Weather
Much like in the summer of 2022, 2023 temperatures in Europe have been soaring to record levels. This is partially thanks to the El-Niño weather pattern and human-made climate change. High temperatures in high-elevation areas such as the Swiss Alps and the Pyrenees have caused ski resorts to close summer skiing on Glaciers. In addition, many forests in the Swiss Alps have also caught on fire due to the dry conditions. This has caused widespread forest fires that have taken a toll on the region. With these unprecedented conditions in the region, is the end of summer skiing in Europe near?
The French Alps have seen some of the highest temperatures out of the mountainous regions in Europe. Last week on July 18th, the French ski resort Alpe D’Huez recorded a temperature of 30℃ (85℉). At an elevation of 1860 m or 6100 ft, this contrasts the average maximum July temperature of 18℃ or 65℉. In nearby Aups in the foothills of the French Alps, the temperature hit an all-time high of 38.6°C (101℉). This is an astonishing statistic at 500 m (1,600 ft) above sea level. Other ski resorts in the Alps have also faced the consequences of high temperatures. Famous ski resorts like Chamonix and Kitzbühel have reached temperatures near 29℃ (83℉).
https://twitter.com/meteofrance/status/1681353431972298753?s=20
Regarding glacier skiing in Europe, only a few areas are open for business. Hintertuxer Glacier in Austria, Passo Stelvio in Italy, and Tignes in France are currently the only available summer ski areas. Even in these areas, the temperature can reach concerning levels prompting places like Zermatt to temporarily close their summer skiing. Out of the 20 other glacier ski areas, only three are open. In the coming years, I wouldn’t be surprised if summer skiing has to be canceled due to high temperatures and melting glaciers. This unique European skiing experience could be ended by the effects of climate change and the emission of fossil fuels into the atmosphere.
Forest fires have also been of concern in Switzerland due to the hot and dry weather the region is facing. The area on fire is close to many famous Swiss ski resorts like Saas-Fee and Zermatt. Last week, the fire had spread to 250 acres of forest area. It could potentially take weeks to put out the fire.
While European mountains have to deal with high temperatures and natural disasters, the extreme weather pales compared to what the rest of Europe is facing. Many tourists have decided to spend their summer vacation in the mountains to avoid the high temperatures in the Mediterranean. This trend will continue as hot summers like these become more common. Around 10% of tourism has dropped in the Mediterranean as of this year, and the number will probably rise shortly.
