Snow in April? Better believe it. Photo: NOAA.
Snow in April isn’t unheard of, but it’s certainly rare to be scoring deep powder this time of year. And that’s exactly what’s happening as we speak. From the Pacific North West down to Tahoe and as far east as the Great Lakes region, snow is falling, and in many places, it won’t stop until after this coming weekend. Just as it felt like spring skiing was coming to a close, we’ll be getting at least another week of winter weather. Don’t put away those skis and boards just yet. It might be time to break your storm skiing gear out, too.
Powderchasers reports that the next few days could see as much as three to four feet for southern Washington and most of Oregon, while the Sierras will see the deepest snow of the season since the record-breaking Christmas storm this past December, though, to be honest, that’s not saying much, as there hasn’t been much action since then. What better way to cap off one heck of a weird winter season in the mountains with deep April powder?
Best of all, the snow that’s falling should stay decently light and fluffy, with cold temperatures and plenty of wind to keep things moving. On Monday morning as the snow begins to fall at Palisades Tahoe, the Palisades website reports temperatures of 22 degrees Fahrenheit. Mt Bachelor in Oregon reports nine inches of snow in 24 hours, with 14-degree temps, and Crystal Mountain in Washington reports 12 inches of snow in the past 24 with temps hovering around 16 degrees.
Utah and Idaho should enjoy some good snow totals as well from the chain of April storms, as well as parts of Colorado. The brunt of the snow will fall a bit too far west and north for the Rockies, though there should be some decent snowfall in places.
However, for some resorts, the snow comes just a bit too late. Jackson Hole had their last day of the season yesterday, as well as Grand Targhee, and in Utah Snowbasin and Powder Mountain have already closed, as well as plenty of other resorts across the region; so be sure to check terrain status before heading out to score some late-season powder.
