Feb 1: Extended forecast and interior B.C. resorts
- Andrea Hamilton
- 9 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Hello Skiers and Snowboarders,
Short-Term Forecast
Late Sunday and into early Monday, snow levels will bounce around from 4000 to 5000' and bring 1 to 3" of snow for mid to upper slopes. Mt. Baker will have up to 8" over this period. On Monday afternoon, snow levels increase to 5000' to 7000'. Thus, some rain on Monday afternoon. A sweet spot to ski would be early Monday morning.
Later on Tuesday and into Wednesday, a ridge of high pressure rebuilds for a drying and warming pattern.
Snow and Weather Summary
Sunday pm to Monday am: 1 to 3" mid-slopes, higher totals for upper slopes
Tuesday: Early rain showers, then dry for the afternoon
Wednesday: Dry with afternoon sun breaks
Slopes: Elevation General Guidelines
Lower Slopes - Under 4000'
Mid-Slopes - 4000 to 5500'
Upper-Slopes - Above 5500'
Extended Outlook: Thurs. Feb. 5 to Sat. Feb. 7 and beyond
Thursday and Friday, we will continue with a ridge of high pressure, which will bring us dry conditions. The models suggest a cold front moving in late Saturday or on Sunday. Too much uncertainty now regarding this system for late Saturday and Sunday, so difficult to talk about any snow. We will update you on Thursday, Feb. 5.
Subscribers continue to ask about the extended outlook a month out in terms of snow conditions. AccuWeather recently issued a spring outlook, and they state, "In the Northwest, the switch from wintry to springlike weather will be delayed." So perhaps we get a cold snowy spring?
What will Punxsutawney Phil have to say on Feb. 2? Hard to say — according to NOAA, he has been accurate only 35% of the time.
British Columbia Interior Resorts
Many skiers enjoy true powder found in the resorts east of Whistler, with the much lower water content. Many of the resorts listed below are part of the renowned Powder Highway. Continental weather environment that brings fluffy snow, which is contrary to the maritime weather that can bring us the Cascade Concrete, for parts of western Washington, and British Columbia.
What is the current snowpack like in British Columbia? In general, much of the snowpack is above normal and is shown on the map.
Why is the interior of B.C. doing better? In December, there were several Atmospheric Rivers that brought heavy rain and high snow levels for much of Washington.
The resorts in interior B.C. benefited from these factors: Being further north and cooler air, higher elevations ski terrain, and the interior tends to trap cold air. With this pattern in place, the highest snowfall ever recorded at Kicking Horse Resort was received, 340 cm (11') of snow fell in December. Revelstoke Mountain Resort also recorded substantial snowfall in December. Much of January brought above-average temperatures for the Pacific Northwest, but the interior of B.C. tended to be cooler. Also, the resorts are at a higher elevation.
Some of the places are as close as a five hour drive, others are further. Remember, the exchange rate is working in favor of the U.S. dollar.
Resort | Snow on ground at alpine or base | Summit Elevation |
47" at 6221' | 7060' | |
59" at 6643' | 7606' | |
92" elevation not listed | 7343' | |
65" at 6798' | 8218' | |
84" at 5330' | 7000' | |
39" elevation not listed | 6500' | |
52" at 6200' | 6283' |
Michael Fagin
Meteorologist
P.S. Favorite links below
Slopes: Elevation General Guidelines
Lower Slopes - Under 4000'
Mid-Slopes - 4000 to 5500'
Upper-Slopes - Above 5500'
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Health & Wellness-
Alpine Physical Therapy. Our go-to PTs (they fixed up Larry)! PNW skiers and experts in outpatient orthopedic and neurological rehab and sports medicine.
Proliance Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine. Bellevue, Issaquah, Redmond, and Seattle. Comprehensive care from injury to rehabilitation.
Gear & Apparel-
Sturtevant's in Bellevue. Sale happening now — 20% off most hardgoods and select items. Daily boot fitting and tunes. Rentals at Ski Mart in Bellevue and Tacoma.
XEVO Optics. Save 50% use code: powderpoobah. Shop online, choose model, lens, and strap. Shipped from Washington.
Woolly Clothing. Shop local online — merino wool for ski days and everyday NW style. Save 20% use code: powderpoobah.
Warmth & Essentials-
IGNIK Outdoors. New RIPPLES rechargeable hand warmers. Put these next to your heated socks and vest. Save 25% code: POWDER25. Propane camp stoves.
Food, Drink & Community-
The Hall. Sports Bar, family and dog friendly. Kirkland, Queen Anne and Occidental Hall by Lumen Field. Weekend Brunch in Kirkland, on Sat & Sun. Great food, beer, people and community.
Vertical Grind. Easy ordering from Amazon for your Snow-Loving friends. Adventure inspired: First Ascent, Open Road, and Switchback. Shop local.
Travel, Safety & Resorts-
AAA of Washington. Every driver in the family needs this. There’s no “one size fits all” here. We offer different levels of membership. Browse the Perks.
49 Degrees North. Buy your season pass. Details here. Plan your visit. Chewelah, WA. Read my trip notes here. An hour north of Spokane.
Crystal Mountain Resort. Check out Day tickets, rentals and lessons. Plan your trip. Mountain report and parking
Crystal Mountain Hotels. Stay slopeside in one of their three hotels, an easy walk to the gondola. Includes parking. Dog-friendly.
Silver Mountain Resort. Do you know about the Water Park? Check out deals, pass perks, and trail maps. An hour from Spokane in Kellogg, ID. Save on winter lodging.
Meet the Oracle - Larry Schick in person.
Wed, Feb 18 from 6:00 - 9:00pm
Meet Larry in person at Queen Anne Beerhall on Wed, Feb 18 from 6:00-9:00pm
Free forecast discussion, Q&A, snow talk with friends, and a fun Après vibe.
Swag while it lasts. Family friendly and dogs ok too.
> Queen Anne Beerhall, 203 W. Thomas St., 1 block off Elliott Ave W.
RSVP so it’s on your calendar.
Sunday forecasts will usually go out in the afternoons during January and February, while I'm on snow teaching the next generation of skiers.
Thanks for reading.
Andrea
➡️ Who has the snow? OpenSnow.com (sort by snow depth). Or just book a trip to Japan.
➡️ Powder Poobah Resources: NWAC, WSDOT, chains, goggle lens, and more.
➡️ List of resorts with webcam links. Check websites for operations updates.
Sun Valley field report: Day one of five. Currently 34 degrees at 11am, by 2pm expecting 46 degrees. Sunny for the rest of the week. Groomers for miles. Will check out the bumps when the sun comes out. Girls Trip was on the books with a fluid location. Chose SV because they make snow. Traveling in a group of 7 skiers, former racers, coaches, instructors.
Brought my skinny skis, the Stockli Laser MX. Demo these (or any Stockli) when you can. Sturtevant's Demo Days coming in March. Spreefest (Mar 7) at Summit West and Spring Fling at Stevens Pass on March 14th.
Thanks for reading.
Andrea