Ski resorts struggle due to scant snowfall
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Ski areas across the U.S. and Canada, including Utah, are in increasingly desperate need of natural snow for a ski season that would typically be in full swing by January.
The big picture: Milder and drier-than-average conditions have prevailed, preventing resorts from building up a wintry base for would-be skiers, Axios' Andrew Freedman reports.
- This could offer a preview of future winters, as the season warms faster than any other, partly in response to human-caused climate change.
State of play: Utah's abysmal snowfall, so far, pales in comparison to the above-average snow accumulation by this time last year.
What they're saying: "Some of the resorts have been slightly slower than last year to open terrain," Alison Palmintere, director of communications for Ski Utah, told Axios.
Yes, but: A series of storms expected this weekend and next week may bring much-needed powder to Utah's slopes.
- "Hopefully, [ski resorts] are able to get more terrain open with these upcoming storms," she said.
Zoom in: The strong El Niño in the tropical Pacific Ocean is affecting weather patterns globally and can, historically, lead to unusually wet conditions in the West.
- This can be a huge boost to mountain snow cover if temperatures are cold enough; so far this year, the right conditions have not come together.
- Instead, the Sierra Nevada mountain range has seen an anemic start to its snow season, with bare ground visible between patches of white on satellite imagery.
The intrigue: Tied to human-caused climate change, winter is the fastest-warming season in much of the U.S., particularly in northern areas.
- This shrinks the ski season both at its front and tail ends — and imperils other forms of winter recreation.
The bottom line: Weather variability is a major player in the ongoing lackluster snowpack. Yet, what is occurring now is a glimpse into an increasingly wet, rather than frozen, future.