Warming Alps Accelerate Glacier Loss and Challenge Austria’s Winter Tourism

Warming Alps Accelerate Glacier Loss and Challenge Austria’s Winter Tourism
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The Austrian Alps are warming at almost twice the global average, accelerating glacier retreat and forcing ski resorts to rely increasingly on artificial snow, officials and researchers say, Anadolu Agency reported. Rising temperatures are also reshaping seasonal patterns, reducing snowfall at lower elevations and placing pressure on water resources critical to tourism and mountain infrastructure.

Long-term monitoring shows widespread glacier loss and shifting precipitation trends across the region. Data from the Austrian Alpine Club indicate glaciers retreated by an average of 24.1 metres during the 2023–2024 period, marking the third-largest annual decline on record. The changes are altering water systems, hiking routes and the operation of mountain huts throughout the Alps.

Higher temperatures have caused water shortages in high-altitude areas, leading to closures of some huts and costly upgrades for others. Mountaineering conditions have also deteriorated, with melting ice destabilising terrain and increasing the risk of rockfalls and mudslides. Climate-driven shifts are bringing more winter rain instead of snow, alongside stronger summer storms and periods of drought.

Despite environmental pressures, demand for winter tourism remains strong, with more than 20 million visitors expected in Austria this season. However, conservation groups warn the long-term outlook is severe, with wildlife affected by reduced snow cover and experts cautioning that most Austrian glaciers could largely disappear within the next four to five decades.