Europe’s ski resorts are grinding to a halt during what could be the hottest February ever

Skiers across Europe are arriving at resorts to find historically low levels of snow following an exceptionally mild winter.

Stark images from resorts in the likes of France, Austria and Bosnia show huge swathes of mountains almost entirely bare. 

It’s a striking contrast to how they usually look in mid-to-late February - typically the peak season for winter sports.

In the popular French resort of Saint-Colomban-des-Villards in the Alps, ski lifts have stopped running completely. That’s thanks to a significant lack of snow following temperatures climbing up to 13C; its average February temperature is, in contrast, just over 4C.

Further south, the Artouste ski resort in the Pyrenees Atlantiques - also well known as the home of Europe's highest train, a narrow-gauge tourist line - is facing a similar situation. If you google the destination, you’ll be told it’s “temporarily closed”.

Local reports say piste grooming machines are lined up in a field next to ski lifts, also motionless for an indefinite period.

In Austria, the Tyrolean ski area of Mutterer Alm was forced to close, according to Kronen Zeitung, the country’s largest newspaper. Famous for its view of Innsbruck and the Karwendel mountain range, the resort’s website says it’s shut indefinitely.

The rise in temperatures is particularly painful for Bosnia.

This year, they should be celebrating 40 years since the capital Sarajevo hosted the Winter Olympics. Instead, the Women’s Ski Super G European Cup, set to be held last week at Bjelasnica, was cancelled due to lack of snow.

Skiers at Bosnia’s Mount Bjelasnica have been dragging their kit through mud to reach ski lifts.

Known as one of Europe’s cheapest ski destinations, many winter sports fans have decided to plough ahead