Fichtelberg is a mountain located between Germany and the Czech Republic. On both sides of the border the main activity is tourism, based on winter sports. Last Sunday (29), thousands of tourists invaded the region. A 15-minute drive between ski resorts took more than two hours. Parking lots were full.
The rush took over social media. Ski lifts and snow-making machines were not working. It was not a defect, but the weather condition. The beautiful day of sun and snow on the mountain, with a mild temperature of 5°C, contrasted with the cold in the valley, below zero, an inversion.
Snow doesn’t last in these situations. And, in historical terms, the white landscape is becoming less and less frequent in Europe.
Analysis of data from 123 countries in the Northern Hemisphere carried out by the NGO Climate Central, released this month, shows that 44 have had seven days or more of winter above 0°C in the last ten years (2014-2023). In Germany there were 18; in Lithuania, the worst case, 23 days. Negative temperature is a basic condition for snow formation, along with a certain amount of humidity.
Of the regions studied, the European continent was the one that, on average, had the most hot days between December and February in the last decade. The appeal of the brief weekend of snow in Fichtelberg therefore has statistical reasons.
Of the many consequences of global warming, caused by the burning of fossil fuels and methane emissions, one of the most obvious is the melting of glaciers and the smaller amount of snow on mountain tops. Much less evident, however, is the extent of the consequences caused by the lack of ice in nature.
Snow in mountains is a form of water accumulation. If the temperature is not below freezing, as it was not in Fichtelberg, the snow that falls soon melts; or, still in the sky, it turns to rain before turning to snow. Each additional degree Celsius on the thermometer adds 7% more humidity to the air; the more moisture, the more water can turn into rain instead of snow.
Raining is not a problem, but water that falls out of season in winter is needed in the warmer seasons. It is the melting ice that feeds rivers and springs in spring and summer. Severe droughts in California have several factors related to climate change, but they always begin with low-snow winters in the mountains. Imbalance generates consequences.
Winter controls, for example, mosquito populations — there was an increase in dengue cases in Europe in 2023. The incidence of pollen also depends on it. Certain types of fruits and nuts need the period for their complete formation.
If natural cycles do not speak so loudly, other, more earthly cycles are imposed: ski resorts are closing in Europe, profoundly altering the economy of several regions on the continent.
Examples continue this European winter. In Berchtesgaden National Park, almost on the border between Germany and Austria, the Jennerbahn station faces its first ski-free holiday season. Jenner, the highest peak, is 1,874 meters, well above the 1,215 meters that attracted the crowds further north.
The Alps lost 34% of their snowfall from 1920 to 2020, according to a study by Eurac Research. The loss intensified since the 1980s and is greater at altitudes below 2,000 meters, the research shows.
Jennerbahn was a small station. The local economy could not handle the business, which ended up being transferred to a group of investors. 57 million euros (R$366 million) were allocated to new cable cars in 2019. The idea was to attract more people. It failed to combine with the snow, which stopped falling, and the pandemic.
From now on, there is no more skiing, just trails, which do not depend on the ice or the season.
History repeats itself in France. Two resorts with decades of history capitulated before winter: Alpe du Grand Serre and Grand Puy. In Spain, Sierra Guadarrama lost its Alpine Club, which had existed since the 1940s. According to a survey by the University of Grenoble, there have been 180 closures since the 1980s.
Alpe du Grand Serre has also invested in an infrastructure renewal plan. The 55 km of track, with 85 years of history, should have facilities that would allow its use throughout the year. There was no breath.
The local council decided to close weeks before the season began. It was the second largest station in the Isère Valley, a region that houses a Club Med very popular with Brazilians.
Even though it may sound snobbish or exotic to tourists from a tropical country, skiing and other winter activities have experienced a period of popularization in the last 30 years. Resorts have adapted in size and structure to receive large contingents.
The process, according to analysts, should now be reversed. In addition to the lowest and most accessible slopes being closed, maintenance costs, such as those for artificial snow machines, are rising along with thermometers.
Prices also scale with the altitude of the seasons. More exclusive locations are beginning to be explored by the luxury segment, as is already happening in the USA. A report from the Financial Times shows the difference in a simple way: a one-day ski pass in Aspen, Colorado, can cost up to US$179 (R$1,105), compared to US$79 (R$488) in France.
Chalets in condominiums trading for six-figure sums don’t quite match the sport’s most popular origins in Europe, from city halls that hire temporary staff in winter, small equipment stores, seasonal restaurants and bars. The lack of snow also means a cultural shock for much of the continent.
In October, the World Meteorological Organization and FIS (International Ski and Snowboard Federation) entered into a partnership to “raise awareness of the bleak future facing winter sports and tourism due to climate change.”
“Canceled winter holidays and sporting events are literally the tip of the climate change iceberg,” said WMO Secretary General Celeste Saulo.
“Retreating glaciers, reducing snow and ice cover, and thawing permafrost are having a major impact on mountain ecosystems, communities and economies. The repercussions will be increasingly serious.”
