24 Hour Snow: 0" 72 Hour Snow: 0" Season Total Snow: 21" Depth at Gold Basin: 12"
Winds on Pre-Laurel Peak: SW 20-30 G 40 Temp: 37° F
Weather
Under cloudy skies this morning, it is once again very warm, with a temperature of 37°F. Today, temperatures at 10,000 feet will hang out in the mid-30s°F, and skies will remain cloudy with a 70% chance of precipitation. Strong winds will persist for the duration of the storm, blowing from the southwest in the 20s MPH with gusts up to 40 MPH. The rain/snow line will hover just above 9,000 feet today. Any accumulations are expected to be light, with a trace to 2 inches of snow in the forecast. On Friday, winds will remain elevated out of the southwest, and mountain temperatures will slowly start to fall. A cold front will reach our area from the north on Saturday morning, and temperatures will finally drop, with highs in the mid-20s°F. The cold front on Saturday brings us our next chance for accumulating snow, but totals look modest at best. The storm clears out by Sunday night.
General Conditions
Today is probably a good day to stay in and spend the holidays with family and friends, or maybe learn to use that new beacon Santa brought you. The snow surface has taken quite a beating lately, and it seems the holiday storm is not going to provide the much-needed refresh we are looking for. It has been over three weeks since our last measurable snowfall, and during that time, we have seen strong winds from all directions, plenty of sunshine, and record warm temperatures. Many solar aspects are melted down to the rocks and are no longer skiable. High elevation northerlies have been stripped by the wind, but out of the wind zone, polar aspects are still holding 12-24 inches of snow. In my travels to the alpine yesterday, I found a mix of old, hard wind slabs and complete mashed potato-like snow on northerly aspects. The damp snow surface is a result of record warm temperatures and high, thin cloud cover as of late. These are very unique conditions for late December, and you can read more about them in my report from yesterday.
This photo tells the story of below-average snowfall, strong winds, prolonged sunshine, and record warmth.
Snowpack and Weather Data
