Ski resorts across Europe have been forced to shut due to an absence of snow as a winter heatwave across the continent smashed several national temperature records over the New Year’s weekend.
The unusually hot weather resulted in a lack of snowfall in the mountains, leading to the closure of several ski resorts, while some are using artificial snow to keep slopes open.
Record-breaking January temperatures
European countries that set national records for the hottest January days included the Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Belarus, Latvia and Lithuania.
Met department recorded 19 degrees Celsius in some areas of the Czech Republic, a temperature only reached in spring. Northern Spain experienced temperatures as high as 25C. In Switzerland’s Jura mountain range, the mercury hit 18C.
Meteorologists are still trying to figure out the reason behind the unusual weather conditions. Many doubt that the warm air coming from western Africa could be the culprit.
No snow in ski resorts
The unseasonably warm winter has left popular winter sports destinations bare and slopes covered in slush. Ski resorts in the northern Alps and French Pyrenees have been forced to shut due to high temperatures. The ski centers were opened for skiers only about a month ago.
Ski resort Ax 3 Domaines, in the neighborhood of the French border with Andorra, has been closed completely while Le Gets and Morzine ski centers in the popular Portes de Soleil area, have been closed all but two runs.
World Cup skiing is due to take place at Adelboden in Switzerland on January 7 and the tournament will now take place entirely on artificial snow.
Global warming damaging ski industry
This is not the first time that the ski centers are struggling to host popular winter sports due to anomalous weather behavior. Ski operators fear climate change could soon make cold, snowy winters a thing of the past.
“In the future, these problems will get worse, because the snow will continue to melt as long as the climate warms,” climate science professor Win Thiery told Sky News.