1997-98 Ski Season Summary

Comprehensive snow statistics are finally available and shown below. Viewed overall, 1997-98 was a very average ski season. Only California was much above average and only interior western Canada much below.

In 1997-98 there were 5 successive weather patterns. 3 of these had at least some El Nino influence.
November to mid-December: There was a mild validation of El Nino with extreme drought in the Northern Rockies and Interior Western Canada and very high snowfall at Ski Apache in southern New Mexico. However, the high precipitation did not extend up to California and southern Colorado as most people expected. Alaska got heavy snow from a far northern jet stream.
Late December and January: El Nino appeared to have no influence whatsoever upon western snowfall. Snow patterns resembled December 1996, with Jackson Hole receiving a record 14 feet of snow at the center of the storm track. Snowfall was also high in the Pacific Northwest, Utah and the Kootenay region of B.C. Sierra snowfall was above average, but Southern California, Arizona and New Mexico were far below average.
February: The weather forecasters congratulated themselves after both the Sierra and Southern California had snowfall at least 300% of normal for the month. As these storms moved inland, Arizona and Utah had above average snow, but Colorado and New Mexico no better than average. February snowfall was above average in the Pacific Northwest, but below average in the Northern Rockies.
Most of March: El Nino took the first three weeks off. These were drier than normal in most of the west. The far north (interior Canada) and far south (Arizona and New Mexico) were closest to average.
Late March and later: This was the closest weather pattern of the season to El Nino expectations, with heavy snow in California, Arizona and Utah, extending into New Mexico and Colorado as well. A northern jet stream pounded Alaska, leaving a drier than normal "hole" in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies. California also had an unusual late storm cycle in mid-May.
For more detail on snow incidence by month and region, see 1997-98 Ski Season Analysis.

1997-1998 SKI SEASON SNOWFALL SUMMARY
RECORD HIGH (10 Years Minimum) RECORD HIGH (10 Years Minimum)
Southern California Composite 7,000 - 8,000 267
HIGH HIGH
Central Sierra Snow Lab - Boreal, Cal. 7,200 517 Whiteface (Lake Placid), N. Y. 3,660 165 Dec.-Mar.
Sugarloaf, Maine 3,695 254 Telluride, Colo. 11,170 232 Dec.-Mar.
Mammoth Mtn, Calif. 9,600 or 8,900 539 Northstar, Calif. 7,800 340 Dec.-Mar.
Alpine Meadows, Calif. 7,000 532
Alyeska, Alaska 1,400 677
Snowshoe, W. V. 4,848 202
ABOVE AVERAGE ABOVE AVERAGE
Stowe, Vt. 3,950 232 Steamboat, Colo. 9,200 243 Dec.-Mar.
Alta, Utah 8,650 596 Mt. Hood Meadows, Ore. 5,400 331 Dec.-Mar.
Brighton, Utah 8,740 428 Whitewater, B. C. 5,500 318 Dec.-Mar.
Taos, N. Mex. 11,200 311 Smuggler's Notch, Vt. 1,600 252 Dec.-Mar.
Snowbird, Utah 10,000 497 Schweitzer, Idaho 4,700 200 Dec.-Mar.
Kirkwood (Carson Pass), Calif. 8,526 588
Gothic, Colo. 9,400 364
Grand Targhee, Wyo. 8,200 472
Jay Peak, Vt. 3,000 355
Big Sky, Mont. 8,920 270
Arizona Snowbowl 1, Ariz. 9,500 231
Arizona Snowbowl 2, Ariz. 10,800 316
Mt. Baker, Wash. 4,300 648
Brian Head, Utah 9,770 440
Stevens Pass, Wash. 4,061 463
Snow Basin, Utah 7,700 357
Copper Mtn, Colo. 11,000 278
Aspen Highlands, Colo. 11,100 246
Crystal Mtn 1, Wash. 4,400 333
Crystal Mtn 2, Wash. 6,100 395
BELOW AVERAGE BELOW AVERAGE
Mt. Rainier Paradise, Wash. 5,420 619 Crested Butte, Colo. 10,150 155 Dec.-Mar.
Killington, Vt. 4,142 242 Monarch, Colo. 170 Dec.-Mar.
Jackson Hole, Wyo. 8,250 344 Tod Mt. (Sun Peaks), B. C. 6,100 129 Dec.-Mar.
Lake Louise, Alb. 6,700 109 Aspen Mtn, Colo. 11,190 178 Dec.-Mar.
Mary Jane at Winter Park, Colo. 10,800 362 Wolf Creek, Colo. 10,642 233 Dec.-Mar.
Mt. Bachelor, Ore. 6,350 302 Mt. Snow, Vt. 3,600 121 Dec.-Mar.
Loveland, Colo. 11,200 354 Purgatory, Colo. 10,000 182 Dec.-Mar.
Blackcomb, B. C. 5,002 295 Fernie Snow Valley, B. C. 5,400 269 Dec.-Mar.
Big White, B. C. 6,200 228 Loon, N. H. 2,000 99 Dec.-Mar.
Arapahoe Basin, Colo. 10,820 283 Keystone, Colo. 11,641 151 Dec.-Mar.
Whistler Roundhouse, B. C. 6,000 393 Waterville Valley, N. H. 3,000 106 Dec.-Mar.
Sugarbush, Vt. 3,000 245
Red Mt. Pass, Colo. 11,090 288
Okemo, Vt. 3,300 142
Vail, Colo. 11,250 339
Sun Valley, Idaho 8,800 168
Breckenridge, Colo. 11,100 250
Beaver Creek, Colo. 11,200 330
Bridger Bowl, Mont. 7,100 285
LOW LOW
Mt. Washington, N. H. 6,262 245 Stratton, Vt. 3,875 131 Dec.-Mar.
Mt. Fidelity (Selkirks), B. C. 6,150 358 Cannon Mt., N. H. 1,800 63 Dec.-Mar.
Whistler Base, B. C. 2,200 127
Sunshine Village, Alb. 7,028 172
Silver Star, B. C. 5,200 177
RECORD LOW (10 Years Minimum) RECORD LOW (10 Years Minimum)
None