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The above map shows us what the Western USA snow water equivalent (more or less snowpack) is doing. The numbers in the various regions above represent that region’s departure from average as of today’s date, April 20th, 2015.
The Far West is really hurting right now with:
- 0% of average snowpack in Lake Tahoe, CA
- 26% of average snowpack in the Cottonwood Canyons, UT (Snowbird, Alta)
- 6% of average snowpack in Northern Washington’s Cascade mountains
- 9% of average in Central Oregon
There a few “bright spots” in Ski Country USA that are still unfortunately below average:
- 87% of average snowpack in Western Montana
- 71% of average snowpack in North Central Colorado
- 76% of average snowpack in Western Wyoming
You cant pick and choose your measurement sites from year to year if you want to show a meaningful trend, it just means theres no snow at the measurement site thats been used over time…in this case the trend is likely a lot more important than the absolute value.
Tahoe can’t be 0 %. That would mean NO snow anywhere at all. I see some some snow
at Boreal/Donner Pass, trails at Northstar, Squaw (open), Alpine (closed thanks to KSL not manning
the lifts) and spotty at Kirkwood. I’d bet Carson Pass has snow. Tioga Pass is still closed from snow.
I’d believe 1% or 0.5% snowpack
tioga is open to the pass, not thru the park. Also, Tioga is not tahoe (not even close), despite what the State of the Tahoe BC blog would have us all believe. Sonora and Monitor are open, the latter of which has been open most of this winter. No where in the basin is skiable below 8k. Also, it’s *definitely* KSL that has Alpine closed and not the total lack of snow, definitely. Lot’s of reasons to hate on KSL, but that’s reaching.
I agree. I wouldn’t even believe 1%. I skied the pacific crest half a dozen times this past week with nice corn cycles. 600+ feet of vertical along most of the crest. bad reporting.
Right. This report of 0% of average is coming from the average snowdepth at the Snotel site in Tahoe, not from the crest. The Snotel site is likely somewhere around 7,000-8,000 feet where there is currently no snow at all. Thanks.