The word for it here is Schneemangel or snow shortage. There's a phrase for when the snow is plentiful too - das weisse Gold - white gold. It's a reflection of how many alpine communities depend on winter sports for their livelihoods. World Cup skiers will race on artificial snow this Saturday as the Alps see record high temperatures.

Water scarcity and heat are threatening two of Switzerland's main agricultural products: milk and cheese. But the shortage affects far more than cows — Swiss glaciers also feed Europe's major rivers.

Water levels in rivers, lakes and reservoirs across western Europe are running low, or even dry, amid the severest drought in decades which is putting stress on drinking water supplies, hampering river freight and tourism and threatening crop yields.