Economic Effect of Climate Change, Already Apparent in Northern Michigan, Predicted to Worsen
It may not be apparent, in the midst of a deep freeze like the one we’ve been shivering through for the past few weeks, but Northern Michigan’s winters are indeed becoming shorter and, surprise, warmer. The winter of 2015/2016 was the worst on record, for Michigan’s ski resorts, and while the last couple of years have been somewhat better, a study published by the Journal for Global Environmental Change in 2017 predicts that by 2050 we can expect our season of cold winter weather to be no more than half its current length. We can expect lakes not to freeze fully and snowfall to melt faster.
Although ski resorts, as long as they can afford the investment it will require, may have the option of extending their season, and offer warm-weather activities, other wintertime events will likely not have such an option. Ice fishing, snowmobiling and wintertime festivals draw people – and dollars – to our area. If the ice is unsafe, as is predicted, and the snow cover unsatisfactory, many other winter tourist dependent businesses may have to follow the lead of the big ski resorts and begin thinking about how to attract less seasonally motivated visitors.
#ClimateChange #SkiIndustry
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