As the calendar nears the home stretch, millions of people are gearing up for the start of the winter sports season. However, for ski resorts in New England, dry weather has posed a particularly difficult challenge for the coming months.

What's happening?

As NBC 5 reported, prolonged drought conditions across the Northeast have led to significantly reduced water supplies. For the winter sports industry, this has resulted in a potential shortage for the bulk of the season. With nearby bodies of water at below-average depths, many of the area's ski resorts could find it difficult to produce enough snow to cover trails.  

"We have two snowmaking ponds, one for Lincoln Peak, one for Mount Ellen. The Lincoln Peak snowmaking pond is the bigger of the two ponds, that can fit about 18 million gallons of usable water," said John Bleh, public relations manager at Sugarbush Resort in Vermont. Bleh explained that while the pond has enough water for now, it is still not completely full. 

"We're allowed to withdraw from the Mad River, which is one of the main sources for our snowmaking pond. We're allowed to start doing that on November 1, but it has to be flowing at a certain level in order for us to do so," added Bleh.

Why are below-average water levels important for ski resorts?

As record-setting carbon emissions continue to drive global temperatures higher, many regions are experiencing more frequent extreme weather events and prolonged droughts. Warmer air can hold more water vapor, leading to heavier rainfall at times. However, it also increases the potential for longer, more intense droughts during dry periods due to disrupted weather patterns.   

According to data from the U.S. Drought Monitor, the entire state of Vermont was experiencing at least "moderate drought" conditions as of October 21. To make matters worse, nearly 59% of the state is in the midst of an "extreme drought," meaning that the water flow has been extremely reduced or completely stopped. 

This stoppage can have a massive impact on the region's outdoor recreation industry. As noted in a press release from Vermont's Agency of Commerce and Community Development, the state raked in over $2 billion from the industry in 2023. This accounted for nearly 5% of its gross domestic product for the year. With less water to create artificial snow, ski resorts could see a drop in visitors, impacting the state's economy.

What's being done about the lengthy drought in Vermont?

Andy Stenger, director of mountain operations at Jay Peak Resort, noted that while the region eagerly awaits the end of the drought, operations will continue as usual. However, the resort has already made the necessary adjustments to combat the shifting weather patterns. 

"This winter, we've invested about half a million dollars in new snowmaking guns that will make more snow with less water. That's going to be part of the thinking moving forward," Stenger said. "Climate change is happening and we need to react and we need to pivot and look at things a little bit different."

While the snowmaking technology has changed over the last several decades, the ability to adapt in New England has not. According to Bryan Rivard, Ski Vermont director of communications, the region knows what it takes to persevere through stretches of extreme weather.  

"Keep in mind that this is New England weather. We're used to having to pivot, having to move back and forth, and accommodate what Mother Nature throws at us," Rivard said. "Vermont ski areas have been doing this for 50, 60, 70 years professionally, so this is nothing new to them."

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