No more skiing in most of the Alpine region this winter

People skiing on a slope of artificial snow in Wildhaus, Switzerland. — Keystone/AP

It's January and a forlorn ribbon of artificial snow, flanked by verdant pastureland, is all that links the Swiss village of Gstaad, altitude 1,050m, with the ski resort’s uppermost reaches.

Les Contamines, a French resort overlooking Mont-Blanc, just cancelled the recent World Cup telemark ski race because of a lack of snow. Only weeks into the season, some lower-altitude, lower-budget destinations are closed.