2007-08 Ski Season Summary

The following major weather patterns affected the ski season.
October: Snowfall was average, resulting in limited backcountry options. Lift service was exclusively on snowmaking runs at Loveland and A-Basin.
November: In the western U.S. this was the driest November since the record drought of 1976-77. All areas in California, Utah and Colorado had less than half normal snow, and several had record lows. Western Canada was below average, but enough fell at Whsitler for a fairly normal opening.
Early December: The first week of December a massive storm from Mexico brought dense, base-building snow to the Southwest, ensuring good holiday coverage throughout Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. Meanwhile a typical La Nina flow of storms commenced, tracking from the Pacific Northwest into the Northern Rockies and Utah.
The rest of December: The La Nina flow continued. Only one of these storms tracked into the Sierra, normal for December but not adequate to make up for prior dry weather. Elsewhere in the West snowfall was so heavy that nearly all areas were in full operation by Christmas on above average bases despite the dry November.
January and early February: This was one of the greatest periods ever in western skiing, averaging probably 150% of normal. No one had below average snow, and many areas in Colorado and California had over 200%.
Mid-to-late February: The storms tapered off, first in Canada, then along the Pacifc Coast, with scattered snow continuing in the Rockies. When stronger storms resumed in late February, the primary track was through California, Utah and Colorado.
Early March: Another lull, again with scattered snow in the Rockies, but some warmer weather and emerging spring conditions elsewhere.
Late March: The storm track reverted to a strong La Nina pattern, pounding the Pacific Northwest and U.S. Northern Rockies. Once inland, most of the snow continued into northern Utah and Colorado rather than farther north into Canada.
Spring: The April snowfall pattern was similar to late March, moving through the Northwest, then stronger in the U.S. Rockies. Spring in the Rockies was unseasonably cool, extending Snowbird's seson to June 22.
For more detail on snow incidence by month and region, see 2007-08 Ski Season Analysis.

2007-08  SKI  SEASON  SNOWFALL  SUMMARY
           
RECORD  HIGH  (10 Years Minimum)     RECORD  HIGH  (10 Years Minimum)    
 Grand Targhee, Wyo.   8,200 675        
 Park City 2, Utah   9,300  406        
 Steamboat, Colo.   9,200    509        
 Fernie, B. C.  5,400    480        
 Mt. Hood Meadows, Ore.   5,400 757        
 Bridger Bowl, Mont.   7,100     433        
 Aspen Highlands, Colo.   11,100  392        
 Big Mountain, Mont.   6,700     410        
 Le Massif, Que.  2,600 346        
 Beaver Creek, Colo.   11,200 399        
 Snowmass, Colo.  11,000 474        
 Crested Butte, Colo.   10,150   422        
 Aspen Mtn, Colo.   11,190 395        
 Telluride, Colo.   11,170 389        
           
HIGH     HIGH    
 Mt. Rainier Paradise, Wash. 5,420 878    Crystal Mtn 1, Wash.   4,400  421 Dec.-Mar.
 Jackson Hole, Wyo.   8,250   480    Purgatory, Colo.   10,000  283 Dec.-Mar.
 Alta, Utah   8,650 649    Crystal Mtn 2, Wash.   6,100 401 Dec.-Mar.
 Mt. Bachelor, Ore.   6,350  531    Schweitzer, Idaho   4,700   323 Dec.-Mar.
 Gothic, Colo. 9,400   454        
 Cannon Mt., N. H. 1,800 248        
 Jupiter Bowl, Utah   10,000 500        
 Waterville Valley, N. H. 3,000  194        
           
ABOVE  AVERAGE     ABOVE  AVERAGE    
 Killington, Vt.  4,142 282    Berthoud Pass, Colo.   11,315  210 Dec.-Mar.
 Stowe, Vt.  3,950 270    Sun Peaks, B. C.  6,100 158 Dec.-Mar.
 Crater Lake (Mt. Bailey), Ore.   6,800 504    Red Mt. 2, B. C.   6,650 240 Dec.-Mar.
 Sugarloaf, Maine 3,695 212        
 Mt. Fidelity (Selkirks), B. C.  6,150 527        
 Lake Louise, Alb.  6,700 167        
 Whistler Base, B. C.   2,200   193        
 Sunshine Village, Alb.  7,028 283        
 Taos, N. Mex.   11,200 310        
 Snowbird, Utah   10,000   526        
 Mary Jane at Winter Park, Colo.   10,800      382        
 Jay Peak, Vt.  3,000 379        
 Alyeska, Alaska   1,400   636        
 Heavenly Valley, Calif.   8,400    274        
 Sugarbush, Vt.   3,000 285        
 Red Mt. Pass, Colo.   11,090 333        
 Squaw Valley, Calif.   6,200      293        
 Mt. Baker, Wash.   4,300 764        
 Stevens Pass, Wash.   4,061 547        
 Smuggler's Notch, Vt.   1,600 364        
 Vail, Colo.   11,250    429        
 Snow Basin, Utah   7,700  395        
 Copper Mtn, Colo.   11,000   309        
 Sun Valley, Idaho   8,800  232        
 Breckenridge, Colo.   11,100  332        
 Keystone, Colo.   11,641 258        
 Whiteface (Lake Placid), N. Y.  3,660 225        
 Wolf Creek, Colo.   10,642 463        
 Castle Mt., Alb.  5,700 336        
 Whitewater, B. C.  5,500 438        
           
BELOW  AVERAGE     BELOW  AVERAGE    
 Central Sierra Snow Lab - Boreal, Cal. 7,200  330        
 Mt. Washington, N. H.  6,262 235        
 Mammoth Mtn, Calif.   9,600 or 8,900 347        
 Alpine Meadows, Calif.   7,000   309        
 Kirkwood (Carson Pass), Calif.  8,526 441        
 Southern California Composite   7,000 - 8,000   111        
 Whistler Roundhouse, B. C.   6,000       398        
 Loveland, Colo.   11,200   313        
 Big White, B. C.  6,200 229        
 Snowshoe, W. V. 4,848 132        
 Arapahoe Basin, Colo.   10,820 271        
 Stratton, Vt.   3,875 191        
 Arizona Snowbowl 2, Ariz.   10,800 240        
 Okemo, Vt.   3,300 154        
 Brian Head, Utah   9,770  318        
 Arizona Snowbowl 1, Ariz.   9,500 159        
 Squaw Valley, Calif.   8,000      410        
 Mt. Rose, Nev.   8,600 252        
 Northstar, Calif.   7,800 284        
           
LOW     LOW    
None          
           
RECORD  LOW (10 Years Minimum)     RECORD  LOW (10 Years Minimum)    
None          

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