An Oregon ski resort has had an inauspicious start to its winter season and has been forced to delay its opening due to weather concerns.

What's happening?

According to Ashland.news, the Mt. Ashland Ski Area in Ashland, Oregon, is delaying its opening indefinitely due to warm weather and a lack of snowfall in the area. The resort planned to open by December 13, but had to put plans on hold because they simply hadn't had enough snow. 

Compounding the problem is that the ski area doesn't have sufficient water available on a given day to run its snow guns long enough to generate the two-and-a-half feet of snow required to open. 

"We have access to 5,000 gallons of water every day and a snow gun uses 100 gallons of water per minute," the resort said in a statement, per Ashland.news. "We have enough water in our ski area that we would only be able to run a snow gun for a very short amount of time per day. Not nearly enough time to make snow that would allow us to open."

Why is this important?

What's happening at Oregon resorts like Mt. Ashland is a symptom of a much bigger problem around the world. As temperatures rise, weather patterns become unpredictable, particularly in the winter months. There's less rainfall, less snowfall, and warmer temperatures, which create drought conditions in many parts of the world. The American West has been grappling with a years-long drought, leading to the aridification of the landscape.  

Resorts in Colorado, Wyoming, and California have also had to delay their openings due to a lack of snow and warm temperatures, while the legendary Alpine resorts in Switzerland have been battling similar issues. 

But the problems don't stop at warm temperatures and a lack of snow. Periods of extended drought can often be followed by severe storms that dump significant amounts of water, which can lead to flooding and landslides and create more problems for communities. 

What can be done about the lack of snow?

Unfortunately, in the immediate term, there's not much the resorts can do but wait and hope for better conditions. 

However, over a longer arc, many resorts are fighting back against a warming planet. They've organized Mountain Towns 2030, an organization dedicated to helping as many resorts and mountain towns as possible reach net-zero emissions by 2030. 

If you want to help reduce human impact on global weather, you can elect officials who promote green agendas or take direct steps like installing solar panels on your home.  

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