New York and the rest of the northeast of America began 2023 in t-shirts and shorts, as the area has been hit with unseasonably warm weather. It was reported that Central Park hit temperatures of 66 fahrenheit (18C). Temperatures in the area have not risen as high in decades, the last recorded temperature spike in January for New York was in 1950.
In Vermont, the warm weather has forced a number of ski resorts to close, as the popular holiday destinations are facing high temperatures and a lack of snow.
Spencer Spellman, the senior editor for On The Snow, a popular skiing magazine, said: “Recently, it’s simply not been cold enough for many ski resorts to effectively make snow.”
He added: “Many New England ski resorts have had to do temporary closures.”
The editor also reported that ski resorts Killington and Stowe have been forced to close after only seeing 50 inches of snow when the average should be closer to 200 inches.
Mr Spellman said these ski resorts are “at a disadvantage going into January.”
The famous ski town Burlington saw the temperature rise 25F higher than it usually would be in December 2022, and right now the temperature continues to be 10 to 15F higher than normal.
Mr Spellman named ski resorts Mad River Glen and Camden Snow Bowl as two ski resorts forced to close and said: “They’re expected to reopen as soon as conditions allow.”
Mad River Glen in Waitsfield, Vermont said in a statement they hope to open their ski lifts once more when temperatures drop again.
They said: “After an incredible stretch of skiing over the holiday week, we have been forced to suspend operations.”
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As temperatures return to normal, it’s been reported that at least 18 ski resorts are expected to reopen this weekend.
Bryan Rivard from Ski Vermont has said he is hopeful that popular ski resorts will begin to allow skiers back.
He said: “Ski areas in Vermont are used to working with erratic weather and will be able to expand open terrain quickly as soon as temperatures drop.
“That’s one of the benefits of Vermont having some of the strongest snowmaking systems in the world – they can capitalize on any windows of cold weather to build up their bases and resurface terrain.”
