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Ski Resorts Are Stockpiling Snow to Get Through Warm Winters
Under protective coverings, piles of snow can be stored for a surprisingly long time, allowing ski resorts to mitigate some of the lack of snowfall caused by climate change.
Elizabeth Burakowski at the University of New Hampshire says that, in general, snow storage is “a great strategy to address the uncertainty that we have when living in a climate that’s warming rapidly.” She adds that ski resorts should consider using electric-powered snow-grooming machines, to reduce emissions and reliance on fossil fuels. Then, over the summer, meltwater gently flows to an outlet at the bottom corner of the pit, passing through filters that remove any grit or dirt, and finally the chilly water heads to a heat exchanger. And while he says he is a “huge fan” of snow storage as an interim solution that could keep local resorts open, reducing people’s desire to travel great distances just to ski each winter, the long-term picture is currently rather bleak.
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