SNOW IN THE PNW 2011/2012!

[BeardedClam]

what if it's an expired student ID to a different college?

Worth a try, but you could probably drop the "I work at BCE" if it fails and get in by the inherent radfactor

[Wibby]

For those in Bellingham that are looking for something to do before the 'Art of Flight' WWU showing on Thursday, Jessie Lu Galbraith, the Creative Director for frequency The Snowboarder's Journal will be doing a photo recap of the past ten years of frequency TSJ at the Bellingham REI. Thursday, 6-6:45. Free.

http://www.rei.com/event/31339/session/39152

[Chainsaw_Willie]

From the NWS forecast discussion today:

.LONG TERM...THE SYSTEM ON FRIDAY...DESPITE BEING WEAK...SETS UP A
PERSISTENT AND COOL NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT THAT LASTS AT LEAST
THROUGH TUESDAY. A SERIES OF WEATHER SYSTEMS WILL MOVE THROUGH THIS
NORTHWESTERLY FLOW. TIMING THE SYSTEMS AT THIS POINT IS PROBABLY
POINTLESS. HOWEVER SOME THINGS STAND OUT ABOUT THIS PATTERN.

ONE THING IS THAT TEMPERATURES WILL BE ON THE LOW SIDE. HIGHS MAY NOT
GET OUT OF THE 40S ON SOME OF THE DAYS. THE SNOW LEVEL WILL BEGIN
AROUND 5500 FEET ON FRIDAY AND FALL TO 2500 FEET BY THE END OF THE
PERIOD.

ANOTHER POINT IS THAT EACH WEATHER SYSTEM WILL BRING SOME WIND. THE
FORECASTS AND GRIDS ARE FULL OF BREEZY AND WINDY PERIODS...ESPECIALLY
OVER THE COAST AND NORTHERN SECTIONS...AND ALSO IN THE CASCADES.

THE FINAL POINT IS THAT SNOW WILL FALL IN THE MOUNTAINS THROUGH MUCH OF
THE PERIOD SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THERE MAY NOT BE ANY ONE PERIOD
WITH HEAVY SNOW...BUT EACH WEATHER SYSTEM WILL BRING SNOW...AND THE
MOIST NORTHWESTERLY FLOW WILL ENCOURAGE SNOWFALL WHETHER OR NOT THERE
IS A SHORT WAVE MOVING THROUGH IT. BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK THE
CASCADES AND OLYMPICS SHOULD HAVE PLENTY OF SNOW...WITH LITTLE OR NO
PROSPECT OF IT MELTING UNTIL LATE SPRING. WILL ISSUE AN OUTLOOK TO
HIGHLIGHT ALL THESE WEATHER FACTORS. BURKE

[Tap]

Damn that gets me hot

[hop]

Shitshitshit. Oh well, at least by the time I get there the base will be deeper than "rocks and shrubs".

[bakerpow]

"A few feet by the end of the week" Quoted from noaa's special weather statement...

[The AD]

i enjoyed watching skiing to hall and oates!

I agree. Hall and Oates never sounded so good.

[Norseman]

On another note... the skifishbum Stokefest plans are in the works. Maggot POV contest with rad prizes, and a good way to meet some fellow mountain folk.

See this post for most up-to-date overall scheme.

See this thread for PNW specifics.

It's an evolving thing so changes are likely. Disregard if you don't care.

/spam

[Nick_C_123]

PLENTY OF SNOW...WITH LITTLE OR NO
PROSPECT OF IT MELTING UNTIL LATE SPRING.

pure poetry right there

[jonesy]

It's here..............

[kevino]

Hit a great weather/snow conditions window up at muir yesterday. Between pebble creek and 9.1k had 6-8" of fairly dry powder. Made for some for some reaaally smooth skiing.

[::: :::]

holy crap! i'm so jealous of you folks with the MRNP "season pass", especially gettin it midweek

nice photos!

[abraham]

I'm thinking of regluing my skis and going for a tour this weekend. Where should I go? I have no knowledge of where to tour around here other than around Baker and paradise, anyone want to tour? Do have gear and some avy knowledge.

[rocker6666]

Clearly, cuz we don't have a clue...

[grrrr]

**this message censored by the antijinx squad**

[GeezerSteve]

I'm thinking of regluing my skis and going for a tour this weekend.

[SeatownSlackey]

It's here..............

well then, doesnt this mean this thread is due for a Jonesy trip-tastic photo collage?

[abraham]

I'm over using skins. Gluing my skis gives me none of the glide on the downhill once I get to the top!

I meant skins

[ikkin]

Just a PSA/FYI about some depth hoar as the new snow rolls in this weekend. Reminder to stay safe even though it's early season. New batteries in the beacons, please!

http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing...?topic=22220.0

[GeezerSteve]

Good call ikkin

[jonesy]

well then, doesnt this mean this thread is due for a Jonesy trip-tastic photo collage?

In time..........

[BeardedClam]

Just a PSA/FYI about some depth hoar as the new snow rolls in this weekend. Reminder to stay safe even though it's early season. New batteries in the beacons, please!

http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing...?topic=22220.0

I should've added that when I wrote up our story. There were large surface hoar crystals on almost all aspects above 5000' and lower on shaded north slopes. Crystals were on the order of 1/2" to 3/4" on shaded north slopes, and slightly smaller on ridges and southerly faces. The snowpack looked like and inch of hard rain crust as a base layer, 8-12in of dry, light, high quality snow, and then surface hoar. I would not be surprised if loading causes natural slides down to the crust layer. Be safe and watch out for terrain traps this weekend.

[grrrr]

Possible Baker opening on Thursday. Stay tuned.

[puma]

A newsletter I get, I take it with a grain of salt, put it together with about 5 other weather sites, and it helps validate my excitement level:

Powder Alert
issued 10:12pm Thursday
Dumpage to pile up in the Cascades
This is it. It's really going feel like fall and winter coming up. Blustery, wet and chilly. The weather pattern developing over the North Pacific is conducive to consistent snow accumulation for the Cascades. We are starting a 10 day (possibly more) period of cool & snowy weather. It will be chilly and rainy in the lowlands, but the snow will get deeper in the Cascades every day. There will be occasional dry sunny periods - but cool and wet (mountain snow) will be the character of the upcoming weather pattern.

I see a west northwesterly incoming flow, with one storm after another. Snow level will be low: 2000-3000ft. Expect 4-12" new by late Friday and more snow over the weekend and early next week. Snow level may occasionally bounce upward to 4000ft in the next week, but that will be brief. Overall snow levels will stay low. Next Tuesday and Wednesday show good snowfall with 1-2ft possible. In the next 7-10 days expect a minimum of 2-3ft , but 3-5ft or more is a good possibility.

If the computer weather models aren't too far off, expect the real possibility of some ski slopes opening before or near Thanksgiving weekend.

Get ready - the skiing and boarding will be here before you know it.

Let the 2011-2012 season begin!

Larry

Grand Pubah of Powder

[Andyski]

Just a PSA/FYI about some depth hoar as the new snow rolls in this weekend. Reminder to stay safe even though it's early season. New batteries in the beacons, please!

http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing...?topic=22220.0

Great reminder. I always think of "The Flett Incident" this time of year: http://mtnphil.com/ORock3/ORock3.html