Published: 1/16/2019 2:02:27 PM
New Hampshire’s ski reports showed off their snow-making prowess in an unusual place Wednesday: in front of the State House.
Representatives of a half-dozen ski areas, organized by the industry association Ski N.H., were in Concord to talk about snowmaking and to show an air-water gun in action, turning the State House plaza much whiter than Mother Nature has done.
They were there partly to remind lawmakers about the importance of the industry to the state’s economy, and partly to remind skiers that even when there’s relatively little natural snow, technology can fill the gap.
Artificial snow has been made by winter resorts since 1952, when a Catskills resort became the first to use the recently invented snow gun. In theory, the system has changed very little since then, although changing details have vastly improved snowmaking.
Snow is made by blowing water into the air as it breaks into small droplets, which freeze into snowflakes. These days the water is often mixed with a material, usually a biodegradable bacteria, that acts as a nucleus for snowflakes to form around, creating better snowflakes in a wider range of conditions.
Snow can be made if the temperature is as warm as 39 degrees as long as the humidity is very low, but for obvious reasons it is easier to make snow and the quality is better if the air temperature is below freezing. It can’t be too cold, however. If it drops below 20 degrees, proper snowflakes won’t form.
Most New Hampshire ski areas offer snowmaking on virtually all of their groomed trails.
Snowmaking is usually the second-biggest expense for ski areas after labor costs. Access to good water supply for making snow can be a limiting factor in any area’s plans for expansion or when to open.