Snow conditions in Wyoming have been less than ideal for winter sports, forcing skiers to adjust their holiday plans.
What's happening?
According to WyoFile, all three ski resorts in Teton County, Wyoming, have delayed opening for the season because of insufficient snow and warm temperatures. The largest resort in the state, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, was scheduled to open in early December.
"It could still end up snowing, there just isn't a whole lot of confidence right now," Open Snow Forecaster Alan Smith told the publication.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort said unseasonably warm conditions affected snowmaking in November. WyoFile reported that staff will continue to monitor snowpack before a new opening date is announced.
Why are snow droughts concerning?
Snow droughts are extreme weather events that happen when there is unusually low snowpack for the time of year, per the National Integrated Drought Information System.
Snowpack helps with skiing conditions in the winter, and it becomes a natural reservoir that provides water in the summer.
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A lack of snow can negatively affect water supplies, creating challenges for surrounding communities.
According to scientists, human activities, such as burning coal, oil, or gas, produce planet-warming pollution that increases global temperatures and intensifies and prolongs extreme weather events, including snow droughts.
Wyoming isn't the only state impacted by low snow levels. Ski resorts across the Western United States were unable to open during Thanksgiving weekend due to high temperatures and unusual weather patterns.
What's being done about snow droughts?
Changing our behaviors to reduce the amount of pollution released into the atmosphere can help mitigate snow droughts. That means doing things like switching to more energy-efficient transportation and home heating technologies.
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Definitely 👍 Per the National Drought Mitigation Center, hydrologists keep an eye on snowpack and how it will impact streams and rivers when it melts.
Meanwhile, Jordan Wilsted, a spokesperson for Grand Targhee Resort, told Cowboy State Daily that ski resorts will be ready to open when temperatures drop.
"Every day we get with our Mountain Ops Team, and they kind of determine our ability to make snow for the next little bit," Wilsted told Cowboy State Daily. "And we just reevaluate day by day. So that's the kind of program we're on, and what I imagine other resorts in the region are on."
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