results interviews Davos, Freeride area (n=591)

Safe 1%

Intermediate43%

Dangerous56%

Safe 1% Intermediate

27%

Dangerous72%

3

considerable

Diploma thesis Christian Björk

Danger level 3 - considerable

English: considerable > level 3German: erheblich > Stufe 3

The terms „considerable“ and „erheblich“ are not really intuitive and hard to interpret, especially for beginners

Also signify by different feedbacks to the Swiss avalanche warning service as well as in the press

Open questions...discussion

Are there similar difficulties in other languages or for other danger levels?

Is there a need to attend this problem in the working group?