Monday 20 June 2022 11:13 PM Snow days in the Alps 'will HALVE without faster action to stop climate change' trends now

The number of days with snow cover in the Alps will halve without faster action to stop climate change, a new study has warned.

Researchers said southern Alpine countries, including parts of France, Italy, and Slovenia, would be especially affected without emissions cuts.

For example, if the planet warms by 7.2-9°F (4-5°C), Slovenia could lose 54 days of snow per year – 68 per cent – at an elevation of 4,920ft (1,500m), while France will lose 116 days of snow at 11,480ft (3,500m), or 34 per cent of snow days. 

But if the Paris Agreement emissions targets were met this would save 80 per cent of the current days with snow cover, the experts said.

They added that the loss of snow would impact the skiing industry, nature, and downstream water use, and also itself cause further warming.  

Lead author Dr Michael Matiu, from Eurac Research in Italy, said: 'I expected reductions in snow cover, but the changes found by this paper under a strong warming scenario – 4-5°C – are very high. 

'On the other hand, there is a large margin of potential savings, if warming is limited within the Paris Agreement — which raises hope.'

Northern Alpine countries would also not be spared without action, with Germany losing 27 days of snow (79 per cent of the current snow days) at 1,640ft (500m), 57 days or 49 per cent at 4,920ft (1,500m), and 78 days (32 per cent) at 8,200ft (2,500m), according to the study.

In a report published earlier this year on the impact of climate change on snow sports, 'Slippery Slopes', Olympian freestyle skier Philippe Marquis talked about the dangerous impacts of a warming climate on winter sports in the mountains.

He said: 'We see more slides (rock, ice, snow), new crevasses, the skiable terrain becomes smaller, and the viable window to ski on those high-altitude glaciers is becoming shorter.'

Low elevation ski resorts in the Alps are already struggling to stay open for a 100-day ski season due to the global warming that has happened so far, with many resorting to making artificial snow to keep going. 

Already, around 200 resorts have been forced to close in the Italian Alps alone due to the warming climate.