We'll start of today with a few words from NOAA:
THIS AFTERNOON AND MUCH OF TONIGHT WILL BE SNOW IN THE
GORGE AND THE HOOD RIVER AREA.
We'll need the east gradients to stick around to keep the snow coming. Looks like the low pressure will cross around the BC border around 7 tonight, so gradients will stay east until then, at least. So... how much snow will we get? NOAA is calling for 4-10 inches before the rain starts late tonight. I hate to guess, because I'll hear from all of you if I'm wrong, but I'd guess the lower end of that overnight. I'd also guess roads will be a slushy mess tomorrow morning, as the snow will switch to rain overnight. (That should guarantee we'll get 2 feet of powder in the Gorge tonight!)
Conditions at Meadows were great yesterday, other than the millions of people. Sunny skies... 12 inches of new... PR and Heather open... But the crowds. Oh the crowds. Definitely the most people I've seen up there. The kids go back to school and the grownups go back to work tomorrow. On a happier note, highway 26 is open again, so the Portland crowds will stay on 26, where they belong!
On the slopes today, expect partly cloudy skies in the morning, with light winds. That won't last long; winds will be in the 30-40 range by late afternoon (pretty normal for Mt. Hood, actually). My guess would be the powder's mostly gone after the crowds yesterday. Best bet today will be night skiing, after new snow starts falling.
If the snow levels stay where they belong - below the predicted 5500 feet - we'll get at least a foot of new tonight (NOAA says 29-35", but that's crazy) and a foot tomorrow (NOAA says 17-23"). Expect epic conditions tomorrow, assuming we don't get an hour of rain in the middle of all the snow.
I tell you... I would give a lot to not have to say anything about rain on the phone for the rest of the season. This rain/freezing rain stuff is painful to talk about (but not painful enough that I will lie to you).
Please cross your fingers for the rest of the week. At this point, snow levels will be between 4000 and 6500ft this week, and that doesn't bode well for skiing. Maybe Pepi can throw another Pray for Snow party?
Have a great day, everyone! I'll see you on the hill tomorrow!