Winter returns to Utah

[Admin]

Yesterday temps were in the 70s under bright sunshine. I was driving around in shorts and a t-shirt with the top down...in November.

Now, with our season set to start in only a week, winter has returned with a vengeance. In fact, the forecaster on KSL predicts 7 storm systems moving through between now and Thanksgiving -- I'm not sure how he can place a precise number on such things stretching out 2 weeks, but he does. Here's NOAA's mountain forecast:

Area Forecast For: The Wasatch Mountains South of I-80
Including Alta, Solitude, Snowbird & Brighton
Issued: November 09, 2006 04:00:33 MST

Today: Snow likely...turning showery in the afternoon. Accumulation 3 to 7 inches. Highs at 8000 feet in the lower to mid 30s. Chance of snow 70 percent.

Tonight: Partly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow showers. Lows at 8000 feet near 20.

Friday: Mostly sunny. Highs at 8000 feet in the lower 40s.

Friday night: Partly cloudy. Lows at 8000 feet in the mid 20s.

Veterans day: Snow likely in the morning...then snow in the afternoon. Highs at 8000 feet in the mid 30s.

Saturday night: Snow likely in the evening...then a slight chance of snow showers after midnight. Mostly cloudy. Colder. Lows at 8000 feet near 15. Chance of snow 60 percent.

Sunday: Partly cloudy. Highs at 8000 feet in the upper 20s.

Sunday night and Monday: Windy. Snow likely. Lows at 8000 feet near 20. Highs at 8000 feet in the lower 40s. Chance of snow 70 percent

Monday night..

Windy: Snow. Lows at 8000 feet near 20.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy with snow likely. Highs at 8000 feet in the mid 20s. Chance of snow 60 percent.

Tuesday night and Wednesday: Partly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow. Lows at 8000 feet near 15. Highs at 8000 feet in the upper 20s.

I hear Denver's supposed to hit 80 today -- they should be getting this cold blast tomorrow.

 

[jasoncapecod]

at least winter is back on track somewhere..
low 70's and sunny in nyc

 

[Killclimbz]

HA! I was just getting on this site to ask if you Utards were getting snow. Looks like the same storm system is going to be nailing my local hills too. Glad to hear you guys are getting hit, now BRING IT ON!!!

 

[salida]

Should be coming our way in a week or 10 days. Just in time for me to pillage the slopes while everyone else each to much turkey.

 

[Admin]

Every now and then this job has its perks. Tonight's event was a wine tasting for the release of the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon from Parallel Wines, a Napa Valley vintner started by a bunch of ski buds in Park City (http://www.parallelwines.com).

It was held at a private $25M "log cabin" atop White Pine Canyon, and the base of the 9990 lift at The Canyons (http://www.obeo.com/Obeo/Public/Viewer/Default.aspx?ID=297092&RefURL=thanksann.com). Anybody need a 14-bedroom, 22-bath ski house? Just click on that link. :wink: As I entered Parley's Canyon, there was a fully decked-out UDOT snowplow descending -- a good omen. And while it really wasn't justified, the road up White Pine was greasy as hell, and 29 degrees when I arrived at the house at 5 pm.

It's now snowing lightly at my house at 5,000 feet.

 

[ChrisC]

Every now and then this job has its perks. Tonight's event was a wine tasting for the release of the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon from Parallel Wines, a Napa Valley vintner started by a bunch of ski buds in Park City (http://www.parallelwines.com).

It was held at a private $25M "log cabin" atop White Pine Canyon, and the base of the 9990 lift at The Canyons (http://www.obeo.com/Obeo/Public/Viewer/Default.aspx?ID=297092&RefURL=thanksann.com).

When at the Canyons about 2 years ago, i saw people go up to the house assuming it was a lodge/eatery owned by the Canyons. After a certain size, it is hard to comprehend something that large is a home.

Was the wine any good?

 

[ChrisC]

I guess winter is coming everywhere, even might make it into the Sierra by next week.

I got this email from the Ski Washington powder alert that Larry Schick
Meteorologist send out. (I think Tony knows him).

Anyways, I thought a really interesting part was the interaction of rain/temps on snow pack.

Goodbye Rain, Hello SNOW! The Great Pacific Weather Machine (Cool northern branch) is cranking up.

A progressive weather pattern with moderate to low snow levels in the range of 2500-4500ft is now developing. There will be the occasional warmth with brief high snow levels, but the dominate pattern until late November is cool and moist ? that means lots of snow in the mountains. We are done with any major league rain and warmth in the mountains for a while. Once we have a good snow pack, it doesn?t really matter. Heavy rain does not melt the snow pack to any great degree. Studies show it takes 5 inches of rain at 48 degrees to melt one foot of fresh snow. That?s fresh snow not snow pack which is much more dense. 5 inches of rain is a lot for the Cascades, during one of those warm ups. Remember once the pack deepens, we are safe. Of course the surface can be a bit grabby until some fresh improves it or groomers do their magic on it.

I am expecting 2-7 ft in the Cascades in the next two weeks, so at least a partial Thanksgiving opening is within reach. Again, the overall pattern is cool, but there will be a few short warm ups.

 

[jasoncapecod]

My bid of 24.5m was turned down

 

[Admin]

After a certain size, it is hard to comprehend something that large is a home.

Yeah, and 33,000 sf is somewhere well north of that "certain size."

Was the wine any good?

Fabulous.

 

[Admin]

The next storm is moving in this morning, right on schedule - below is the Albion base area cam image at Alta right now.

And here's the NOAA forecast for Alta -- note that the word "snow" is included in each period for the next week \/ :

Hazardous Weather Outlook
Snow Advisory
For: 0.5 miles west of Alta.
Created: November 11, 2006 09:52:23 MST

Snow Advisory in effect 12 pm MST Saturday to 4 am MST Sunday

Today: Snow. Snow accumulation 2 inches. Probability of measurable precipitation 80 percent. South wind 37 mph. High 39.

Tonight: Snow. Snow accumulation 4 inches. Probability of measurable precipitation 90 percent. Northwest wind 14 mph. Low 17.

Sunday: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of snow in the morning. Probability of measurable precipitation 20 percent. Northwest wind 12 mph. High 32.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy. Southwest wind 22 mph. Low 21.

Monday: Snow. Snow accumulation 3 inches. Probability of measurable precipitation 80 percent. Southwest wind 36 mph. High 36.

Monday Night: Snow. Snow accumulation 4 inches. Probability of measurable precipitation 80 percent. Low 27.

Tuesday: Snow. Probability of measurable precipitation 60 percent. High 33.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy. Chance of snow. Probability of measurable precipitation 30 percent. Low 18.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of snow. Probability of measurable precipitation 20 percent. High 39.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow. Probability of measurable precipitation 20 percent. Low 26.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow. Probability of measurable precipitation 20 percent. High 41.

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow. Probability of measurable precipitation 20 percent. Low 27.

Friday: Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow. Probability of measurable precipitation 20 percent. High 40.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow. Probability of measurable precipitation 20 percent. Low 27.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow. Probability of measurable precipitation 20 percent. High 40.

 

[Admin]

You can tell that the season is ready to roll. We went up today to get pass pictures taken (The Kid got AltaBird and Park City), kick around, and wander through a few ski shops still stocking their shelves. Lots...and I mean lots...of people were skiing and reported good snow, as did Bob (he skied Great Scott from the rocks at the top). Snowguns were blazing. Tracks at Alta were everywhere -- Wildcat, North Rustler, even on High Rustler.

When we got home, I taught The Kid how to tune skis, and he did 4 pair, including my Volkls which had a minor core shot or two. We're ready to go now!

Bring on that next storm Tuesday.

 

[ChrisC]

When we got home, I taught The Kid how to tune skis, and he did 4 pair, including my Volkls which had a minor core shot or two.

Now that's handy!

 

[Admin]

When we got home, I taught The Kid how to tune skis, and he did 4 pair, including my Volkls which had a minor core shot or two.

Now that's handy!

Yeah, the in-house slave labor has always been handy for lawn mowing, pooper-scooping and driveway shoveling, but I think that I found a whole new use for it! :wink:

 

[Patrick]

When we got home, I taught The Kid how to tune skis, and he did 4 pair, including my Volkls which had a minor core shot or two.

Now that's handy!

Yeah, the in-house slave labor has always been handy for lawn mowing, pooper-scooping and driveway shoveling, but I think that I found a whole new use for it! :wink:

Ishhh!!! You're trusting someone else with your skis?

Better teach him the correct way or not piss him off or it will be..."mmmh, I think Marc's skis need a 75 degree bevel on his edges." :mrgreen:

As for slave labour, I would keep it to the lawn, scooping or shoveling category before letting touch my skis. :lol:

 

[Admin]

He actually did a good job. Besides, I just cranked the tunes, popped open a Guinness, and supervised. :lol:

 

[Jonny D]

He actually did a good job. Besides, I just cranked the tunes, popped open a Guinness, and supervised. :lol:

Now that's my kind of supervision! :lol:

 

[Admin]

Well, we've got some minor changes to the schedule. Alta and Snowbird are both reporting 16" from this storm as the clouds are only now breaking up over the Wasatch. See the Collins top webcam below, pointing over toward Sugarloaf -- it must've been really windy, for the cone of Sugarloaf, and the traverse out to Devil's Castle, are scoured clean. But that snow had to go somewhere!

Alta now has a settled mid-mountain snow base of 39", but they've changed the opening date from Thursday to Saturday. Brighton opens tomorrow, but I'm not too jazzed about that, so we'll wait until the WROD at Park City on Friday (they only got 4" out of this storm, and have 10" of natural on the ground). Then we'll hit Alta and Snowbird on Saturday and Sunday.

 

[Marc_C]

-- it must've been really windy, for the cone of Sugarloaf, and the traverse out to Devil's Castle, are scoured clean. But that snow had to go somewhere!

Probably Wyoming or Colorado. Winds in the Wasatch maxed at 103 mph!

 

[Admin]

OK, we're ready to roll! Drove The Kid up to Park City after work to pick up his pass and my parking pass, then went straight to the Lift House to pick up his new Line Prophets from mounting. He's now clomping around downstairs on the family room carpet with his new skis on. :roll:

Snowbird's Saturday opening is only on Gadzoom, Wilbere and Gad I, so for us it's the WRoD at Park City on Friday, and Alta Saturday and Sunday! Bring it on!

 

[Marc_C]

Snowbird's Saturday opening is only on Gadzoom, Wilbere and Gad I, so for us it's the WRoD at Park City on Friday, and Alta Saturday and Sunday! Bring it on!

Typical early season lift arrangement for Snowbird. Don't be overly surprised at what isn't open at Alta this weekend. :?