An Oregon ski resort was forced to hit pause on winter activities during a holiday weekend due to low levels of snow.
What's happening?
Mount Hood Skibowl suspended daytime ski and ride operations during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, according to KATU.
Officials said warm temperatures during the day and ski traffic can cause snow coverage to thin. The weather has also affected businesses in the area.
"It's definitely, even hearing from my bosses when they talk about it, it's definitely been one of the more worst years that we've seen with the lack of snow here, because it's very dependent during the winter season," Alex Rogers, the assistant manager of the Huckleberry Inn, told the outlet.
OPERATIONS UPDATE To protect our snow base and keep night skiing strong, daytime ski & ride operations (9 AM–3 PM) are...
Posted by Mt. Hood Skibowl on Friday, January 16, 2026
Huckleberry Inn has taken a hit financially, according to Rogers. Ski season is usually an economic driver in Oregon. In fact, the 2022 Economic Analysis of Outdoor Recreation found that more than $200 million was spent on winter outdoor recreation in the state, per KATU.
Why is snow drought concerning?
Human activities that produce air pollution contribute to rising temperatures and intensified extreme weather events, which put communities at risk.
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According to CNN, the American West is experiencing a snow drought, with below-average snowfall and mild temperatures.
Water scarcity is a major concern when a snow drought occurs. Snow drought reduces snowpack that turns into snowmelt when temperatures rise, per the National Integrated Drought Information System.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, as cited by The Conversation, snowmelt contributes up to 75% of the annual water supply in the American West.
There's also the economic burden caused by snow drought that threatens livelihoods. After all, the National Environmental Education Foundation reported that snow-based recreation contributes $67 billion to the U.S. economy each year.
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$200 or more 💰 What's being done about snow drought?
Low snowpack has forced ski resorts to use modern strategies to keep operations running, like snow farming. According to Travel Weekly, Monarch Mountain in Colorado had temporary fences installed to trap wind-blown snow, then plows were used to spread it across the slopes.
Meanwhile, humans can make changes to reduce their environmental footprint to help mitigate the rising global temperatures contributing to snow drought.
Using planet-friendly transportation and efficient energy appliances can help lower the amount of pollution emitted into the atmosphere.
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