January as warm as it hasn't been in over 100 years - what's the situation like in Hessen's ski areas?

Created: 01/11/2023 09:10

By: Katja Saake

Record heat in January, no snow in Hessen's ski areas.

Is winter coming again?

The ski lift operators in Willingen and on the Wasserkuppe are not yet giving up the season.

With Willingen, the last ski area in Hesse has now ceased operations last Friday.

The reason: no snow.

Instead of white-covered slopes, only green meadows can be seen in the Willingen ski area at the moment.

Because climate change has also fully arrived in Hesse.

After 2022 was the warmest year since weather records began, January 2023 also started with a new record: It was the warmest start of the year since 1881. But not only the ski areas in Hesse are struggling with a lack of snow, also those much higher up Top ski resorts in the Alps have big problems this winter season.

In Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland, ski slopes have already had to be closed and some ski stations have not even been able to start operations this winter.

In the meantime, even the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is concerned that it could run out of host cities for the Winter Olympics in the near future.

And in Hesse?

Is skiing still possible here this winter?

We asked the ski areas in Willingen and on the Wasserkuppe.

Sad sight: no snow in the ski area is the worst-case scenario for winter holidaymakers.

© Marijan Murat/dpa/dpa-tmn

Willingen and Wasserkuppe ski areas optimistic: Skiing may be possible again next week

“It's snowing right now and lower temperatures are reported for next week.

We might be able to open again at the end of next week," says Florian Heitmann, lift operator in the Wasserkuppe ski area.

Although skiing has not been possible since December 21st due to a lack of snow on the Wasserkuppe, he remains optimistic.

"We've had eleven days of skiing so far and we're still at the beginning of the season." The current forced break doesn't seem to worry him.

Last year, operations had to be closed over New Year's Eve, but overall, with 92 days of skiing, the season average was still significantly exceeded, he reports.

Heitmann expects to be able to put the system back into operation as early as the end of next week.

Artificial snow can be used again from minus 3 degrees.

The situation in the Willingen ski area is also relaxed despite the lack of snow: “We had fantastic conditions until just before Christmas.

We started the ski season on December 14th, the earliest start of the season in 12 years,” says Marina Kieweg from the Willingen ski area.

With 22 ski days averaging 85 per winter season so far, she is in a good position, because there have been years in the Willingen ski area where the ski season only started at the end of January, she explains.

As in the ski area on the Wasserkuppe, people in Willingen are now waiting for lower temperatures before artificial snow can be used again.

And by then, the tourist area will have spread: With the ice rink in Willingen, the summer toboggan run and the Ettelsberg cable car, you can experience something even without snow.

Leisure activities without snow in Willingen and on the Wasserkuppe

Willingen, Wasserkuppe and Co.: Snow expected for ski areas

Ski fans can be happy, the German Weather Service expects snow in the mountains above 400 meters in a forecast for the beginning of next week and then wintry weather in the mountain regions as well.

The Alpine region is also looking forward to fresh snow, which could already provide long-awaited wintry conditions in the ski areas this week.