Item: Near real-time snow depth monitoring with low-cost lidar sensors for road safety decisions
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Title: Near real-time snow depth monitoring with low-cost lidar sensors for road safety decisions
Proceedings: Proceedings, International Snow Science Workshop, Whistler, BC, Canada, 2026
Authors:
- Pia Ruttner [ WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Grisons, Switzerland ] [ Climate Change, Extremes, and Natural Hazards in Alpine Regions Research Centre CERC, Grisons, Switzerland ] [ Institute of Geodesy and Photogrammetry ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland ]
- Julia Glaus [ WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Grisons, Switzerland ] [ Climate Change, Extremes, and Natural Hazards in Alpine Regions Research Centre CERC, Grisons, Switzerland ] [ Institute for Geotechnical Engineering ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland ]
- Yves Bühler [ WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Grisons, Switzerland ] [ Climate Change, Extremes, and Natural Hazards in Alpine Regions Research Centre CERC, Grisons, Switzerland ]
Date: 2026-09-28
Abstract: Operational avalanche safety decisions often must be taken under conditions of limited direct observations and sparse spatial data coverage. In particular, information from avalanche release zones during periods of low visibility is rarely available. As a result, decisions typically rely on a combination of expert judgment, avalanche bulletins, and data from nearby weather stations. Since November 2023, we operate low-cost lidar sensors that measure the snow depth distribution in an avalanche release area above a road close to Davos, Switzerland, at high temporal (1 h) and spatial (0.5 m) resolution. Our results can capture the evolution of new snow accumulation and redistribution even during relevant snowfall periods. To illustrate the achieved information, we present a case study from February 2026. During this event, a spontaneous avalanche release occurred overnight, which we could detect and quantify with our in-situ lidar measurements and directly influenced the decision-making of the local avalanche safety experts. The dataset provides direct input for avalanche dynamics simulations, enabling the estimation of potential runout distances for road safety applications. Our findings underline both the potential and the constraints of low-cost lidar systems for snow depth distribution monitoring in avalanche release areas. Beyond operational applications, the dataset provides a valuable benchmark for validating snow depth models and improving our understanding of snow depth distribution in avalanche-prone areas.
Object ID: ISSW2026_P3.27.pdf
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15788/1790099142
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Pia Ruttner
Keywords: Remote Sensing, Snow Depth Monitoring, Low-Cost Lidar, Road Safety
Page Number(s): 1181 - 1184
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