2023-24 Ski Season Analysis as of May 17, 2024

2023-24 suffered the second driest overall November/December in over 50 years of records but made up most of that deficit from January to mid-March. When the snow came it was stronger in the El Nino favored southern regions. Northern regions were overall below average and only Utah finished the season much above average.

Prior Progress Reports
October 31, 2023
November 12, 2023
November 19, 2023
November 25, 2023
December 1, 2023
December 9, 2023
December 16, 2023
December 24, 2023
December 31, 2023
January 7, 2024
January 16, 2024
January 31, 2024
February 15, 2024
February 29, 2024
March 16, 2024
March 31, 2024
April 13, 2024

Late October 2023 saw moderate snowfall in northern and central regions. Early November weather was mostly dry in central and southern regions. Northern regions saw more rain than snow the first week of November but have accumulated some snow since then. All snowfall totals are since November 1 and nearly all open terrain before December was on snowmaking. There were modest storms mid-November through Thanksgiving. High snowfall areas like Alta, Revelstoke and Mt. Bachelor delaying openings were red flags. For Thanksgiving Targhee was 63% open but next in line were Alta at 29%, Wolf Creek at 20% and Sunshine at 19%. This was overall the worst November in western North America since 2007, with no region getting more than 60% of normal snowfall. A series of storms hit the Pacific Northwest during the first week of December, extending inland to the northern and central Rockies. Low altitude resorts had a lot of rain along with the snow. Alta and Targhee were the only areas over half open on 4+ foot bases December 9-10. During the middle two weeks of December scattered storms averaged only one foot and no one got more than 2 feet. During the holiday week Steamboat and Whistler were the only areas to get more than a foot of snow. Next most were Stevens Pass and Winter Park at 8 inches. Western season snowfall through December averaged only 57% of normal, exceeding only the 38% of the infamous 1976-77 season. Many areas were less than half open at New Year's with bases under 3 feet degraded by holiday traffic.

The season improved in the new year, much colder with coastal region storms being all snow, starting with up to 2 feet in the Sierra during the first week of January. During the second week a massive series of storms hit the Northwest, Utah and Colorado. In some of the hardest hit areas terrain opened gradually due to wind and poor snow stability after the dry early season. Second half of January snowfall was just slightly below normal but it was unseasonably warm and the Northwest and British Columbia were hit by rain the last few days of the month. During the first week of February major storms hit California, Utah and the Southwest. Second half of February snowfall was mainly in the northern regions. The first half of March brought at least above average snow to all regions, with western North America collectively reaching 96% of normal by March 16. This implies about 130% of normal from January 1 - March 16. Second half of March snowfall was above average in southern regions and mostly below average farther north. April snowfall was below average except for northern and central Colorado. A week into May it snowed 2+ feet the northern sections of the Sierra, Utah and Colorado.

Comprehensive snow statistics are shown in the 2023-24 Ski Season Summary.

California: November storms were only a few inches so Thanksgiving skiing was very limited and only on manmade. Early December snow was as much as a foot only NW of Tahoe and above 8,000 feet. It snowed about a foot above 8,000 feet Dec. 20-22 but rained below 7,000. Mammoth, Kirkwood and Mt. Rose were about half open, but base depths averaged 2 feet. November-December regional snowfall was 31% of normal, fifth lowest of the past 52 years. 4 feet of snow fell during the first half of January, bringing majority operation on 3-5 foot bases, but with some steep terrain needing more snow to open. Coverage changed little during the second half of January despite 1-2 feet of new snow. During the first week of February it dumped 3-4 feet at Tahoe and 6 feet at Mammoth and in Southern California and Arizona. It snowed 1-2 feet in the Sierra during the second week of February and 2+ feet during the third week. A massive storm in early March dumped 5-10 feet of snow at Tahoe and 3-4 feet at Mammoth. Second half of March snowfall was 3-4 feet and first half of April snowfall was 1-2 feet. The first weekend of May it snowed 2 feet in North Tahoe and a foot at Mammoth. See Current California Ski Conditions for more details on Southern California and Mammoth.

Pacific Northwest: Only Whistler opened a modest 7% at Thanksgiving, while all other areas delayed opening. Early December storms dumped 2-3+ feet of snow, but also 4-5 inches of rain. Mid-December rain ended with about a foot of snow in Washington and Whistler. Holiday week snowfall was 2+ feet at Whistler, several inches in Washington but almost nothing in Oregon. Base depths were in the 2-3 foot range and open terrain at Whistler, Crystal and Bachelor was lowest 10th percentile of the past 28 years. November-December 49% regional snowfall was 4th lowest of the past 52 years. First week of January snowfall was 1.-5-2 feet. During the second week of January it snowed 2 feet at Whistler, 4 feet in Washington and 6-8 feet in Oregon, raising base depths to 5-7 feet. Despite 2 feet of snow during the second half of January, base depths were reduced by a foot and some terrain temporarily closed due to the late January rain. Recovery in early February was gradual with 1.5-2 feet of snow, but 4 feet of snow during the second half of February restored excellent skiing. First half of March snowfall was 8 feet at Whistler, 3-4 feet in Washington and 6 feet in Oregon but spring conditions emerged with mid-March warm weather. Second half of March snowfall was 2 feet in Oregon but only a foot farther north. First half of March snowfall was 2 feet at Whistler but only a foot farther south. April snowfall was 4+ feet from central Washington north to Whistler but less than half as much farther south.

Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.: November rain turned to snow earlier in this region for some of the highest early season totals. However November was still only 60% of average. Revelstoke opened Dec. 9, Whitewater Dec. 15 and Red Mt. Dec. 22. In early December Fernie and Revelstoke got 3 feet of snow but also low elevation rain. Open terrain expanded the most at Banff and Kicking Horse, which got 2 feet of snow and no rain. Mid-December snow was 1-2 feet but just a few inches fell over the holidays. Silver Star expanded to 77% open and Sun Peaks to 72% for Christmas. Holiday base depths averaged 3 feet, with a little more above 5,000 feet at Fernie, Whitewater and Revelstoke. November-December 69% regional snowfall was 6th lowest of the past 52 years. First half of January snowfall averaged 2 feet, with more at Fernie, Whitewater and Revelstoke and less at Banff. Interior B.C. snowfall during the second half of January was 2+ feet, but the month ended with rain to 7,000 feet. Banff areas got no rain but less than a foot of snow. First half of February snowfall was 1-2 feet. Second half of February snowfall was 2-3 feet with 4 feet at Revelstoke and Kicking Horse. Most areas got 3-4 feet in the first half of March, with the Okanagan and Banff areas getting about half as much. Second half of March snowfall was 1.5 - 2 feet. April snowfall averaged 2 feet.

U. S. Northern Rockies: November snowfall was less than half normal with the usual exception of Targhee. During early December 3-4 feet of snow fell in the Tetons, bringing Targhee's base to 58 inches. About 2 feet fell farther north with considerable rain below 6,000 feet. Only Lookout got more than a foot in mid-December and the holiday week was dry. Base depths aside from Targhee were less than 3 feet. November-December 51% regional snowfall was second lowest of the past 52 years. Schweitzer and Big Sky had record low terrain open at New Year's over the past 25 years, with Sun Valley second lowest and Jackson third lowest. During the first half of January it snowed 4 feet in the Tetons and 2 feet in Idaho and Whitefish. During the second half of January the Tetons averaged 2 feet, as did the interior Northwest which also suffered late January rain. The continental areas of Montana got only 2 feet in all of January, along with mid-January Arctic temps as low as -40. These areas had the driest first half of the season on record with limited operation on base depths averaging only 2 feet at the end of January. First half of February snowfall was 4-5 feet in the Tetons and 2-3 feet elsewhere. Second half of February snowfall was 3+ feet in the Idaho Panhandle and the Tetons, but Sun Valley and some of the still hurting Montana areas got less than a foot. First half of March snowfall was 3 feet in Montana, 2 feet in Sun Valley and 4 feet in the rest of Idaho and the Tetons. Spring conditions emerged with mid-March warm weather. Second half of March snowfall averaged 2 feet. April snowfall was 2 feet in the Tetons and averaged a foot elsewhere.

Utah: November snowfall was about half normal and Alta's opening was delayed one week, but it reached majority operation on a 5 foot base after 6 feet of snow in early December. The other Cottonwood areas got 3-4 feet and were over half open by mid-December. Park City areas were much more limited. Utah was the leading western region in November-December snowfall at 72% but snowfall over the last 3 weeks of December was less than a foot. Only Alta had a New Year's base over 4 feet and even other Cottonwood areas were reported low tide. After an average foot of snow the first week of January, it dumped 6-8 feet in the Cottonwoods and 5 feet elsewhere during the second week. Second half of January snowfall averaged a bit under 2 feet. During the first half of February it dumped 6-8 feet in the Cottonwoods and 4 feet elsewhere. Second half of February snowfall was 4-5 feet in the Wasatch but only a foot farther south. First half of March snowfall was 4-5 feet in the Cottonwoods and 3 feet elsewhere. Second half of March snowfall averaged 5.5 feet in the Cottonwoods and 3.5 feet elsewhere. April snowfall was 4 feet in the Cottonwoods and 2 feet elsewhere. The Cottonwoods got over 2 feet May 6-9.

Northern and Central Colorado: Early snowmaking openings were A-Basin Oct. 29, Keystone Nov. 1, Eldora and Winter Park. Nov. 3. November snowfall was less than half normal so Thanksgiving was very limited. Early December snowfall was 3+ feet at the high snowfall areas Steamboat, Vail and Winter Park and averaged 2 feet elsewhere. During the rest of December Steamboat got 3 feet but other areas no more than 1.5 feet. Steamboat and Vail reached majority operation mid-December, followed by Winter Park at Christmas, though base depths were not quite 3 feet. Other areas were no more than half open with bases barely over 2 feet. November-December 62% regional snowfall was sixth lowest of the past 52 years and overall open terrain was around 20th percentile for New Year's. First week of January Steamboat got 2 feet of snow but elsewhere no more than a foot. During the second week of January it snowed 4+ feet at Winter Park and Steamboat and 3+ feet elsewhere. Second half of January snowfall averaged a little less than 2 feet. First half of February snowfall was 2-3 feet and second half of February another 2-3 feet. First half of March snowfall was 3-4 feet, with highest amounts near and east of the Continental Divide. Second half of March snowfall was 3 feet at Vail/Beaver Creek and 1.5 - 2 feet elsewhere. April snowfall averaged a foot every week and it snowed over 2 feet the second week of May.

Southern and Western Colorado: November snowfall was about half normal. Early December snowfall exceeded expectations with over 2 feet at most areas, though only a foot south of the San Juans. Mid-December snow was close to 2 feet at the southern areas but less than a foot farther north. The holiday week was mostly dry. Aspen, Wolf Creek, Purgatory and Monarch were at least 3/4 open but on less than 3 foot bases. November-December 67% regional snowfall was seventh lowest of the past 52 years. The first week of January Wolf Creek got 2 feet of snow but elsewhere no more than a foot. The second week of January it snowed 4 feet at Wolf Creek and Monarch and 3 feet elsewhere. Crested Butte's North Face opened during the third week of January. Second half of January snowfall was about a foot. First half of February snowfall was 4-5 feet in the Southwest and 2-3 feet farther north. Kachina Peak at Taos opened Feb. 13. Second half of February snowfall was 3 feet at Aspen and Crested Butte, one foot farther south in Colorado and almost nothing in New Mexico. First half of March snowfall was 2-3 feet, with more to the north. Second half of March snowfall was 1.5 - 3 feet in Colorado and 3-4 feet in New Mexico. April snowfall was about 2 feet.

Northeast: The season started slowly through Thanksgiving. Most of November's snow came in the last week to open more trails. Northern Vermont has had 3 feet in the first half of December, though farther south there was more rain. Trail counts crashed the week before Christmas with heavy rain over the entire Northeast, with little recovery during the holidays with more rain. Conditions gradually improved with up to 1.5 feet of snow the first week of January. Then much more terrain opened with up to 2 feet of snow the second week of January. 2 feet of snow fell during the second half of January but surfaces were variable due to some rain and thaw. The first half of February had less than a foot of snow so midwinter trail counts fell below average. Second half of February snowfall averaged 2 feet in northern Vermont but less than a foot elsewhere. Repeated rain/thaw/freeze events significantly lowered trail counts in late Fevruary and early March. 2 feet of snow in northern Vermont during the second week of March reopened most trails, and 3 feet from March 18-23 brought the best conditions of the season. Conditions were variable after rain during the last week of March. The first week of April was a highlight with two feet of snow followed by clear skies for the April 8 total solar eclipse. But it rained during the second weekend so trail counts crashed for the rest of spring.

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