High Winds and Rain Stall Washington Ski Area Operations
The intense atmospheric river forecasted to hit much of Washington State has arrived, and it's even more chaotic than predicted.
Over the last week, ski areas in Washington, such as Crystal Mountain, Alpental, and Stevens Pass, have been forecasting snow totals in the 40-50 inch range for this weekend.
As the storm moved in over the last day or so, high winds and rain have come with it as far north as Stevens Pass, Washington, and as far south as Bend, Oregon.
Just southeast of Seattle, the Summit at Snoqualmie and Alpental got more than two feet of snow between Sunday and Wednesday, creating amazing ski conditions early in the week.
However, Wednesday night saw wind gusts of up to 134 mph and sustained winds of 65-76 mph as well as rain at some elevations.
A power outage across the Snoqualmie Pass area on Thursday morning, March 12, has put ski area operations on hold. The Summit at Snoqualmie's Summit West mountain started the day on hold with no power.
The mountain is hoping for power to be restored by the afternoon for afternoon and evening operations.
(This is a developing situation. For the latest on Washington ski resort operations, check their website or social media page.)
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The Summit at Snoqualmie closed Alpental for the day to let the mountain's snowpack recover from heavy rainfall, according to an Instagram story posted by the mountain.
The snowpack is reportedly "highly saturated," and avalanche control could produce large, deep slides with extensive debris.
The ski area plans to reopen Alpental on Friday as cooler temperatures have turned rain back to snow, with more on the way.
Further south near Mt. Rainier, Crystal Mountain started the day with multiple trees down on Highway 410 following high winds. Power outages also took the mountain webcams offline. Crews are working to clear the roadway, and the ski resort advised skiers to check WSDOT for updates.
As of 9:50 am, Crystal Mountain had the Chinook Express open with all other lift openings delayed on a TBD basis. The upper mountain saw a "big hit" of snow, while the lower mountain saw rain.
"This storm system is sure showing up in force, and as always, safety is our top priority," the ski resort's latest snow report reads.
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Forecasts call for 9-13" of snow Thursday night at Crystal, another 12-18" on Friday, and another 8-12" Friday night. Alpental forecasts 9-13" for both Thursday night and Friday, and another 5-9" on Friday. Five day tops out at 54" at White Pass, 45" for Crystal, 43" at Alpental, 41" at Stevens Pass, and 23" at Mt Baker.
However, snow levels are forecasted to rise again on Friday, although temperatures should keep precipitation in snow form.
Another storm could arrive on Sunday, but with much warmer temperatures and higher snow levels as it tracks farther north over BC. With current models, it's possible this storm could bring significant rain to Washington, making flooding a concern.
Sounds like Friday is the day for Washington skiers. Stay safe out there!