Warmer Winter Sends Chills to Europe’s Ski Resorts

Green fields, not white slopes, have greeted visitors to some of Europe’s most popular ski resorts as December began with remarkably little snow.

The ski industry is sweating it out, desperately trying to entice tourists with spa weekends and Christmas markets, and encouraging visitors to bring hiking shoes and enjoy “the extension of autumn.”

Though snow is expected throughout the Alps over the weekend, more warm temperatures are predicted next week, which will likely melt the “white gold.”

Though ski resorts are nervous, the economic impact isn’t severe yet because it’s early in the season, said Veronique Kanel of the Swiss national tourist board. The busiest period for most European ski resorts is over the Christmas break and after, she said.

Most foreign tourists made their reservations in advance, Kanel said. It’s day tourism that has been affected as many slopes are still closed.

In a good winter, November can account for over 10 percent of hotel nights booked in an entire season, according to Switzerland Tourism. December can account for nearly 14 percent. Switzerland Tourism said numbers for this season were still unavailable.

But in Scandinavia snow has been scarce, too. A newspaper in Umea, northern Sweden, recently reported findings of chanterelle mushrooms, normally seen in early fall. Even Moscow’s temperatures are above freezing.