Happy Holidays!
Hello skiers and snowboarders,
Very little new snow is in the forecast, as resorts focus on good grooming and snowmaking - when it’s cold enough. The snowpack is below normal, but many slopes and lifts are open. Give it a try. As always, be careful, there are thin spots and other hazards. Stay on the groomers.
Multiple low-pressure areas offshore continue to spin weather fronts our way. Unfortunately, they smash into a high pressure anchored over the Western states. The collision stretches the fronts apart, weakening them. We end with little new snow.
With this pattern there is a continued chance of a little snow at times over the next couple of days, but nothing significant. Plus, the southwest airflow near these fronts tends to keep snow levels a bit on the higher side, 4000-5,000 ft. Normal snow levels this time of year would be about 1,000 - 3,000 ft. Snow levels will lower later in the weekend and next week to normal range.
This “splitty” pattern of fronts tearing apart will continue for a few days. Sometimes the split storm track goes a bit north and Baker gets a little (1-2”) and Whistler gets more. The southern part of the split will hit the Sierra in California with a little snow on Saturday (1-4”) while the Cascades get little.
As I cautioned earlier this season, El Niño can cause headaches for NW skiers with dry spells and warmth. It’s really the warmth (high snow levels) hurting us. It’s like the El Niño of 2015 – a rainy winter, but a "snow drought" season, because of high snow levels.
Good news is that weather changes and the season has a way to go. The resorts are trying hard. My experience so far this season has been ok to good, but not great. There is snow to ski, but stay on the groomers and watch for hazards.
Here’s the forecast
Snow levels 5,000 lowering 3,000 ft and with a little snow:
Friday: Mostly cloudy, little rain snow mix lower slopes
Saturday: Mostly cloudy, little if any snow
Sunday: Mostly cloudy, mainly dry – little snow?
Next week: cooler, little if any new snow
Update coming Sunday.
Grand Poobah of Powder
larry schick – meteorologist
P.S. I'm doing another ZOOM - everyone is invited.
"Ski season 2023-24: What the heck is going on?"
Wed, Jan 3rd 6:30-7:30. Link below
Graphic shows snowfall in Thursday through Sunday.
ZOOM DETAILS
Wed, Jan 6th from 6:30 - 7:30 pm.
Zoom with Larry. Expect about a 20-minute presentation with Q&A following. Submit your questions early with the google form. Powder Poobah, Larry Schick, meteorologist.
Meeting ID
860 0302 2114
Passcode
387573
GOOGLE FORM LINK FOR QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE
