Mammoth could be the call. Photo: Andrew Miller
This is the winter that just doesn’t want to end. El Nino, La Nina, it doesn’t really matter, the moisture just keeps on coming. And now, another atmospheric river event (or bomb cyclone, if the storm strengthens) is set to dump another 2-4 feet of snow on parts of the West this week. And the snow will be light, like a January storm.
As of Monday, said storm was already in full affect, and our friends at Powder Chasers were calling for 22 inches at Snowbasin near Ogden, Utah. The entirety of the Wasatch range is setting records this year. Little Cottonwood apparently had a road closure as well Monday.
California is just getting pummeled: “The next several days bring many (powder) chase options with once again the Sierra taking the heap with 12-20 inches above 7,000 feet Tuesday to Wednesday,” wrote PC. “This storm has strong winds initially Tuesday decreasing for your first lifts on Wednesday. It’s already dumping near Mt Shasta in the northern areas of California and will begin over northern Lake Tahoe just prior to the lifts opening Tuesday. Heavy snow will be ongoing Tuesday from mid-morning to the evening with the timing slightly slower over the southern ranges near Mammoth.”
Powder Chasers thinks Mammoth will eventually get the highest snow totals from this series of storms. In fact, Mammoth is under a winter storm warning now and is reporting 29-30 inches of new snow today and has already delayed its opening. Further north, Palisades Tahoe reported 12 inches of new.
Looking further out, Idaho’s Sun Valley could get up to 15 inches by Friday and Jackson Hole is set to score as well, with estimates at 12-24 inches.
With several inches of rain forecasted for the Bay Area, the Mercury News reported that this series of storms could put California at the highest snowpack in recorded history. The year 1952 held the previous record.
As always, be safe out there and check your local forecasts for detailed info.
Right now, The Inertia is giving its avalanche course away for free. Access it here using the code REDBULL100 until 3/31.
