Snow Totals:

What a storm! This one impacted the entire region with heavy snow for WA, OR, and Northern ID on Friday & Saturday, while the action continued across Oregon on Sunday as snowfall rates decreased up north. Timberline received an astonishing 64 inches in 3 days!

Here are the 3-day snow totals by region as of Monday AM:

Oregon Snow Totals:

• 64" - Timberline
• 41" - Mt. Hood Meadows
• 37" - Mt. Hood Skibowl
• 35" - Mt. Bachelor
• 26" - Hoodoo
• 16" - Willamette Pass (last updated Sunday AM)
• 14" - Anthony Lakes
• 1" - Mt. Ashland (last updated Sunday AM)

Western Washington Snow Totals:

• 27" - White Pass
• 20" - Crystal Mountain
• 18" - Mt. Baker
• 18" - Alpental
• 14" - Stevens Pass
• 12" - Snoqualmie West
• 8" - Mission Ridge

Inland Northwest Snow Totals:

• 21" - Bluewood (last updated Sunday AM)
• 18" - 49º North
• 16" - Schweitzer
• 16" - Silver Mountain
• 16" - Lookout Pass
• 11" - Mt. Spokane

Forecast for Monday to Tuesday:

An unstable northwest flow will linger across the region on Monday with off-and-on snow showers expected, especially during the afternoon hours when instability is greatest. 

Additional snowfall on Monday will be spotty/variable but will generally range from 0-3 inches at ski resorts across Washington and Northern Idaho and 2-6 inches across Oregon. Snow levels will range from 500-2,000 feet across the Cascades and valley bottoms to 3,000 feet across the Inland Northwest.

On Tuesday, another disturbance will move through from the Northwest with the center of the disturbance tracking across Oregon. Ski resorts in Oregon will pick up another 2-6 inches, while snowfall in Washington and Northern Idaho will be lighter and more spotty, ranging from 0-2 inches.

Snow levels on Tuesday will rise to 2,000-2,500 feet across the Washington Cascades, and to 3,000-3,500 feet across Oregon and the Inland Northwest.

Forecast for Wednesday to Friday:

We will see a short-lived break in the pattern on Wednesday morning with more sunshine and dry conditions. However, the next storm will approach the area by late Wednesday with moisture arriving via southwest winds and snow developing in the afternoon/evening hours.

Snow levels will start out low on Wednesday/Wednesday night (similar to prior days), but much warmer air will arrive from the south on Thursday, signaling the end of our prolonged stretch fo cold air and low snow levels.

For most of this event from Thursday through Friday, here are the snow level ranges I'm expecting with peak snow levels occurring Thursday afternoon/evening before slightly cooler air arrives Friday:

• 3,500-5,000 ft - Washington Cascades
• 4,000-6,000 ft - Mt. Hood/Northern Oregon Cascades
• 4,500-6,500 ft - Mt. Bachelor/Southern Oregon Cascades
• 4,000-5,500 ft - Blue Mountains
• 3,500-5,000 ft - NE Washington/Northern Idaho Panhandle (Schweitzer, 49 North, Mt. Spokane)
• 4,000-5,500 ft - SE Washington/Central Idaho Panhandle (Bluewood, Silver, Lookout)

This will result in rain falling up to mid-mountain or so at most ski areas, at least on Thursday PM, before ranging between roughly mid-mountain and base at most areas on Friday. 

Here is a general overview of projected precipitation amounts and snow levels per the European Model. Heavy, wet snow is likely across the higher terrain of many ski resorts.

An unsettled southwest flow pattern is expected this weekend and into early next week (April 8th-10th), but models are in poor agreement regarding the timing and individual storm tracks. Some models are keeping most of the energy and moisture north of the Canadian border while others are projecting significant moisture to reach the Cascades as well.

High pressure will be strengthening over the Western U.S. just to the south, and as a result warmer air will continue to flood into the PNW over the weekend. As a result, an increase in snow levels as likely with rain potentially reaching the upper slopes of ski areas at times.

Looking further out, high pressure is expected to break down across the Western U.S. around the middle of next week (April 12th-ish), at which point the door should open back up to colder storms with lower snow levels. Any stretches of sunny/dry weather are likely to be short-lived from now through early April.

Thanks so much for reading! Next update on Wednesday (April 5).

ALAN SMITH

I have transitioned over to "spring hours" for the rest of the season. I will be posting forecasts on Mondays-Wednesdays-Fridays moving forward with my final post of the season on Monday, April 17th.

Projected Ski Resort Closing Dates:

April 9th:

Mt. Hood Skibowl

Anthony Lakes

49º North

Mt. Spokane

Schweitzer

April 16th:

Hoodoo

Bluewood

Lookout Pass

April 23rd:

Mt. Baker

Mt. Ashland

Willamette Pass

Silver Mountain

April 30th:

Mission Ridge

Stevens Pass

Summit at Snoqualmie

Alpental

White Pass

May 6th:

Mt. Hood Meadows

May 28th:

Mt. Bachelor

June 11th:

Crystal Mountain