A live camera pans in every direction along the Rettenbach glacier in Soelden, Austria — a way to show the snow status at the resort in the Alps. Instead of blankets of snow everywhere leading into a season-opening World Cup ski race, the images reflected a light dusting — thanks to a recent snowfall — over the rocks, rubble and dirt.

The notable exception was the majestic ribbon of mainly manufactured snow in place for the race last weekend. Granted, it’s early in the season in Soelden. But this sort of minimal-snow scene is playing out all over the planet. The current images at Copper Mountain in Colorado, which is hosting a series of races next month, show only a light coating of snow.

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