Now that it’s December, with just two weeks to go until the holiday season, many people are thinking about our mountain snow. Are the prospects good for skiing and winter recreation?
I think I can give you an actual answer at this point.
Let’s start with the current situation, examining typical snow water percentages around the western US (see below).
The situation is quite favorable at the moment. Snow and ice were higher than normal (150% or more) for the northern Sierra Nevada, Nevada and most of Oregon. Washington state is doing well, with the central and southern Cascades above normal.
And everyone will have more! The UW model’s forecast for total snow accumulation over the next 5 days is shown below. Healthy snow accumulation for the entire West Coast, with particularly heavy snow in the mountains of California. This is good for the water supply and reduces the risk of fire now and in the future.
This is a La Nina winter and a typical La Nina atmospheric configuration is ongoing, with a large high pressure band over the eastern Pacific Ocean. This ridge was very persistent. An offshore ridge produces a cool, northwesterly flow over the NW, and we’ve certainly been much colder than usual over the past month.
To illustrate, below is the temperature difference from normal for the past month. The entire west is colder than usual, with northeastern Washington and Montana being MUCH colder than usual. Blame La Nina.
This is the latest prediction for the next 30 days from the Central Europe model. OH. Colder than normal conditions across the entire West! Makes people want to stock up on hot chocolate and marshmallows.
With a good snow cover, plenty of snow coming and cold temperatures predicted, I think a fun winter break is almost guaranteed.
