Factcheck this: Ski Resorts Face Snow Loss from Climate Change

Question

From this story: https://tailor.news/story/ski-resorts-face-snow-loss/

Answer 1

Reddit is a fun site but I wouldn't use it for acquiring accurate resources. Snowfall varies every year and climate change may play a factor, but I'd love seeing ALL the contributing factors to the amount of snowfall.

Comments

While I agree that Reddit is a poor place to go for news, your claim describing the extent to which climate change affects snowfall doesn't refer to ski resorts specifically and needs evidence. this article by the BBC (https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230124-how-climate-change-threatens-to-close-ski-resorts) does show a connection between unusually increasing temperatures due to global warming and shortening ski seasons. Another article by the Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/mar/02/ski-resorts-snow-global-warming-study) supports this with a study linking shortening seasons to climate change.

Answer 2

Unfortunately, this claim is accurate. The ski season has been and will be heavily impacted by the climate crisis. Rachel Yalof a climate change writer and Columbia graduate student explains, “From 2000-2019, the average ski season in the US has shortened by 5-7 days, with the number expected to double and possibly even triple by 2050” (https://earth.org/the-impact-of-climate-change-on-the-us-ski-industry/). As the ski season shortens skiers will be forced to rely on the ineffective and unfortunate, machine-made snow. An article from the Environmental Defense Fund explains, “From 1970 to 2024, average winter temperatures rose in 235 out of 241 locations in the U.S. studied in one analysis, by an average of 4 degrees Fahrenheit” (https://www.edf.org/warming-world-why-so-much-snow). Concerns about snow loss due to climate change started in the 70’s and as of 2024-2025, there has been 28% less snowfall than there is during an average ski season. This is due to 2024 being the warmest year on record. Climate.gov highlights that there is “an increase in average temperature across 95 percent of the nation’s land surface, and the temperature increases have been most widespread in winter, 1.5°F in most places” (https://earth.org/the-impact-of-climate-change-on-the-us-ski-industry/). Every skier who understands how climate change is affecting the globe fears for the beloved sport.

Comments

I think you did a really solid job showing how climate change is affecting the ski season. The stats you pulled from Earth.org and the Environmental Defense Fund were really good and made your point super clear. I liked that you included how much shorter the ski season has gotten and how much more that could change by 2050, that kind of specific info makes the problem feel real. I also thought the detail about machine made snow being less effective was a good addition, because it shows this isn’t just about less snow, but about the whole experience of skiing changing. One suggestion, you might want to dig a little deeper into what “ineffective” means when it comes to artificial snow, like how it melts faster or costs more to produce. That could help make your argument even stronger. But overall, your sources are good, and you connected the climate data to real, life impacts in a way that’s easy to understand. Anyone who loves skiing would definitely be worried after reading this.

Answer 3

The claim that ski resorts face snow loss from climate change is very unfortunate, yet true. The ski season has and will continue to be affected by climate change and the warming of temperatures all over the globe. An article posted by National Geographic suggests that any ski resorts lower than 1,2000 meters will eventually have to rely on artificial snow machines to keep the parks running. (Butcher, 2024) There is also evidence of snow happening later in the year compared to in the past, all which could affect the ski season and its length. Butcher also suggests, "With temperatures rising in the mountains at twice the global average, resorts are moving infrastructure in preparation." This is a positive of the situation, despite the fact that these actions are having to be made in the first place. So yes, in short, climate change is heavily impacting snow and ski resorts.