Giannis Stathas, mayor of Arachova and the surrounding area, recalls childhood winters when snow would trap residents indoors for days. 'We couldn't go to school because of the snow,' he said. 'Now we don't see that here anymore.'
Declining Snow Cover on Greek Mountains
New research from the University of Cambridge's Scott Polar Research Institute confirms that snow cover on ten Greek mountains has declined rapidly. 'We've lost more than half of the snow cover since the mid-1980s,' said Konstantis Alexopoulos, a snow hydrologist at the University of Cambridge and the National Observatory of Athens, and co-founder of the Hellenic Mountain Observatory.
The study used 40 years of NASA and European Space Agency satellite imagery, employing machine learning to fill gaps caused by cloud cover and infrequent satellite passes.
Snow as a Natural Water Reservoir
Alexopoulos explained that snowpack acts like a savings account: 'You can deposit an amount today and the longer you keep it in this savings account without spending it, the interest value is going to increase.' Snow melts slowly during the dry summer months, providing water when it is needed most, unlike rain which runs off quickly.
Climate Change Driving the Decline
The loss of snow is primarily driven by rising temperatures from greenhouse gas emissions, which reduce both snowfall and snow cover duration. 'The current rate of climate change globally and specifically in hotspots like the Mediterranean is much faster than what the earth has experienced previously,' Alexopoulos said. The decline in Greek mountains is steeper than in other mountainous regions such as the Andes or the Himalayas.
This study is one of the first long-term analyses of Greek mountains, as such research is challenging due to remote access and difficulty maintaining weather stations. 'In Greece we haven't focused so much on it because we never really understood the importance of snow's contribution to our water resources,' Alexopoulos added.
Impact on Arachova
In Arachova, at the foot of Mount Parnassos, the consequences are already visible. 'One hundred percent of Arachova's water is supplied by snowmelt,' said local restaurant owner Aktida Koritou. Locals are increasingly conscious of water scarcity, especially during summer when shortages peak. Mayor Stathas noted that the biggest problem occurs from late August to early October as springs dry up and reservoirs fail to refill. An unexpected snowfall in April was welcomed but insufficient to replenish reservoirs.
The municipality is exploring small dams to capture water, and the ski center is implementing snow retention measures. Drier vegetation also increases fire risk. 'You could set fire among the fir trees 30 years, 40 years ago and there was never a chance that the mountain would burn,' Stathas said. 'But now there is a great danger because of the severe drought.'
Economic Shifts
The ski season now starts in January instead of December. 'No one will come to the mountain for Christmas. They will go to Switzerland. They will go wherever they find snow,' Koritou said. She reported a 30% reduction in business during Christmas. The municipality is promoting Arachova as a summer destination, but Stathas emphasized, 'To be able to hold on to tourism in the summer, we have to have water.'
Remembering Winters Past
Koritou recalls farmers harvesting grapes before the first snowfall, shovels kept behind doors, and neighbors clearing roads together. She remembers sections of the mountain where snow never fully melted before the next winter. 'There are some years when despair grips you,' she said. 'For those of us who know winter well, it's disappointing not to see snow. You want it in the winter. The change is enormous.'
