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The tourism climate of Engadin, Switzerland
Christine Ketterer and Andreas Matzarakis
Meteorological Institute, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Germany
Abstract
Tourism is vitally important for the economy in Engadin, Switzerland. Climate and weather are
presumed to be a natural capital of the region and therefore an economic capital. The context of
climate change poses the question on the change of the tourism climate in Engadin. Using
measured data of MeteoSwiss and the climate models REMO and CLM the thermal, physical
and aesthetical facets are analyzed during the time period 1961–2100 and visualized by the Climate-Tourism-Information Scheme (CTIS). The consequences of climate warming are going to
be more distinct from mid-century to 2100 than in the future years. The number of days with
thermal comfort is going to increase, while the number of days with cold days is going to decrease. This trend is more distinctive using the A1B scenario than using B1 scenario. Increasing
thermal comfort and decreasing duration and frequency of precipitation is going to be of particular importance for the summer tourism. For the winter tourism Engadin is going to feature
snow reliable conditions, even if the probability of snow high over 30 cm is going to decrease especially the snow conditions in early and late winter worsen- in Engiadina Bassa more than in
the higher Engadin`Ota around St. Moritz.
1.
Introduction
The economic branch of tourism is vitally important for Engadin, because tourism creates 68 % and 59 % of the regional added value in Engadina`Ota and Egadina Bassa
(Kronthaler und Cartwright 2008). Jobs and income, preservation of the agriculture
were preserved through tourism and rural exodus can be stopped (Schweizer Tourismus
Verband 1999). Landscape, flora and fauna, climate and the existing infrastructure provide a basis for tourism, but the weather can be seen as the Achilles-heel.
Tourists react to weather forecast as well as on the weather on site or the commercial:
St. Moritz promotes with sun as a protected trademark for the climate favour of Engadin
since 1930. Climate and weather are presumed to be a natural capital of the region and
therefore as economic capital. If the weather is not as good as expected, the tourists
avoid outdoor activities or even cancel their stay. The weather on sight can be separated
in different aspects, the integrated thermal aspects, considered using the thermal index
Physiologically Equivalent Temperature, the physical aspect, like sun, wind or rain and
aesthetical aspects, as sunshine duration or cloudiness (de Freitas 2003).
In the context of climate change pose a question on the change of the tourism climate
and its potential in Engadin.
2.
Method
Therefore the tourism climate of Engadin is analyzed using existing data of the netwok
of MeteoSwiss and data of the climate models REMO (A1B, B1 scenario) and CLM
(A1B scenario) over the period 1961-2100. The regional climate model REMO has been
performed by Max Planck Institute for Meteorology and encompasses the region of
Germany, Austria and Switzerland ((Jacob 2001; Jacob et al. 2001). Based on the local
model of the Deutschen Wetterdienst CLM has a resolution of 18 km (Steppeler et al.
2003; Böhm et al. 2006).
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To control the quality of the climate models, its data were compared with the measuring
data of Buffalora, Scoul, Sta. Maria and Sils Maria.
Following parameters matter for the tourists: thermal comfort, snow, precipitation, sunshine duration and wind. The thermo-physiological perception has been calculated with
the aid of the thermal Index Physiologically Equivalent Temperature, based on the human energy balance. Furthermore the conditions for winter sport, like snow high and
skiing potentials and their future change should be studied.
At the end the results are presented as frequencies and exceeding of thresholds in a climate-tourism-information scheme (CTIS) (Matzarakis 2007).
Tab. 1: Parameter and their Thresholds used for CTIS
Parameter
Thresholds
literature
cold stress
PET < 0 °C
Mayer und Matzarakis (1999)
Thermal acceptability 18 °C < PET < 29 °C Matzarakis (2007)
Heat stress
PET > 35 °C
Matzarakis und Mayer (1996)
Sunshine
Cloud Cover < 4/8
Gómez Martín (2004)
Wind
v > 8 m/s
Gómez Martín (2004)
Light Rain
RR > 1 mm
Matzarakis (2007)
Long rain
RR > 5 mm
Matzarakis (2007)
Ski potential
Snow > 30 cm
Uhlmann et al (2009), OECD
(2007)
3.
Exemplary results
The climate model CLM describes the climatic conditions not so appropriate than
REMO. CLM underestimates precipitation about 50% and more. REMO pictures air
temperature, precipitation, wind velocity and air moisture in the highly reliefed region
with acceptable variations. The measured air temperature average 2.5 °C in Sils Maria
over a period of 1998 - 2008 and the calculated air temperature 2.6 °C, the measured
precipitation 1047 mm und the estimated 952 mm. In Sta. Maria the averaged air temperature is 5.4 °C and the estimated 5.1 °C from1961 – 90, the measured precipitation
791 mm and the estimated is 773 mm. The seasonal characteristic of precipitation can
be seen in the model data, but the precipitation in winter is overestimated and so also
the snow depth is twice high as measured.
The averaged annual PET is -7.1 °C on the 3300m high Mountain Corvatsch, in Sils
Maria 0.7 °C, in Samedan 2.4 °C, on Buffalora 3.7 °C and in Scoul 7.8 °C. The rang of
PET ranges from -62 °C on the top of Corvatsch to 31 °C in Scoul and Sils Maria during 1981 – 2000.
Over a period 1981 – 2000 the winter sport in Engadin profits by low rainfall and plenty
of sunshine. PET values under -10 °C are no rareness at noonday in Engadin. In Sils
Maria has to be anticipated PET values under -10 °C to 65 %, in Scoul to 20 % and on
the mountain Corvatsch to 90 %.
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Fig. 2: Frequencies of the appearance of different PET classes in Sils Maria during the
time period 1981 - 2000
Ski potential persists from November to April in Engadin` Ota and in Engadina Bassa
from December to April. February features the best snow conditions, less precipitation
and also warmer air temperatures. On the top of the mountains has to be bargained with
an occurrence of 50 % with wind velocity stronger than 8 m/s.
Thermal acceptability appear on 64% of the days in Engadina Bassa from June to August, in Engadin`Ota in contrast only on maximal four days a month. The highest probability of cloudiness, rain duration and frequency occurs over summer. Indeed colder
but dry conditions may be expected during September and October. The so called Malojawind can lead especially during summer to high wind velocity, which can be drop
down the valley. On the mountains the wind velocity is over summer smaller than in
winter.
The number of days with cold stress is expected to decrease mainly in early and late
winter due to climate warming till 2025. Ski potential regresses in early winter most
intensely under use of A1B scenario but in late winter using B1scenario. Nevertheless
can be expected a probability over 98 % with a snow depth over 30 cm in Sils Maria
and to 80 % in Scoul. Increasing rainfall duration and frequency during winter can lead
to a higher danger of avalanches.
Using A1B Scenario the probability of days with thermal acceptability is increasing
during summer. Using B1 Scenario minor increasing of the warming is expected. The
precipitation is decreasing from May to September, with the exception of July. Heat
stress is irrelevant in Engadin. In autumn climatic conditions, rainfall duration and precipitation change for ore pleasant conditions.
Classic winter tourism cannot be bargained for any more in Engadina Bassa, because
the snow deph over 30 cm will only be exceed in a likelihood of 33 % in December and
58 % in February using B1 scenario till end of the century. Using A1B the maximal
likelihood is 25 %. Because of the warming the participation of cold stress decreases
and snow fall changes into rainfall and at the same time the rain duration will increase.
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A high ski potential over 85 % using B1 and 65 % using A1B scenario consists furthermore In Engadin`Ota from January to.
Fig. 3: Frequencies of the appearance of rain duration classes and the monthly rain sum
(mm) in Sils Maria during the time period 1961 - 1990
The tourist during summer can expect optimal conditions in Engadin. The likelihood of
thermal acceptability is about 60 % in the valley and rainfall amount is declining. In
Engadina Bassa heat stress can occur to only 4 %, so that Engadin profits from the climate warming in contrast to low-lying or southern regions (Zaninovic and Matzarakis
2009, Matzarakis and Endler 2008). Especially Engadin`Ota exhibits a higher ski potential than other low-lying ski destinations in future years (Bürki et al. 2007). But problems like warm periods over winter and a higher avalanches risk can cause a bad image.
Fig. 4: Climate-Tourism-Information-Scheme for Sils Maria, based on measuring data
of MeteoSwiss for the time period 1981-2000
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5.
Conclusions
Tourism adds 5% to the world wide CO2 emission. Ascending level of motorisation,
short breaks and secondary residences have a share to the Emissions in the Alps. Tourism as a part of the causes of climate change and also sufferer should not only react, but
also see the change as Chance.
In the Alps and in Engadin are lots of good practice examples, like the project “Clean
Energy St. Moritz”, which was started 2003 on the occasion of the Ski WM. It contains
the provision of energy sources like water, sun, biogas and geothermal energy from
1770 to 3057 m height. Photovoltaic-installations profit from 322 days with sunshine
and temporary increase in efficiency through albedo-effects caused by snow cover at
about 50 %. The first hotel of St. Moritz and one school covers 80 % and 70 % of their
energy needs with the aid of heat pump installation, which extracts energy of the 4 °C
warm water of Lake St. Moritz.
In Scoul snowmaking installations were built to the value of CHF 2.5 Mio. Climate and
weather are important factors for visitors and tourism.
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Authors’ address:
Christine Ketterer (christine.ketterer@gmx.de)
Meteorological Institute, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg
Werthmannstr. 10, D-79085 Freiburg, Germany
Prof. Dr. Andreas Matzarakis (andreas.matzarakis@meteo.uni-freiburg.de)
Meteorological Institute, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg
Werthmannstr. 10, D-79085 Freiburg, Germany