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Europe’s ski resorts haven’t been getting enough snow, but Amedeo Reale isn’t worried. He’s the president of Sci Club 18, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, a town in Italy’s Dolomite mountains. In 2026, the area will host the women’s Winter Olympics downhill skiing events.

“The only thing we are scared of is having one or two months of hot weather,” Reale says. That isn’t likely, though. At more than 5,000 feet above sea level, the slopes stay cold enough for artificial snow.

But other parts of Europe aren’t so lucky. They’ve been getting a taste of a much warmer future. Climate trends seem to show that muddy ski slopes will become a regular thing, as periods with lots of snow are mixed in with periods of rain and even heat.

That would be bad for business. Mountain villages depend on regular snow and reliable conditions. Snow draws skiers who spend hundreds of dollars a day on lift fees, hotels, restaurants, and equipment rentals. No snow means no tourists—and no income.