Up to 5 feet of snow expected at Mount Baker, as series of storms targets Northwest ski slopes

Weather projections for the following five days forecast a drastic change, with copious quantities of snowfall anticipated to cover this week’s crusty, ice-glazed slopes at ski resorts.

 

“This is definitely the proverbial calm prior to the storm, and I’m relying on the timing since it couldn’t be any better,” said Gwyn Howat, operations manager in the Mount Baker Ski Area. “We could see 3 to 5 feet (of brand new snow) or even more within the days ahead.”

 

Deep powder greeted this skier in the Mount Baker Ski Area, and much more snow is predicted to fall this weekend. Photo thanks to Mount Baker Ski Area.

 

A weak weather method is anticipated to bring snow showers through Friday before a number of stronger bands moves throughout the Cascades through Monday. Freezing levels will range from 500 to one thousand feet towards the north, and two,000 to 4,000 feet within the central and southern mountains.

 

Snowfall amounts, especially at places like Mount Baker within the North Cascades, is going to be almost unbelievable, with 35 to 55 inches. Sunday alone could view the deepest totals, of 14 to 20 inches.

 

Listed here are expected totals elsewhere: 16 to 32 inches at Stevens Pass; 13 to 27 inches at Alpental in the Summit at Snoqualmie; 11 to 21 inches at Crystal Mountain; and 14 to 30 inches at White Pass.

 

 “We were on the record pace for season snow amount totals way back in December, and after that it ranked within the top 5 (years),” said Amy Trowbridge, the marketing director at Mount Baker Ski Area. “I think physically it really is impossible to top the planet record.”

 

The entire snowfall this coming year is 392 inches at Mount Baker Ski Area (115 inches in November, 207 in December, and 70 in January). The typical season total is 659 inches. The record was 1,140 inches within the 1998-99 season, as well as the runner-up was 857 inches within the 2010-11 season.

 

Trowbridge dug deeper in to the annals and discovered some interesting facts from your Washington Department of Transportation’s records, going back towards the 1970s and ’80s, prior to the ski area started tracking totals.

 

“We actually had 1,063 inches of snow within the 1970-71 season, and 1,008 inches within the 1971-72 season,” Trowbridge said. “There were some big swings within the 1970s, and between 1970 and 1976 the large seasons were 958, 825 and 795 inches. Then within the late 1970s it dropped to 373 inches. It will show you these big snow years could be cyclic.”

 

Another interesting fact from state records: Throughout the 1980-81 winter the snow total was 277 inches, that was under the cheapest record the ski area has in the books (303 inches in 2014-15).

 

Total snowfall up to now this coming year elsewhere: 172 inches in the Summit at Snoqualmie; 229 inches at Stevens Pass Resort; 196 inches at Crystal Mountain Resort; 226 to 259 inches at White Pass Ski Area; and 252 inches at Whistler Blackcomb Resort in Bc.

 

At Crystal Mountain Resort, the top mountain was closed Thursday because of high winds. It ought to be returning to normal operations by Friday.

 

Cross-country skiers have numerous trail choices at Lake Wenatchee State Park; Scottish Lakes High Camp; Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park; Mazama; Echo Ridge; Methow Valley; Leavenworth Winter Sports Club; White Pass; Stevens Pass; and Cabin Creek, east of Snoqualmie off I-90.

 

The Loup Loup Ski Bowl - located between Twisp and Okanogan on Highway 20 - is open Wednesday, and Friday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. having a 36-inch base. The Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area in Olympic National Park is open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., climate conditions permitting.

 

In Montana, Whitefish Resort is open daily having a 69-inch base, and it has 101 trails open and 10 lifts operating (night skiing offered Friday and Saturday). Big Sky Resort is open daily having a 44-inch base and 66-inch base around the upper summit.

Snowater Resort is a condominium community near Glacier Washington, 35 miles west of Interstate I-5 at Bellingham. Surrounded by forest and the glacier-fed Nooksack River, Snowater is just 30 minutes from the spectacular reaches of Mt. Baker Ski Area and its many alpine hiking trails. Simply check http://www.snowater.org/