Swiss ski resorts struggle with snow shortage and record temperatures

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Le Petit Chamoissaire lift (2,000m) at Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland, December 31, 2022. Laurent Gillieron/Keystone

Flims, Switzerland, December 25, 2022. Gian Ehrenzeller/Keystone

Grindelwald, Switzerland, December 25, 2022. Peter Klaunzer/Keystone

(Left) Grindelwald, Switzerland, December 25, 2022. (Right) Snow cannons and piles of artificial snow in the middle of a snowless field between Riggisalp (1,491m above the sea level) and Schwarzsee Gypsera (1,046m above the sea level) at Schwarzsee, Switzerland, December 30, 2022. Peter Klaunzer und Anthony Anex/Keystone

Les Mosses, Switzerland, December 27, 2022. Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone

Adelboden, Switzerland, December 28, 2022. Anthony Anex/Keystone

Sainte-Croix - Les Rasses, December 25, 2022. Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone

Skiers speed down a slope with artificial snow in the middle of a snowless golf course at 1,600 metres above sea level in Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland, December 31, 2022. Laurent Gillieron/Keystone

Skiers use a lift at 1,411 meters above sea level in Leukerbad, Switzerland, December 29, 2022. Laurent Gillieron/Keystone

Skis and snowboards in front of the Gypsi Bar at Schwarzsee Gypsera (1,046m above sea level), Switzerland, on December 30, 2022. Anthony Anex/Keystone

Skiers speed down a slope at Villars-sur-Ollon at 1,600 meters above sea level on December 31, 2022. Laurent Gillieron/Keystone

Skiers on a chairlift between La Rasse and Chaux Ronde at 1,600 metres above sea level in Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland, December 31, 2022. Laurent Gillieron/Keystone

Skiers at Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland, December 31, 2022. Laurent Gillieron/Keystone

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Huge swathes of green mountainside, persistent warm weather and slushy runs at medium and low altitudes have been causing headaches for skiers and Swiss resort officials.

Over the past couple of weeks much of Europe has been enjoying record temperatures for the time of year. Alpine regions have seen unseasonably warm conditions and limited snow has forced the closure of many ski lifts, especially those lower down, driving the keenest skiers to the higher slopes.

Some low mountain resorts have even opened their summer biking trails rather than try to offer winter sports. Officials in Splügen-Tambo (1,480m) in canton Graubünden took a more drastic step of closing the resort “until further notice” on January 2 due to the lack of snow, heavy rain and high temperatures.

Record highs have been observed across Switzerland in recent days. On January 1, the country recorded its highest-ever January temperature north of the Alps when the mercury hit 20.9°C (69.6°F) in the town of Delémont in northwest Switzerland.

The national weather service MeteoSwiss said warmer air had arrived from the west and southwest and high temperatures were expected to linger. While slopes above 2,000 metres (over 6,500 feet) have received snow, those lower down remain bare.

On New Year’s Eve the temperature in Adelboden in the Bernese Oberland was 15.5 C. The resort is set to host the men’s World Cup slalom and giant slalom ski races this weekend, generally drawing 25,000 fans a day. Course director Toni Hari acknowledged that the races will be run on 100% artificial snow this year.

At Grindelwald, also in the Bernese Oberland, the traditional World Snow Festival, a celebration of ice sculptures made from huge blocks of snow, has been cancelledExternal link due to the warm weather.

Despite the high temperatures, Switzerland Tourism painted a relatively rosy picture of the Christmas and New Year holiday period. Resorts were busy with the overall number of overnight stays up 3% compared to the previous winter, mainly thanks to more foreign guests. However, the number of day skiers mostly from Switzerland was down by 8% “due to rain, almost spring-like temperatures and lack of snow at low altitudes” notedExternal link the national tourist board on January 3.

The Swiss Cable Car Association said since the start of the season turnover reported by lift companies was 9% lower than the same period last winter.

A recent studyExternal link by the University of Basel says that as global warming progresses higher resorts with skiing above 1,800 metres should be able to offer a season of 100 consecutive ski days this century. But the price of a ski holiday will increase significantly as resorts switch to ever more expensive and artificial ways to preserve their slopes.

“Business is likely to be tight during the Christmas holidays in coming decades, with the weather often not cold enough at this time and in the weeks before,” the university added in a press releaseExternal link.