This winter I decided to make the move to Utah. In my mind the Wasatch range was a whimsical land full of fluffy powder, endless storm cycles and legendary terrain. Well...not so much this year. It's January yet the high keeps reaching 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Storms are scarcely seen in the forecast and the current snowpack is slowly melting away. This is far from normal as ski patrollers, weather forecasters and longtime locals alike have mentioned how this is the lowest snowpack they've seen in 30-some years.
Luckily, skiing is fun - even if there's oddly timed spring conditions and surprise rocks on every run. Restless skiers are already bringin' out the snow blades, straight skis and neon onesies. I've already seen a vicious number of Pit Vipers being worn in the sunny weather. But these conditions do bring up the question of long-term snow trends. Will every western winter start to look like this one? Is this the result of global warming? Will Pit Vipers ever look good?
While it's nearing 40 Degrees Fahrenheit in Little Cottonwood Canyon, the Midwest and East Coast got the exact opposite, with a cold snap dipping temperatures to almost -40 Degrees Fahrenheit. The cold weather even prompted the US president to tweet that "we could use a little bit of that good old global warming."
It should go without saying that global warming is definitely the last thing the world needs for a vast number of reasons. Weather, such as the cold snap, is short-term and not necessarily indicative of long term patterns. Climate, however, is much more important as it represents the change in an area's, or the world's, weather over a long period of time. It is vitally important not to confuse the two to understand the reality of climate change.
Unfortunately, it's been suggested that Earth's climate is changing for the worse thanks to us humans. Temperatures are heating up and as the years continue we'll see global warming have an ever-growing influence on our winters. There will still be snow, but only at the highest elevations with the coldest temperatures - any lower and the precipitation will be rain.
This winter may not shape up to be as powdery as last season, but one poor snow year is not reflective of what every forthcoming year will be. We should still expect great snow years, but not forever. With rising temperatures the odds of warm winters will increase which means more rain and less powder. Not good.
If there's anything skiers could do, it would be to educate ourselves on the actual facts on climate change. Most notably, Protect our Winters is a great resource and initiative that aims to bring to bring together outdoor winter enthusiasts for awareness of climate change. I'm generally an optimist but the outlook for future winter lovers is pretty grim. If anything, know the correct facts, such as weather vs climate, as well as the environmental impacts of your actions.
Luckily, skiing is fun - even if there's oddly timed spring conditions and surprise rocks on every run. Restless skiers are already bringin' out the snow blades, straight skis and neon onesies. I've already seen a vicious number of Pit Vipers being worn in the sunny weather. But these conditions do bring up the question of long-term snow trends. Will every western winter start to look like this one? Is this the result of global warming? Will Pit Vipers ever look good?
While it's nearing 40 Degrees Fahrenheit in Little Cottonwood Canyon, the Midwest and East Coast got the exact opposite, with a cold snap dipping temperatures to almost -40 Degrees Fahrenheit. The cold weather even prompted the US president to tweet that "we could use a little bit of that good old global warming."
It should go without saying that global warming is definitely the last thing the world needs for a vast number of reasons. Weather, such as the cold snap, is short-term and not necessarily indicative of long term patterns. Climate, however, is much more important as it represents the change in an area's, or the world's, weather over a long period of time. It is vitally important not to confuse the two to understand the reality of climate change.
Unfortunately, it's been suggested that Earth's climate is changing for the worse thanks to us humans. Temperatures are heating up and as the years continue we'll see global warming have an ever-growing influence on our winters. There will still be snow, but only at the highest elevations with the coldest temperatures - any lower and the precipitation will be rain.
This winter may not shape up to be as powdery as last season, but one poor snow year is not reflective of what every forthcoming year will be. We should still expect great snow years, but not forever. With rising temperatures the odds of warm winters will increase which means more rain and less powder. Not good.
If there's anything skiers could do, it would be to educate ourselves on the actual facts on climate change. Most notably, Protect our Winters is a great resource and initiative that aims to bring to bring together outdoor winter enthusiasts for awareness of climate change. I'm generally an optimist but the outlook for future winter lovers is pretty grim. If anything, know the correct facts, such as weather vs climate, as well as the environmental impacts of your actions.
