Greece's mountain snow melt threatens water supply and winter tourism

A study using four decades of NASA and ESA satellite imagery, aided by machine‑learning reconstructions, found that snow cover on ten Greek mountains has fallen by more than half since the mid‑1980s. Researchers from the University of Cambridge’s Scott Polar Research Institute and the National Observatory of Athens said the rapid loss is driven by rising temperatures linked to greenhouse‑gas emissions, not natural climate variability.

Snow acts as a natural reservoir, releasing meltwater during the dry Mediterranean summer. In villages such as Arachova, which relies on snowmelt for 100 % of its water, the decline is already visible: springs are drying, reservoirs are not refilling, and residents are curbing water use. The shrinking snowpack also undermines the local ski industry, a key part of the region’s economy.

Scientists warned that continued loss could exacerbate drought conditions and threaten both water security and winter tourism across Greece's mountainous areas.