Whether to Weather... not looking too good ahead...

Well, lets start with where we are at which is between and 50% and 70% of normal snowpack which is why the February forecast is not good news. As you can see we are now in the red.



Daniel Swain of Weather West fame has come out with a forecast for February and let me tell you, it ain't pretty. We either get warm and dry or cool and dry or cold and dry depending on the actual position of the High Pressure Ridge setting up off the West Coast. Unless... the High pulls Westward a few hundred miles further and then inside sliders may pick up some water and bring it our way. Like all forecasts its a "best guess" but its looking pretty dry for us folks for the most part.

As you can see above... its a big fat high pressure system parked right off the coast that will move in mid next week and have a long life there after the amazingly windy storm on Sunday. Temperature drops will be in the 20 to 30 degree range from Saturday to Monday so winter will be coming back with temps forecast in the single digits or lower for the higher mountains on Tuesday morning. Don't expect too much in the way of snow with this storm though as we are forecast for under six inches (and perhaps much less) but the wind will rage according to Swain and local forecasters. The temperature difference is dramatic in a graph for Sunday below:

Tomorrow however will be spring like in the valleys and mountains with shorts weather in the valleys  providing some great opportunity for some pre-spring corn skiing. I would expect most South facing slopes to corn up quite well considering the forecast. Today corn was starting to form on the Silver Face mid-morning with excellent results. The rest of the groomers were a little firm due to temperature fluctuations last night and free water in the pack from some light rain the last 36 hours. So... I would say... enjoy tomorrow for the great corn, beer on the deck opportunities it will bring all of us and then get your skiing in early on Sunday if the lifts are not blown out. 

Special Thanks to Cindy "Sparkles" Sullivan who keeps me motivated to blog with her very nice contribution of a bottle of my favorite rum and some homemade Hot Buttered Rum mix to go with it. 

You rock Cindy! 

Good luck everyone. Hope you get out tomorrow and enjoy the groomers and perhaps off-piste if the sun can lossen it up a little!

Sven

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