Skier demand and behavioural adaptation to weather, snow conditions and climate change in central pyrenees

Abstract

This study used surveys to determine how skiers perceive weather and climate change, and their behaviour concerning ski practice in the Central Pyrenees. A mixed system was used to collect the surveys; in situ and online (n=205). The climate preferences show that 80% of the skiers did not go skiing on a rainy day, 58.5% on a day of excessive wind, 46% with poor visibility, and 41% did not go skiing in marginal snow conditions. 91% percent of respondents reported having been affected by snow shortages during a ski season. Regarding adaptation measures to climate change, 49% of respondents would continue skiing less often in their usual place, 21% would ski in the usual way even with bad snow conditions, 10% would replace to skiing with another mountain activity, 10% would travelled farther to find good snow conditions, and 8% stopped skiing during that season. A total of 77% of the respondents believed that climate change has a medium or high impact on snow conditions, but 76% consider that this is a problem to be faced in the future.