Winter without snow
Across Europe and the wider world, ski resorts are confronted with a crisis.
Rising temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns are reducing snowfall and shortening the ski season.
What was once a reliable winter industry is now fighting for survival.
The changing face of winter
From wildfires in California to flooding in Britain, extreme weather is becoming the new normal.
Even mountain regions once guaranteed snow are seeing rain instead. For resorts that depend on consistent snowfall, the shift is devastating.
Resorts on the brink
Some Alpine destinations have already surrendered to the climate. France’s Alpe du Grande Serre and La Sambuy closed after snow became too scarce to sustain operations.
Their closures signal what could be the beginning of a broader retreat for lower-altitude resorts.
Unpredictable seasons
Sara Burden of Montagne Verte, a Swiss sustainability group, says snowfall patterns have become increasingly erratic. In some years, snow now arrives later and melts earlier.
In an interview with the newspaper Timeout she said, “Traditional peak ski times may not only be contracting but shifting,” meaning Easter could become the new Christmas for ski tourism.