A warm winter is having a brutal effect on the North Island’s alpine industry.

Ruapehu Alpine Lifts has let go a third of its mountain workforce – about 135 staff – as a lack of snow keeps much of Tūroa and Whakapapa ski fields closed.

And it’s looking like Manganui Ski Field on Taranaki Maunga may   not open at all this year.

“It’s been a warmer-than-average winter across the country, but the effects of that have been more severe in the North Island,” said Tom Harris (pictured), alpine partnerships adviser at the Mountain Safety Council.

Storm systems brought good snow to the South Island earlier in the year, but not to the North Island, Harris said.

Then, in August, rain “turned the North Island’s not-very-good winter into a horrendous winter”.

The poor season has drawn attention to climate change and its impact on the country’s alpine industry.

“It’s going to be a different industry in 50 years’ time,” Harris said.

People heading to the backcountry should still check Avalanche Advisory forecasts and have adequate equipment and training, he said.

There is a decent amount of snow at higher elevations on Ruapehu and Taranaki, and warmer temperatures made certain types of avalanches more likely.