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.