2009-10 Ski Season Summary

The following major weather patterns affected the ski season.
October and November: One mid-October storm hit the Sierra, Wasatch and SW Colorado at high elevation. In November nearly continuous storms hit the Pacific Northwest, centered near the U.S.-Canada border and dumping over 200 inches on Whistler and Mt. Baker. These storms tracked northeast into Canada through Revelstoke/Banff. The rest of the U.S. West had less than half normal snow.
First half of December: Moderate storms hit California, Utah and the Southwest.
Second half of December: The storm track returned to the Pacific Northwest and Canada. Some of this snow pushed into the U.S. Northern Rockies and northern Colorado, but those regions still had their worst holiday seasons in over a decade.
First half of January: There was only scattered snow over the entire West. By mid-January only a few areas were above their snowfall averages, and many areas were at less than 3/4 normal with some advanced terrain not yet open.
Second half of January: There were major dumps in California, Utah and the Southwest. Late month storms finally brought Jackson Hole into full operation.
Early to mid-February: Snowfall was average throughout the U.S. West but interior western Canada was mostly dry.
Late February to early March: The drought region expanded into the Northern U.S. Rockies but normal snow continued in California, Utah and Colorado.
Mid-March: There was a one+ week warm and dry spell over the entire West where widespread spring conditions emerged.
Late March to early April: Winter returned, intensifying to the most widespread snow week of the season in early April, with many U.S. western areas getting 4+ feet of snow. Canadian snowfall was about average.
Mid-April through May: Strong storms continued, concentrated on California and Utah, which had over double normal snow for April and May.
For more detail on snow incidence by month and region, see 2009-10 Ski Season Analysis.

2009-10  SKI  SEASON  SNOWFALL  SUMMARY
               
RECORD  HIGH  (10 Years Minimum)   6+ Powder RECORD  HIGH  (10 Years Minimum)     6+ Powder
None              
               
HIGH       HIGH      
 Mammoth Mtn, Calif.   9,600 or 8,900 559 24%    Whiteface (Lake Placid), N. Y.  3,660 172 Dec.-Mar. 10%
 Whistler Roundhouse, B. C.   6,000       574 18%          
 Alyeska, Alaska   1,400   660 26%          
 Snowshoe, W. V. 4,848 226 12%          
 Arizona Snowbowl 2, Ariz.   10,800 362 18%          
               
ABOVE  AVERAGE       ABOVE  AVERAGE      
 Central Sierra Snow Lab - Boreal, Cal. 7,200  501 21%    Monarch, Colo.    235 Dec.-Mar. 14%
 Sugarloaf, Maine 3,695 209 10%    Sugar Bowl, Calif.   7,000     368 Dec.-Mar. 22%
 Bear Valley, Calif.  7,750 388 16%    Telluride, Colo.   11,170 219 Dec.-Mar. 13%
 Alpine Meadows, Calif.   7,000   444 21%    Purgatory, Colo.   10,000  214 Dec.-Mar. 12%
 Taos, N. Mex.   11,200 304 13%          
 Mt. Bachelor, Ore.   6,350  458 16%          
 Kirkwood (Carson Pass), Calif.  8,526 495 22%          
 Southern California Composite   7,000 - 8,000   162 8%          
 Cannon Mt., N. H. 1,800 189 8%          
 Squaw Valley, Calif.   6,200      361 16%          
 Heavenly Valley, Calif.   8,400    281 13%          
 Red Mt. Pass, Colo.   11,090 313 14%          
 Mt. Baker, Wash.   4,300 634 17%          
 Arizona Snowbowl 1, Ariz.   9,500 227 12%          
 Brian Head, Utah   9,770  388 17%          
 Squaw Valley, Calif.   8,000      530 24%          
 Wolf Creek, Colo.   10,642 428 19%          
 Northstar, Calif.   7,800 362 18%          
 Le Massif, Que.  2,600 250 12%          
 Crystal Mtn 2, Wash.   6,100 431 13%          
               
BELOW  AVERAGE       BELOW  AVERAGE      
 Killington, Vt.  4,142 203 10%    Crested Butte, Colo.   10,150   174 Dec.-Mar. 10%
 Stowe, Vt.  3,950 204 8%    Bridger Bowl, Mont.   7,100     178 Dec.-Mar. 10%
 Crater Lake (Mt. Bailey), Ore.   6,800 378 15%    Aspen Mtn, Colo.   11,190 158 Dec.-Mar. 9%
 Mt. Washington, N. H.  6,262 242 8%    Sun Valley, Idaho   8,800  130 Dec.-Mar. 7%
 Mt. Rainier Paradise, Wash. 5,420 553 19%    Schweitzer, Idaho   4,700   179 Dec.-Mar. 10%
 Jackson Hole, Wyo.   8,250   290 12%    Aspen Highlands, Colo.   11,100  157 Dec.-Mar. 9%
 Alta, Utah   8,650 518 20%    Snowmass, Colo.  11,000 177 Dec.-Mar. 10%
 Mt. Fidelity (Selkirks), B. C.  6,150 411 14%          
 Lake Louise, Alb.  6,700 143 3%          
 Sunshine Village, Alb.  7,028 232 6%          
 Berthoud Pass, Colo.   11,315  270 11%          
 Snowbird, Utah   10,000   451 15%          
 Gothic, Colo. 9,400   350 15%          
 Mary Jane at Winter Park, Colo.   10,800      298 12%          
 Grand Targhee, Wyo.   8,200 413 17%          
 Park City 2, Utah   9,300  302 13%          
 Steamboat, Colo.   9,200    297 13%          
 Jupiter Bowl, Utah   10,000 369 16%          
 Mt. Hood Meadows, Ore.   5,400 414 14%          
 Stratton, Vt.   3,875 167 7%          
 Stevens Pass, Wash.   4,061 391 12%          
 Snow Basin, Utah   7,700  249 10%          
 Mt. Rose, Nev.   8,600 312 14%          
 Waterville Valley, N. H. 3,000  123 6%          
 Brighton/Solitude, Utah   9,400 482 19%          
               
LOW       LOW      
 Loveland, Colo.   11,200   236 9%    Sun Peaks, B. C.  6,100 109 Dec.-Mar. 6%
 Jay Peak, Vt.  3,000 238 11%    Fernie, B. C.  5,400    189 Dec.-Mar. 11%
 Big White, B. C.  6,200 198 9%    Whitewater, B. C.  5,500 202 Dec.-Mar. 12%
 Sugarbush, Vt.   3,000 212 10%    Red Mt. 2, B. C.   6,650 156 Dec.-Mar. 9%
 Arapahoe Basin, Colo.   10,820 228 7%          
 Okemo, Vt.   3,300 112 5%          
 Smuggler's Notch, Vt.   1,600 253 12%          
 Vail, Colo.   11,250    284 12%          
 Copper Mtn, Colo.   11,000   204 9%          
 Beaver Creek, Colo.   11,200 245 10%          
 Castle Mt., Alb.  5,700 152 5%          
 Breckenridge, Colo.   11,100  232 11%          
 Keystone, Colo.   11,641 139 6%          
               
RECORD  LOW (10 Years Minimum)       RECORD  LOW (10 Years Minimum)      
None        Big Mountain, Mont.   6,700     110 Dec.-Mar. 6%