Snow Sunday, Sun Later — Poobah Says: "Skin Up, Buttercup!"
- Andrea Hamilton
- Apr 18
- 4 min read
Hello skiers and snowboarders,
The great spring skiing conditions with mild and sunny weather we just had will temporarily disappear. In its place, we will have a return of snow Sunday into Monday morning. Snow chances are best for Snoqualmie and Stevens Passes with 6 to 8" by Monday morning (see map below). The best chances of snow will be for the mid-slopes, although we will get some snow at the lower slopes.
GOOD news for the uphill fans, check the rules for local areas. Links in footer.
HIGHLIGHTS
Saturday: Light snow, less than 1"
Sunday afternoon to Monday morning: 6 to 8" mid-slopes mainly for Snoqualmie & Stevens Pass
Tuesday: Mostly sunny
Wednesday: Mostly sunny and warmer
WHAT ABOUT
Mission Ridge: expect a trace
Crystal Mountain: 1"
Whistler: up to 2"
WHY? The main reason we have the enhanced snowfall in these areas is the Puget Sound Convergence Zone. This is common in the spring but can occur any time of the year. It usually forms after a cold front moves through the area. This happens when we have winds from the west to the northwest. This moist air moves in from the ocean, and the Olympic Mountains split the air flow (see second map below). One air mass goes through the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the other goes south of Olympia. The two air masses then rejoin, often near Everett, and this results in the formation of clouds and moderate precipitation. This air mass then moves east into the Cascades, then turns south. Thus, the most intense snow is usually from Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass.
What is the weather like after Monday? Tuesday to Wednesday, a ridge of high pressure rebuilds for a return to spring-like conditions. It will be mostly sunny for these days and warming temperatures, especially on Wednesday.
The map below shows snowfall for the 24 hours ending Monday morning.
The map below shows the wind patterns from the Puget Sound Convergence Zone.
Prepared by Michael Fagin, Meteorologist.
SLOPES - Elevation General Guidelines
Lower Slopes - Under 4000'
Mid-Slopes - 4000 to 5500'
Upper-Slopes - Above 5500'
EXTENDED OUTLOOK: Thursday, April 24 to Saturday, April 26
We are expecting a weak ridge of high pressure in place for Thursday, which will slowly weaken later on Friday and into Saturday. The resulting weather will be mild conditions for Thursday (see map below) and a slow cooling trend into Friday and Saturday.
It should be dry on Thursday and Friday, with chances of precipitation on Saturday. At this point, any precipitation for Saturday, April 26 looks limited. We will update this coming Sunday.
The graph below is for Stampede Pass at 4000' SE of Snoqualmie Pass.
The table below is the general accuracy of short-term forecasts vs. extended ones.
Watch the Zeeks story with Tom and Doug. It was started by two best friends who came up with the idea on a ski vacation decades ago.
Uphill Travel Policy
Open Fri-Sunday. Daily message details with days/hours/details. Banked Slalom April 26 & 27.
All Summit areas will be closed as of Sunday, 4/20. Alpental is closed to uphill travel, ski touring and split boarding at all times.
Stevens Pass is closed for the season.
The links provided on this page are for informational purposes only. Be aware and respectful.
Closing Dates
Crystal Mountain extended schedule. Daily message details
Closing Sunday, 4/20: Silver Mountain, Summit Snoqualmie, White Pass.
Mission Ridge: Sat & Sun through 4/27
From 49 Degrees North: Open Friday-Mondays, we do not yet have a closing date 😊 Our plan is to operate through the entire month of April and into the first week of May – all weather dependent of course.
Sponsor event
April 26 and 27 at Sturtevant's in Bellevue and Ski Mart in Tacoma. Free storage wax applied to skis and snowboards and a discount on Basic and Custom tunes.
Northwest Avalanche Center
NWAC "Although we’re done publishing avalanche forecasts until next winter, avalanches can and do still occur in the snow-covered mountains. It is your responsibility to decide when, where, and how to travel."
Thursday at Crystal.
Report: We were impressed by the great coverage. The snow maintained very skiable conditions from 10:30am to end of the day and we didn't hit any grabby spots. We skied from Huckleberry to Quicksilver. Also skiing well; Pro Course and Ferks. Chair 6 was doable thanks to ski patrol creating a sidestep at the side of the shack. We passed on Powder Bowl for a great run on Double 00's Left. Would have done that again but it was too late in the day.
THANK YOU to the staff at The Summit House for a fantastic lunch. Make sure to get the stuffed squash blossoms. A great day had by all.
Andrea and friends.
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