Northeast ski resorts forced to temporarily shut down due to unseasonsable warmth

Ski resorts across the northeast of the United States have been forced to close at a time of the year when it's supposedly 'peak season' due to a lack of snow that's tied to unseasonable warmth. 

The Northeast braced itself for several record-high temperatures around 60F to start the new year, following some of the coldest days of this winter registered on around Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 

In Vermont, warm temperatures have, so far, signified bad business. Thin snow falling within the state's borders has made it nearly impossible for skiers to enjoy the Green Mountains, which are part of Appalachians. 

'Recently, it's simply not been cold enough for many ski resorts to effectively make snow,' Spencer Spellman, senior editor for On The Snow, told Fox Weather. 

As of late, high levels of precipitations along with a mixture of warmth and humidity haven't helped the mountains rediscover their true winter colors. 

Ski resorts in Vermont and elsewhere across the northeast have been recently forced to close due to unseasonably warm weather and lack of snow. Only Jay Peak has more than two inches of snow in the state

There are barely any snowbanks in several resorts in Vermont due to high temperatures, as residents are rocked by this year's relatively warm winter 

Mad River Glen in Waitsfield, Vermont, was forced to shut for a couple of days after the start of the year due to the lack of snow

Other major ski resorts in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut had to also temporarily shut down.

'Mad River Glen and Camden Snow Bowl are among them, but they're expected to reopen as soon as conditions allow,' Spellman added. 

'After an incredible stretch of skiing over the holiday week, we have been forced to suspend operations,'  shared Mad River Glen on Sunday. The resort is in Waitsfield, Vermont.

'Today's temperatures are looking as if they'll land in the mid-20s but the return of some clear, blue skies and sunshine will be a welcome improvement to the recent weather trend. We're once again waking to find a light dusting of new snow on the ground in the Base Area and while it is still not quite enough to measure, we are making gradual steps towards improving our conditions.'

Other ski resorts in different parts of New England, including Maine and Massachusetts are also suffering from the current dip in climate

A man in the Mad River Valley of Vermont took a picture of snow melting on a walking trail and said it 'feels, sounds, and looks more like Spring than Winter'

Mad River Glen, a popular ski resort in central Vermont, has been forced to close on certain days due to the lack of snow

Usually covered in snow at this time of the year, Vermont's capital, Burlington, saw weather conditions reach temperatures 25 degrees higher than the average forecast around the new year.

As of Sunday, Burlington will observe temperatures reach a high of 34F, which is 10-15 degrees higher than January conditions last year.

Other than cold weather, ski resorts in New England are also lacking sufficient snowpack to be open until the end of winter. 

'The iconic ski resorts like Killington and Stowe have seen about 50 inches of snow, while their season averages are closer to 200,' Spellman said. 'So, they're at a disadvantage going into January.' 

Vermont is usually a popular state to ski in the U.S. due to its abundance levels of snow each winter. Pictured: A ski resort in Vermont at the start of 2022

With temperatures supposedly returning to normal levels after the first weekend of the new year, some are hopeful that it's the first of many signs that winter has just officially crept in.

'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,' Bryan Rivard - Director of Communications at Ski Vermont - told Fox Weather. 

'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.' 

Several popular ski resorts in Vermont plan to reopen this weekend, including Okemo, Sugarbush, and Bromley, while some others will reopen for business next weekend, according to Rivard.