A popular California ski resort has taken drastic measures amid above-average temperatures and a lack of natural snowfall.
What happened?
Winter in California’s Boreal Mountains got off to a particularly warm start in late November, CBS News reports.
Temperatures were above average for the region and there was a distinct lack of large-scale snowstorms. So ski area officials have turned to snowmaking machines to ensure winter sports enthusiasts can enjoy their time.
“We probably use 500 gallons of snow to get our product up the mountain,” says Tucker Norred, director of marketing for Boreal.
“It’s just a waiting game with the temperature. We’re blowing as much snow as we can to make sure we can open for guests safely.”
However, snowmaking machines often require large amounts of water, leading to the depletion of nearby water supplies.
The snowmaking process can also be energy-intensive, often powered by dirty fuels such as natural gas or coal.
Why is the lack of snow in the North Mountains a concern?
While the resort managed to keep the artificial powder snow flowing and the trails open to visitors, the weather was a little different than what the area is used to.
On average, the North Mountains receive about 400 inches of snowfall each season. This is enough to cover 41 trails that are normally open to the public.
“Honestly, in the last seven years that I’ve been here, I’ve never seen this kind of dirt. I’ve never seen these rocks,” Jackson Price, a longtime visitor to the ski resort, said, according to CBS. “It’s been snowing on the ranch.”
As of early December, the vast majority of the state was out of drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
In fact, on December 2, less than 17% of California experienced “abnormally dry” conditions. That marks a dramatic change from “three months ago to now” data, which showed more than three-quarters of the state in abnormally dry or drought conditions.
Rising temperatures have greatly affected historical climate patterns in many parts of the world. This has led to an increase in extreme weather events and more frequent and severe heat waves. As seen in California, this can lead to unpredictability in weather forecasts.
What are we doing to combat rising global temperatures?
Many governments have begun pushing for legislation aimed at limiting reliance on polluting fuels for heating the earth and promoting widespread adoption of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.
In Poland, for example, parliamentary officials reduced barriers to implementing wind energy projects.
In California, though, experts have recognized the importance of taking steps to mitigate the effects of a warming climate.
“The dizzying pace of dramatic change underscores the need for California to invest in the resilience of communities and landscapes in the Cascades, restoring forest health and economic vitality so the region can adapt and thrive in a changing climate,” the Sierra Nevada Conservancy noted.
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