How is the lack of snow affecting your winter holiday plans in the mountains?

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After some years in the regional print and broadcast media in French Switzerland, in 2000 I joined Radio Swiss International, which then became swissinfo.ch. Since then I have been writing (and producing short videos) on a variety of subjects, from politics to business, and including culture and science.

More from this author

Deutsch

Wie beeinflusst der Schneemangel Ihre Pläne für Winterferien in den Bergen?
Français

Comment le manque de neige affecte-t-il vos projets de vacances d’hiver à la montagne? Original
Español

¿Cómo afecta (o ha afectado) la falta de nieve a sus planes de vacaciones de invierno en la montaña?

The year has only just begun – with record temperatures – and already meteorologists are predicting that it will be even warmer than 2022. The image of skiers winding down thin white ribbons of artificial snow on completely green fields is almost the norm. Low- and medium-altitude resorts are diversifying their offer to distract guests who can no longer put on skis and snowboards.

Have your winter holiday plans been affected? What are the alternatives to snow holidays, in Switzerland or elsewhere?

Here’s your chance to discuss this issue with us, and with each other.

From the article Swiss ski resorts struggle with snow shortage and record temperatures

From the article For Swiss glaciers, 2022 was a ‘disastrous’ year

Bernhard Schwarz 2023-03-20 06:12

Apart from the pleasure to enjoy wintertime in a Ski Resort - lack of snow means eventually a lack of water. And even Simonetta Sommeruga would probably agree - lack of water leads to lack of hydropower.
Instead of lecturing the world about Switzerland being a poster child in using renewable energy - Switzerland just invests in finding solutions that allow closing the gap between the time is generated vs. its consumption. (batteries)
That would ultimately be much more beneficial for everybody than the solution to heavily tax people who deal in energy. (Profit abschoepfen)

Anonymous 2023-02-15 09:37

How a few days of extreme cold has made this question redundant. In the last 10 days, we have had record low temperatures and there is plenty of snow in the mountains. This question also reeks of first world problem.

LynxVegas 2023-01-18 11:31

It hasn't as I hibernate in winter. But, I am often surprised that those who can ski or snowboard have huge problems driving on snow and ice. Does the driving test include how to deal with winter weather?

Susi 2023-01-13 10:17

The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.

Who is the question addressed to? To us Swiss abroad? I escaped from the cold...although it can get quite cold here in Andalusia sometimes. But no, my "vacation plan" is to stay here.
Currently 20º in the shade.... I don't miss the snow at all!!!

An wen ist die Frage gerichtet? An uns Auslandschweizer? Ich flüchtete von der Kälte...obwohl es hier in Andalusien manchmal doch recht kalt werden kann. Aber nein, mein "Ferien-Plan" ist hier zu bleiben.
Zur Zeit 20º im Schatten... Ich vermisse den Schnee überhaupt nicht!!!

LoL 2023-01-15 11:50

@Susi

Cold? Switzerland has all the seasons, it is not a Norwich country with few hours of light and 9 month winter.

Susi 2023-01-17 13:39

@LoL

Sorry...not sure to have understood you correctly: Norwich? in the UK? or did you by any chance mean Norway??? If it's the latter, of course you're quite right. And I do know the Swiss climate - I was born there and in all have lived something like 30 years there, with many year-long interruptions. I'm 72 now, and quite happy with where I am!

Fab Rice 2023-01-09 18:06

The following contribution has been automatically translated from FR.

as a consequence we don't go on ski vacations for the end of the year, nor one week stays, instead we observe the weather and the snow height (by Bergfex in particular) and we make short stays, in Switzerland mainly (Zermatt, Grindelwald, val d'illiez, Haute Nendaz,...)

Comme conséquence nous n'allons plus en vacances de ski pour les fêtes de fin d'année , ni des séjours d'une semaine, plutôt nous observons la météo et la hauteur de neige (par Bergfex en particulier) et nous faisons des séjours courts, en Suisse principalement (Zermatt, Grindelwald, Val d'illiez, Haute Nendaz,...)

Anonymous 2023-01-09 15:43

As you state...Winter has just begun. So your question is a bit premature. For all we know, we might be drowning in snow come February/March...and the skiers loving it.

Isabelle Bannerman SWI SWISSINFO.CH 2023-01-11 09:06

@Anonymous

Hello and thank you for your contribution. It's true, winter has just begun (and I do hope for snow soon!).

Trends do show, however, that snow coverage in the Alps is generally decreasing due to global warming (some articles on that [url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/sci-tech/switzerland-to-get-hotter-and-drier-with-less-snow/47116300]here[/url] and [url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/sci-tech/snow-cover-in-the-alps-declining--new-study-shows/46459002]here[/url]). So sadly, this question will be relevant more often in the future.

I'm more of a hiker than skier anyways, but I haven't had the opportunity to use my snow shoes this year...

How do you think winter tourism will have to adapt generally?

How is the lack of snow affecting your winter holiday plans in the mountains?

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