Northeastern U.S. Weather

Yea, Tony, the long term statistics may not back this up but, anecdotally and from my (sometimes faulty) memory, it just seems like we don't get as much snow and cold weather, at least in southern to central New England as we used to and I've lived here for 60 plus years.
 
I have always concentrated my Northeast ski/snow analysis focus on upper New England. I have little doubt that the rain numbers are worse for lower New England, Catskills, etc. The CHANGE in rain vs. snow incidence vs. before 2000 is a different subject and I have not seen enough data to draw conclusions.

I have lived in SoCal for 60+ years and while the rain days in ski area numbers are low by NE standards the difference between the 1978-2000 and 2001-2024 numbers is significant.
 
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The best times to ski are after a Nor'Easter. Or there has been prolonged cold weather (2 weeks) with maybe Clippes. A great winter is 3-4 weeks without a significant rain event. Also, the first-time trails open for the season is great since no ice is present.

Finally, Spring is optimal when everything softens (sunny and 40 degrees+).

Even skiing under snow guns while areas resurface terrain is fun - especially where they can blow snow on multiple trails (Killington, Sunday River, Okemo, Mt Snow, Hunter, Wachusett, etc).

Flatter areas can ski OK during icy times due to grooming since the snow will hold up better than areas with steeper terrain (Bretton Woods, Okemo, Stratton, Butternut, Mt Sunapee, etc)

But there is A LOT of misery in between. You have to be so selective about your days. I avoided any days with high-pressure winds and cold temps. Freeze your ass off, and the snow can blow away.
 
ChrisC said:
The best times to ski are after a Nor'Easter. Or there has been prolonged cold weather (2 weeks) with maybe Clippes. A great winter is 3-4 weeks without a significant rain event. Also, the first-time trails open for the season is great since no ice is present.

Finally, Spring is optimal when everything softens (sunny and 40 degrees+).

Even skiing under snow guns while areas resurface terrain is fun - especially where they can blow snow on multiple trails (Killington, Sunday River, Okemo, Mt Snow, Hunter, Wachusett, etc).

Flatter areas can ski OK during icy times due to grooming since the snow will hold up better than areas with steeper terrain (Bretton Woods, Okemo, Stratton, Butternut, Mt Sunapee, etc)

But there is A LOT of misery in between. You have to be so selective about your days. I avoided any days with high-pressure winds and cold temps. Freeze your ass off, and the snow can blow away.
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A mention of my local ski hill (or "bump" if you prefer that description)! I agree with everything you say about skiing in the Northeast, although I HATE skiing through snowmaking guns when they're on because they are not making "snow" but rather frozen ice particles that makes if feel like your face is being sand blasted as you ski through. Not a pleasant experience, IMHO (and I love skiing when it is actually snowing "real snow").
 
Berkshireskier was right about that rain forecast. It lasted at least 2 days and knocked all the northern Vermont trail counts below 50%. Jay fell from 91% open a week ago to 21% today. The early January forecast looks favorable for the Northeast cooling down with some snow while most of the West may get a week or two of high pressure.
 
Yea, Tony, the weather has been crazy. Was -5 (F) here four or five days ago (some pipes froze in our house but, luckily, did not burst but we had no running water in an upstairs bathroom for about 12 hours) and then it was 55 degrees here yesterday, with heavy rain the previous day. The warm temps and rain went all the way up into Canada. My daughter was up at Mt. Tremblant, about 1.5 hours north of Montreal, and it was warm and raining up there too. Was in the high 40's here again today. Not good for the snow preservation at ski areas. Although my nephew was skiing at Cannon Mt. in northern NH today and he said the trail conditions were surprisingly OK. It is supposed to turn much colder after the new year. Some weather people are predicting the coldest air mass in decades to hit the eastern US, all the way down to the Gulf Coast and northern Florida.
 
Northern Vermont has rebounded nicely with 2+ feet of snow since New Year's and 80+% operation for this weekend. It's cold but that often goes with the territory for the best Northeast conditions.
 
Northern Vermont has had an impressive run of weather since New Year's. Total snowfall since Jan. 1: Jay 165 inches, Smuggs 156, Stowe 143, Sugarbush 117, Killington 100. It's been continuously powder/packed powder for about 7 weeks. Sadly, the current storm is predicted to warm up to sleet and/or rain by the end of President's weekend.

Meanwhile who in the West has had as much as 100 inches since Jan. 1? Only the Tetons and Utah's Cottonwood Canyons and in both cases most of that snow has come since Feb. 1. The top of Palisades Tahoe has had 108 inches but the base has had only 35 inches plus a lot of rain.
 
This from riverc0il on NY Ski Forum a couple days ago:
It has been an amazing season at Jay. 24-25 may be in contention for one of the all time best. Jay just hit +300" for the season and there is no sign of it stopping. I am up to 14 days this season. Only one of those days did not include at least 6" of untracked snow or more.

There is so much snow that instead of snow snakes, the issue is low ceiling clearance. I took a few branches to the head today in the woods. The snow is so deep. I could completely sink my entire pole in the snow and not hit bottom.
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jamesdeluxe said:
@Harvey, would you call this the best upstate/central NY season in many moons?
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I've been watching NY snow since 2008.

The closest analog I can find is 2014/15 (pretty sure that was the year?) was similar, average snowfall and most of two months below freezing.

The difference this year is that the majority of the best snow (in NY) has been lake effect. The best skiing is often in eastern NY but this year CNY is killing it.

So my answer:

Upstate NY: Maybe. Catskills and Downstate have had a tough week.
Central NY: Definitely

I spoke to a local at Titus Sunday (Jason, the Assistant GM). He's been skiing Titus for 30 years, and he said this was the best year he can remember. Titus is in a unique position, they do get some lake effect and their northern location often has them in the snow when there is rain to the south. That was certainly true on Sunday when they reported 19 inches in 24 hours.

Gore reported 7" that day as there was significant mixing in the middle of the storm. On the upside, at Gore the mix came relatively early and most of the snow fell afterward. I skied Monday and really couldn't detect a crust. The trees were definitely IN.
 
Harvey said:
Upstate NY: Maybe. Catskills and Downstate have had a tough week.
Central NY: Definitely
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Thanks. This season sounds like the CNY winters I grew up in during the 70s. I didn't downhill ski back then but did x-c, snowmobiling, and sledding, and obviously hockey. Great unless you had to shovel out your driveway frequently, which my brothers and I did -- parents refused on principle to buy a snowblower.

As Jason noted, this would be a good time to head north of the border given the current snow situation up there. Not something that you'd instinctively do, but it's clearly their best season in a long time too -- wish I could go.
 
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