Skimpy Snow This Season Could Spell Trouble For The Ski Industry Next Year

By Michelle P. Fulcher
· Jan. 17, 2018, 3:14 am
Map: mpf snow update precipitation levels
Precipitation levels are more than 50 percent below normal across much of Colorado.

The financial impact of the long, dry spell in the mountains this winter could linger into next season. Skiers who've been discouraged by the lack of snow so far this year may delay their bookings for next season, says meteorologist Joel Gratz of OpenSnow.com, a website that predicts daily snow conditions for 1.5 million users worldwide. The change in climate is part of a pattern, Gratz says.

Map: mpf snow levels update snow water equivalent(USDA/NRCS) 
Snowpack is below average across Colorado this year. The southwest corner of the state is hardest-hit with at about 34 percent of average. 
MAP: mpf snow update temperature map
Temperatures have been well above average in much of the West since October. 

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