Spring snow, then sun — plus “Who got the snow?”
- Andrea Hamilton
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Hello skiers and snowboarders,
An area of low pressure and associated cold front will move in later today and into Monday. We are expecting snow mainly for Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass. 6 to 8" for the mid-slopes (see map below). The Puget Sound Convergence Zone forms (which we explained in our prior alert) which mainly benefits Stevens and Snoqualmie. Little snow is expected elsewhere on Monday. Crystal Mountain and Whistler may get 1 to 2"; otherwise, no snow is expected.
Starting on Tuesday, a weak ridge of high pressure builds for a drying and warming trend through Thursday.
HIGHLIGHTS
❄️ Monday – 6 to 8" mid-slopes for Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass area
🌥️ Tuesday – Partly cloudy, trace of new snow
☀️ Wednesday – Sunny
☀️ Thursday – Sunny and warmer
📉 Season Recap – WA mostly below normal; Crystal & White Pass fared best
📈 Oregon – Above normal snowpack, resorts still open
The map below shows snowfall for the 24 hours ending Monday afternoon.
Snow This Season
We had La Niña conditions this winter, which normally brings above-average snow for the Northwest. Sadly, this did not happen for most of the Washington resorts. You can see from the table below that most resorts in Washington had below normal snow on the ground as of April 15. However, White Pass and Crystal Mountain are 98% and 108%, respectively. This was certainly better than the prior winter.
The map below shows the snowpack in water/equivalent (SWE) as of April 19, 2025, as a percent of normal. SWE is used for water management agencies, and is the depth of water that would result if a snowpack were to melt completely.
The main message is that much of Washington was below normal (except Crystal Mountain) while all of Oregon was above normal. This explains why many of the Oregon resorts are open later this spring.
The map below is snow water equivalent as of 4-19-2025. Most of Washington was below normal while Oregon was above normal.
SLOPES - Elevation General Guidelines
Lower Slopes - Under 4000'
Mid-Slopes - 4000 to 5500'
Upper-Slopes - Above 5500'
Prepared by Michael Fagin, Meteorologist.
EXTENDED OUTLOOK: Friday, April 25 to Sunday, April 27
Starting on Friday, forecast models bring a deep trough of low pressure into our region, and this will mean snowfall for much of the Pacific Northwest. We are expecting snow from Whistler to all of the resorts in Washington and into Oregon. This forecast is too far in the extended period to try to accurately estimate the snowfall amounts. We will update you this coming Thursday, April 24.
The map below is snowfall for the 24 hours ending Sunday, April 27.
The table below is the general accuracy of short-term forecasts vs. extended ones.
Sponsor event
April 26 and 27 at Sturtevant's in Bellevue and Ski Mart in Tacoma. Free storage wax applied to skis and snowboards and a discount on tunes: Basic (sale $55) and Custom ($35).
IGNIK Outdoors On April 22, shop ignik.com and 100% of profits go to 1% for the Planet. That's right, we're giving it all to protect the places we adventure in.
Uphill Travel Policy
Open Fri-Sunday. Daily message details with days/hours/details. Banked Slalom April 26 & 27.
All Summit areas will be closed as of Sunday, 4/20. Alpental is closed to uphill travel, ski touring and split boarding at all times.
Stevens Pass is closed for the season.
The links provided on this page are for informational purposes only. Be aware and respectful.
Closing Dates
Crystal Mountain extended schedule. Daily message details
Mission Ridge: Sat & Sun through 4/27
From 49 Degrees North: We're evaluating on Wednesday, 4/23.
Northwest Avalanche Center
NWAC "Although we’re done publishing avalanche forecasts until next winter, avalanches can and do still occur in the snow-covered mountains. It is your responsibility to decide when, where, and how to travel."
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🏔️ There's a resort for everyone, but we can't cover every resort every time. For conditions
and forecasts at your resort, please check their website.
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