Global warming threatens ski holidays

Though Alpine ski resorts have been blessed with good snow cover for the past couple of years, global warming means that there's no guarantee they will get as much snow this winter or in the future.

In fact, scientists have warned that only the highest ski resorts will still be skiable within the next 30 to 50 years.

They believe that by 2050 only resorts that sit above 1,500 meters will get snow, which means that many lowly resorts in Austria, Italy and Switzerland will be left dry.

A report by an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change claimed that the snow level has risen 150 metres in the past 10 years, during which the average temperature has increased by only one degree.

If global warming continues at the current rate, many ski resorts that are popular with British skiers may be forced to close down. Those most at risk include the Austrian resorts of Kitzbuhel, Zell Am See, Soll and Mayrhofen, all very popular with British skiers.

It's a worry for skiers, who don't want to arrive in a resort to be confronted with bare slopes so the best advice to anyone booking a ski holiday is to wait until the snow is following before committing to a resort.

If that's not possible - and those locked into school holidays don't usually have the option of waiting till the last minute to book - then book a high-altitude resort.

Popular options include La Plagne, Les Arcs, Val Thorens and Val d'Isere in France, all of which are well over 1,500 metres.

Another good tip is to pick a resort with a glacier, which is likely to have snow all year round. Safe bets include the French resort of Les Deux Alps, the Swiss resort of Zermatt and Arabba in Italy.

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