Global reduction of snow cover in ski areas under climate change

With ongoing climate change, annual scd of global ski areas in less populated areas will decrease less pronounced compared to medium and highly populated areas under a high (Fig 3), very high (S17 Fig) and low emissions scenario (S18 Fig). Ski areas in highly populated areas will be most affected by decreasing annual scd and are projected to decline by 55%/49% (very high/high emissions scenario) from on average 194 scd in 1981–2010 to 112/125 (very high/high emissions scenario) scd in the future. By 2041–2070, annual scd in highly populated areas will decline by 40%/39% to 142/153 annual scd on average. Decrease in annual scd will be less pronounced in intermediately populated areas with a decline of 43%/38% (218 to 146/ 153 mean annual scd) and poorly populated areas with a reduction of 38%/33% (222 to 156/ 161 mean annual scd) annual scd in the future (Fig 3 and S18 Fig). Overall, year-round snow cover in present ski areas will nearly disappear worldwide, whereas the number of ski areas with zero snow cover days will increase substantially. Most considerably, this will happen in highly populated areas (Fig 3B and S17, S18 Figs). Discussion Within this century, ongoing climate change will globally lead to a substantial reduction in annual snow cover days in current ski areas under all emissions scenarios. Ski areas located in highly populated areas are predicted to be more affected by global warming and hence, Fig 2. Major global mountainous regions (a) Rocky Mountains b) Appalachian Mountains c) European Alps d) Andes e) Australian Alps f) Southern Alps g)

Japanese Alps) with ski areas and an underlying elevation gradient (grey, details in S10–S16 Figs). Colouring indicates the percent change in annual snow cover days in each ski area in the future 2071–2100 compared to historical (1981–2010) snow cover days under a high (SSP3-7.0) emissions scenario. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299735.g002 PLOS ONE Global reduction of snow cover in ski areas under climate change PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299735 March 13, 2024 6 / 15