The I-70 corridor of Colorado had near record snowfall in the first half of November. After a dry month over most of the West, major storms hit the West Coast during the 3rd week of December and spread into much of the Rockies reduced intensity. Starting around Christmas the storm track finally moved north to help out many areas which had started the season very slowly. This January was one of the driest in history over most of the West, with many areas receiving less than half normal snow and only a handful with close to normal snowfall for the month. The first week of February finally broke the drought in Utah and also improved conditions in Colorado and the Northern Rockies. The next week's tropical storm drenched Southern California but produced some snow for the southern and central Rockies. As of mid-February many regions had subpar conditions, but over the next 3 weeks there was sufficient new snow to improve conditions at most areas to what we would expect during the prime part of the season, with Colorado receiving the lion's share of snow during this time. During the second week of March snowfall was concentrated in Canada and the Northwest, with warm weather and spring conditions prevailing from Utah and California south. The second half of March has been good for most western regions, but particularly for the Continental Divide area of Colorado.
California: After 2-4 feet of snow in early November the Sierra received no snow at all for a month. During the 3rd week of December the Sierra got up to 10 feet of snow, setting up North America's best holiday ski conditions. There was another 2-4 feet of snow during the holiday period. Low elevations and sunny exposures turned to spring conditions in January but coverage remained solid on a 3-9+ foot base and a powder/packed powder surface was restored by several small February storms totaling 2-3 feet at most areas. Despite 2 feet of snow in mid-March snowfall since New Year's has been less than half normal, so coverage is solid and surface conditions best only at high altitude locations like Mammoth and Kirkwood. Season snowfall is now 246 inches at Mammoth (78% of normal), 384 at the top of Kirkwood and 260 at Squaw 8,200 (64% of normal) and 123 at the base. See Current California Ski Conditions for more details on Southern California and Mammoth.
RSN December Snow: Northstar 133, Heavenly 125.
RSN January Snow: Northstar 10, Heavenly 8.
RSN February Snow: Northstar 19, Heavenly 24.
RSN March Snow: Northstar 22, Heavenly 17.
Pacific Northwest: Normally the most reliable region by early December, the Northwest had a tough start this year, much drier and warmer than normal. Only Mt. Baker reached full operation in mid-December. Whistler was headed for its worst Christmas in over 20 years until Santa delivered 4.5 feet of snow December 24-25. Mt. Bachelor gradually accumulated snow through Christmas but had 6 feet of snow before New Year's to bring its base up to 8 feet. Only the Whistler alpine had close to normal snow in January, with excessive rain throughout the region at lower elevations. Hardpack and spring conditions were widespread during the dry first half of February, but then 7-9 feet of new snow since then have brought the best conditions of the season to Washington and Oregon. Whistler (season total 396 inches, 108% of normal) was short on snow in February but its alpine region has been hit with over 9 feet of snow in March. The Whistler base has had mostly rain with some flooding, and elevation remains a key to Northwest snow conditions this season.
RSN December Snow: Whistler 118, Mt. Bachelor 127.
RSN January Snow: Whistler 80, Mt. Bachelor 35.
RSN February Snow: Whistler 20, Mt. Bachelor 52.
RSN March Snow: Mt. Bachelor 87.
Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.: This region had a very poor start but gradually accumulated a snow base since mid-December. Lake Louise (135 inches snowfall, 72% of normal) has it usual low year rock problems, but recent conditions are reported much better than in January. Sunshine, Big White, Red and Fernie reached full operation by mid-January, but the latter two areas were hit by Northwest rain to 7,000 feet in late January. Like the Northwest, the first 2 weeks of February were dry with variable surfaces, but everything was greatly improved over the next month. Snowfall has continued through March, but with some rain at low elevation.
RSN December Snow: Sunshine 32.
RSN January Snow: Fernie 50, Red Mt. 55, Sunshine 36.
RSN February Snow: Fernie 30, Red Mt. 19, Sunshine 55.
RSN March Snow: Fernie 75, Red Mt. 35, Sunshine 59.
U. S. Northern Rockies: Jackson has had 364 inches of season snow (105% of normal), with 2 feet of recent snow after 2 warm weeks. Powder was abundant and conditions excellent from mid-January through early March, almost unique in the West during this time. Targhee was similarly blessed since mid-December in its usual drought-resistant mode, and probably leads North America in snowfall at 496 inches. Big Sky and Bridger received only moderate snows in January, but a 3-4 foot storm in early February brought decent coverage to much of their expert terrain for the first time this season. Montana has had 4-5 feet new snow in March. Kootenay areas had a similar dry start to western Canada, with consistent snowfall commencing only in mid-December, and the same setback of the late January rain. Big Mountain (200 inches snow YTD, 70% of normal) had 2 feet of new last week similar to its Canadian neighbors. Schweitzer did not open until just before Christmas but has since been in full operation on a base now 5-8 feet. Sun Valley benefited from December storms moving northeast from California but now has total snowfall of 172.5 inches, 100% of normal.
RSN December Snow: Big Sky 30.
RSN January Snow: Schweitzer 54, Big Sky 37, Targhee 93.
RSN February Snow: Schweitzer 23, Big Sky 57, Targhee 95.
RSN March Snow: Schweitzer 38, Big Sky 55.
Utah: Alta has had 328 inches of snow since November 1 (74% of normal), after 43 inches in October and currently reports a 104-inch base. With base depths in the 4-foot range, only Alta and Brighton likely had decent coverage with during the busy Christmas season. After equaling the previous driest January in the past 36 years, Utah finally was hit with a 2-4 foot dump in early February. Snowfall since then has been normal, improving coverage and maintaining the surface. There has been 2 feet new snow over the past week, though Utah has been very warm with spring conditions between storms in March.
RSN December Snow: Snowbird 43, Park City 36.
RSN January Snow: Snowbird 25, Park City 25.
RSN February Snow: Snowbird 77, Park City 57.
RSN February Snow: Snowbird 85, Park City 66.
Northern and Central Colorado: After a few lean early seasons this region had near record snowfall in November. Most areas had more terrain open at Thanksgiving than they did at Christmas 3 of the past 4 years. That snow got chewed up over the ensuing dry month and was gradually refreshed by about 1 foot new per week from mid-December to mid-February. But over the next 3 weeks there were 4-7 feet of new snow to put the whole region into great shape. Vail has had 358 inches snowfall (114% of normal) and 98% of its 5,100 acres open since before Thanksgiving. Winter Park has had 368.7 inches (117% of normal), Breckenridge 283.5 (117% of normal) and Steamboat 319 (105% of normal). Storms have continued with average 4 feet of snow in the past 2 weeks, but a huge dump of 6-7 feet hit the Continental Divide at A-Basin, Loveland and Winter Park during the 3rd week of March.
RSN December Snow: A-Basin 24, Copper 21, Keystone 19.
RSN January Snow: A-Basin 32, Copper 43, Keystone 19.
RSN February Snow: A-Basin 53, Copper 75, Keystone 40.
RSN March Snow: A-Basin 95, Copper 71, Keystone 49.
Southern and Western Colorado: Wolf Creek can claim another year as North America's early season leader. It reached full operation as of November 9 after 6 feet of snow in October. After over 3 months of barely half normal snow, there was over 6 feet of snow in late February/early March. Total since November 1 is 254 inches (79% of normal). The rest of the region had 1-3 feet of snow in early March, on secure base depths after February snowfall of 7 feet at Taos and 5 feet elsewhere. March is historically the best month in this region, and this has been the best March in at least 5 years, enhanced by 2-5 feet of snow in the past 2 weeks.
RSN December Snow: Aspen 22, Crested Butte 22, Durango 40, Telluride 34, Taos 19.
RSN January Snow: Aspen 24, Crested Butte 26, Durango 11, Telluride 18, Taos 34.
RSN February Snow: Aspen 54, Crested Butte 63, Durango 57, Telluride 51, Taos 84.
RSN March Snow: Aspen 74, Crested Butte 44, Durango 36, Telluride 51, Taos 59.
Northeast: Northern New England had a nice run of cold weather at the start of November plus over a foot of natural snow. As a result Killington was 30% open and Okemo 15% November 9, likely records for that early. After a one week thaw melted out half of that terrain, cold and snowy weather over the next month brought the major Vermont areas to 80+% open. Mid-December rain and variable weather degraded surface conditions between storms but did not reduce the number of open runs. From Christmas through mid-January there were several major storms in New England, with southern areas benefiting the most and January snowfall exceeding most of the West. Late January weather was mostly dry but very cold, and during the first half of February the northern areas received 2-3 feet of new snow. The big President's weekend storm hit mainly the southern areas, similar to early January. In late February the south received heavy rain, while the north got rain/snow mix. The north had more new snow in early March (2+ feet) plus colder weather, so current conditions were much better than in the south. The second half of March has been very warm, and the eastern ski season wil end prematurely if this weather continues. Jay's season snowfall is 274 inches. I strongly recommend checking First Tracks Online Ski Magazine No-Bull Ski Reports for up to date information in this region, where both weather and surface conditions can change so rapidly.
RSN December Snow: Stowe 58, Killington 68, Stratton 53, Sugarloaf 7.
RSN January Snow: Stowe 65, Killington 59, Stratton 40, Sugarloaf 13, Snowshoe 54.
RSN February Snow: Stowe 51, Killington 33, Stratton 39, Sugarloaf 27, Snowshoe 53, Mt. St. Anne 35, Mt. Tremblant 33.
RSN March Snow: Stowe 33, Killington 10, Stratton 10, Sugarloaf 20, Snowshoe 5, Mt. St. Anne 23, Mt. Tremblant 41.