Skiing could be impossible in Alps 'within 80 years'

Skiing in some areas of the Alps could become impossible within the next 80 years dues to a lack of snow, says a new study.

New research from the Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research in Davos, Switzerland, suggests snow cover across the Alps will fall by at least a third by the end of the century, leaving lower resorts without snow.

See also: Top 10 ski resorts for thrilseekers

See also: Skiing in Norway and Sweden: Top resorts

If global temperatures increase by more than 2C by 2100, the amount of snow could drop by 70 per cent.

This would mean only the very highest resorts, like Val Thorens in the Three Valleys in France, will get enough snow for skiing.

The Evening Standard reports that the research suggests that even if global warming is restricted to 2C, snow cover will fall by 30 per cent by 2100, and the skiing season could be up to a month shorter, kicking off at a later date.

According to the Daily Mail, Sebastian Schlögl, one of the authors of the study and a researcher at the Institute, said: "Since many Alpine villages are heavily dependent on winter tourism, the economy and society of regions with such tourism centres will suffer."

The study, which is published in the European Geoscience Union journal The Cryosphere, showed that most affected slopes would be those below 3,937ft (1,200m), where there would be no continuous snow cover by the end of the century. Around a quarter of the Alps' resorts are below this level.

The news comes after a poor start to the 2016/17 ski season. Many resorts in France saw barely any snow in December.