Knows as far as the eye can see. Over the past few days, more than a meter of fresh snow has fallen on the higher elevations of the Pyhrn-Priel region and the Salzkammergut. Upper Austria’s ski lift operators are cheering, and the conditions for off-piste winter sports couldn’t be better – after the current avalanche danger, which is still considerable, has subsided. A winter like in a picture book. But in the years to come, the last chapters of this book are likely to be opened.
Experts from ZAMG, the University of Innsbruck, the Climate Change Center Austria and the Tirol Snow Center have been working on a new study for three years. The fact that climate change is affecting snow conditions is no longer a secret. However, three case studies from the study show how dramatic this development is.
Snowmaking is becoming more difficult
At low altitudes below 400 meters above sea level there will hardly be any snow in the year 2100. Without global climate protection, there would only be two days with a closed snow cover – a drop of 90 percent. If the Paris Climate Agreement were complied with, there would still be eight days with a closed snow cover (currently there are 16).
In regions between 1500 and 2500 meters above sea level, where most winter sports take place, the duration of the natural snow cover will decrease by 25 percent by the year 2100. If the climate goals are achieved, it is ten percent. At this altitude, the atmospheric conditions for technical snowmaking decrease by 35 percent without climate protection and by ten percent if the Paris targets are met. “Of course, the snow situation varies greatly from year to year and depending on the region. But in the long term, the snow situation depends heavily on the extent of global warming caused by the man-made greenhouse effect,” says project manager Andreas Gobiet from ZAMG. Averaged over the entire area and all altitudes in Austria, the duration of snow cover has decreased by more than 40 days since 1961. One thing is certain: even if the climate targets are met, picture-book winters will become significantly rarer. (against)
Source: Nachrichten
