Climate Change, Lack Of Snow Forcing Ski Resorts To Close Early

By Evan Comen  •  October 22, 2024
Back View of Woman Sitting on a Ski Lift
Photo by Jenny Uhling on Pexels
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By most estimates, winter is getting warmer. Last winter was the warmest on record, with temperatures averaging 37.1°F from January 2023 to February 2024, nearly 5°F above winter normals for 1901 through 2000.

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A warming planet means less snow. Snow cover extent has declined significantly since the 1960s, particularly in the spring and summer months. According to data from Rutgers University Global Snow Laboratory, in May 2024 there was 2.3 million square miles of snow cover in North America, 18.0% less than monthly normals for 1966 to 2024. In May 2023, snow cover was just 2.1 million square miles, the smallest extent on record.

Earlier snowmelt and shortening snow seasons are impacting winter tourism and the ski industry in general. In February 2024, Montana’s Teton Pass Ski Resort was forced to close early for the season after a historic lack of snow left the Rocky Mountain ski area with little navigable snowpack. In France, residents in the town of Seyne-les-Alpes voted to close the ski lift at Grand Puy resort after lack of snow and visitors made its operation economically unviable. Other resorts that have closed their slopes due to lack of snow include Alpe du Grand Serre and La Sambuy in France, as well as Splügen-Tambo in Switzerland.

Many of the resorts most affected by rising snowlines are in lower altitude ranges like the French Alps, the Swiss Alps, and the Rocky Mountains. According to a study published in PLOS One in March 2024, snow cover days will decline by at least half in 20% of all ski areas from 2071 to 2100, while 13% of current global ski areas will lose all of their natural snow cover entirely. With current global ski revenues estimated to be around $20 billion, skiing is poised to become one of the many billion-dollar industries decimated by climate change.

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