2012-13 Ski Season Summary

The following major weather patterns affected the ski season.
November: Colorado had record drought but other regions had average snowfall.
late November/early December: Two major storms hit the West Coast. The first was warmer and included some low elevation rain. The second was cooler and tracked strongest in the Northwest and pushed farther into the Rockies than the first.
Middle weeks of December: This was the snowiest part of the season with above average snow in all regions but strongest along the West Coast.
The holiday week: More heavy snow fell in California and Utah with moderate amounts in other regions.
January and early February: There was widespread drought with almost no snow during the first and third weeks of January. Many Colorado areas were still in limited operation after 2 out 3 extremely dry months. After a normal week at the end of January the drought persisted one more week into February in most regions, but with Colorado finally improving.
Second half of February: Snowfall was close to average throughout the West except for California where the drought persisted.
March: Snowfall was strongest in western Canada, Washington State and I-70 Colorado. California had less than half normal snow while other regions were only moderately below average.
April/May: I-70 and Front Range Colorado had a huge spring and made up most of the snow deficit of the early season. Utah was above average and most other regions slightly below with California once again being the driest region.
The extended mid-winter drought produced a distinctly below average season overall. However skiing was generally better than the numbers indicate due to December being the snowiest month in most regions. Many Colorado areas suffered as poor a start as last season, but unlike 2011-12 the late season was excellent. California's season was the mirror image of Colorado's, with snowfall after January 1 being less than 1/3 of normal. Western Canada was the best region in 2012-13 mainly due to avoiding the severe dry spells experienced in most other regions. For more detail on snow incidence by month and region, see 2012-13 Ski Season Analysis.

2012-13  SKI  SEASON  SNOWFALL  SUMMARY    
               
RECORD  HIGH  (10 Years Minimum)   6+ Powder RECORD  HIGH  (10 Years Minimum)     6+ Powder
 None              
               
HIGH       HIGH      
 Sunshine Village, Alb.  7,028 320 12%    Whiteface (Lake Placid), N. Y.  3,660 180 Dec.-Mar 10%
               
ABOVE  AVERAGE       ABOVE  AVERAGE      
 Mt. Washington, N. H.  6,262 316 15%    Waterville Valley, N. H. 3,000  121 Dec.-Mar 7%
 Sugarloaf, Maine 3,695 182 9%          
 Mt. Fidelity (Selkirks), B. C.  6,150 493 22%          
 Lake Louise, Alb.  6,700 204 8%          
 Cannon Mt., N. H. 1,800 203 10%          
 Whistler Roundhouse, B. C.   6,000       430 19%          
 Alyeska, Alaska   1,400   563 30%          
 Steamboat, Colo.   9,200    380 18%          
 Big White, B. C.  6,200 291 13%          
 Snowshoe, W. V. 4,848 189 9%          
 Sugarbush, Vt.   3,000 279 14%          
 Fernie, B. C.  5,400    403 19%          
 Mt. Baker, Wash.   4,300 698 32%          
 Stevens Pass, Wash.   4,061 541 26%          
 Bridger Bowl, Mont.   7,100     315 13%          
 Monarch, Colo.    296 14%          
 Crystal Mtn 2, Wash.   6,100 478 21%          
 Whitewater, B. C.  5,500 421 17%          
               
BELOW  AVERAGE       BELOW  AVERAGE      
 Killington, Vt.  4,142 208 11%    Purgatory, Colo.   10,000  185 Dec.-Mar 11%
 Crater Lake (Mt. Bailey), Ore.   6,800 320 15%    Big Mountain, Mont.   6,700     234 Dec.-Mar 14%
 Mt. Rainier Paradise, Wash. 5,420 477 19%    Red Mt. 2, B. C.   6,650 195 Dec.-Mar 11%
 Jackson Hole, Wyo.   8,250   287 13%    Revelstoke, B.C.  6,429 248 Dec.-Mar 14%
 Mammoth Mtn, Calif.   9,600 or 8,900 299 12%          
 Taos, N. Mex.   11,200 257 12%          
 Mt. Bachelor, Ore.   6,350  351 14%          
 Berthoud Pass, Colo.   11,315  278 11%          
 Gothic, Colo. 9,400   268 10%          
 Southern California Composite   7,000 - 8,000   70 3%          
 Mary Jane at Winter Park, Colo.   10,800      294 12%          
 Grand Targhee, Wyo.   8,200 405 15%          
 Alta, Utah   8,650 433 17%          
 Loveland, Colo.   11,200   303 12%          
 Jay Peak, Vt.  3,000 309 16%          
 Heavenly Valley, Calif.   8,400    187 9%          
 Arapahoe Basin, Colo.   10,820 279 9%          
 Mt. Hood Meadows, Ore.   5,400 442 21%          
 Arizona Snowbowl 2, Ariz.   10,800 219 12%          
 Red Mt. Pass, Colo.   11,090 248 12%          
 Okemo, Vt.   3,300 136 7%          
 Arizona Snowbowl 1, Ariz.   9,500 129 7%          
 Smuggler's Notch, Vt.   1,600 272 13%          
 Breckenridge 2, Colo.   12,000 330 14%          
 Vail, Colo.   11,250    305 13%          
 Snow Basin, Utah   7,700  250 11%          
 Copper Mtn, Colo.   11,000   255 9%          
 Sun Valley, Idaho   8,800  172 7%          
 Mt. Rose, Nev.   8,600 225 9%          
 Stowe, Vt.  3,041 295 13%          
 Keystone, Colo.   11,641 199 8%          
 Sun Peaks, B. C.  6,100 202 10%          
 Wolf Creek, Colo.   10,642 357 18%          
 Kirkwood (Carson Pass), Calif.   8,526 317 13%          
 Northstar, Calif.   7,800 220 10%          
 Heavenly Valley, Calif.   10,000    273 13%          
 Le Massif, Que.  2,600 232 13%          
 Aspen Highlands, Colo.   11,100  219 8%          
 Beaver Creek, Colo.   11,200 275 11%          
 Snowmass, Colo.  11,000 259 11%          
 Crested Butte, Colo.   10,150   190 8%          
 Aspen Mtn, Colo.   11,190 233 9%          
 Sierra at Tahoe, Calif.  7,746 281 13%          
 Telluride, Colo.   11,170 227 11%          
 Schweitzer, Idaho   4,700   280 13%          
               
LOW       LOW      
 Mt. Mansfield Stake, Vt.  3,950 154 7%    Castle Mt., Alb.  5,700 119 Dec.-Mar 7%
 Bear Valley, Calif.  7,750 203 8%          
 Alpine Meadows, Calif.   7,000   218 10%          
 Snowbird, Utah   10,000   336 14%          
 Park City 2, Utah   9,300  235 9%          
 Jupiter Bowl, Utah   10,000 265 10%          
 Stratton, Vt.   3,875 144 8%          
 Squaw Valley, Calif.   6,200      152 7%          
 Brian Head, Utah   9,770  229 10%          
 Squaw Valley, Calif.   8,000      289 13%          
 Sugar Bowl, Calif.   7,000     236 11%          
               
RECORD  LOW (10 Years Minimum)       RECORD  LOW (10 Years Minimum)      
 Central Sierra Snow Lab - Boreal, Cal. 7,200  179 8%          
 Brundage, Idaho   6,000 177 8%