# Is this sick or what???????????



## kingslug (Jan 4, 2008)

California, the place to be...a few days from now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday
Jan 04, 2008



Hi 33°f / 26°f (base/top)
Lo 24°f / 18°f (base/top) 


Sky Condition:
Cloudy with snowfall becoming heavy (if it isn't already), extremely heavy this afternoon and through tonight. Snow levels should be near 6,500 feet or lower, dropping to 3,500 feet tonight. Blowing and drifting snow is expected as winds reach storm strength, and hurricane strength across the higher ridges and peaks.

Precipitation:
Epic heavy snow. 

Snow Potential
50 to 58 inches of accumulation. 

Wind: 
S/ SW at 25 - 45 gusts to 65mph (gusts to 100+mph above 9,000 feet). 

 Saturday
Jan 05, 2008



Hi 24°f / 15°f (base/top)
Lo 14°f / 7°f (base/top) 


Sky Condition:
Cloudy and colder with winds still strong but dropping off a bit, and snowfall continuing. More heavy totals are expected. Snow levels run near 3,500 feet.

Precipitation:
Snow likely. 

Snow Potential
16 to 22 inches of accumulation. 

Wind: 
SW at 20 - 30 gusts to 45mph (gusts to 75mph above 9,000 feet). 

 Sunday
Jan 06, 2008



Hi 19°f / 10°f (base/top)
Lo 10°f / 4°f (base/top) 


Sky Condition:
Mostly cloudy and much colder, with snow levels dropping to around 2,000 feet or lower. Moderate or heavy snow showers are expected through the day, lighter overnight.

Precipitation:
Snow likely. 

Snow Potential
12 to 16 inches of accumulation. 

Wind: 
SW at 15 - 25 gusts to 40mph (gusts to 60mph above 9,000 feet). 


Monday
Jan 07, 2008



Hi 19°f / 10°f (base/top)
Lo 8°f / 2°f (base/top) 


Sky Condition:
After some light snow early (snow level near 2,000 feet), clearing to partly cloudy and cold.

Precipitation:
Snow showers end early. 

Snow Potential
No additional accumulation. 

Wind: 
Becoming NW at 10 - 20mph (gusts to 35mph above 9,000 feet). 

 Tuesday
Jan 08, 2008



Hi 33°f / 25°f (base/top)
Lo 25°f / 19°f (base/top) 


Sky Condition:
Becoming cloudy with moderate to heavy snow showers, and strong winds. Snow levels should rise to near 6,000 feet, dropping overnight.

Precipitation:
50% chance for snow. 

Snow Potential
12 to 18 inches of accumulation. 

Wind: 
S/ SW at 25 - 40 gusts to 55mph (gusts to 75mph above 9,000 feet). 

 Wednesday
Jan 09, 2008



Hi 28°f / 18°f (base/top)
Lo 19°f / 12°f (base/top) 


Sky Condition:
Snow showers clear out early, then skies clear to partly cloudy with chilly temperatures.

Precipitation:
20% chance for snow showers early. 

Snow Potential
No additional accumulation. 

Wind: 
Becoming NW at 5 - 15 gusts to 20mph.


----------



## andyzee (Jan 4, 2008)

That's like, hmm... carry the two, add one........ 78-96 inches in three days.

That is sick!


----------



## SIKSKIER (Jan 4, 2008)

Yup,I saw one forecast for the Sierra call for 5-10 ft with the next series of 3 storms.


----------



## loafer89 (Jan 4, 2008)

I have never seen such a dire winter weather warning before:

*Blizzard Warning*

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGENATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV410 AM PST FRI JAN 4 2008...A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL AFFECT THE REGION TODAY THROUGHSATURDAY MORNING WITH STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY SNOW CAUSINGBLIZZARD CONDITIONS IN THE SIERRA...EXTREMELY HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS WILL BRING DANGEROUSBLIZZARD CONDITIONS IN THE SIERRA AND LAKE TAHOE BASIN TODAYTHROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.*DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE SIERRA PASSES. ATTEMPTING TOTRAVEL IN THE SIERRA WILL PUT YOUR LIFE AT RISK!* EXTREMELY HIGHSNOWFALL RATES WILL MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ROAD CREWS ANDEMERGENCY PERSONNEL TO KEEP ROADS PASSABLE AND TO ASSIST STRANDEDVEHICLES. IF YOU DO ATTEMPT TRAVEL IN THE SIERRA YOUR CHANCES OFBEING STRANDED FOR MORE THAN A FEW HOURS IS VERY HIGH. REMAININDOORS DURING THIS BLIZZARD...EVEN A SHORT WALK OUTDOORS COULD BEDEADLY AS YOU WILL BECOME DISORIENTED IN THE WHITEOUT CONDITIONSWITH ZERO VISIBILITY.PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS WILL PRODUCE HAZARDOUSCONDITIONS IN LOWER ELEVATIONS OF EASTERN CALIFORNIA AND WESTERNNEVADA FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. THESNOW IS EXPECTED TO TAPER TO SHOWERS ON SATURDAY BEFORE ANOTHERROUND OF SNOW MOVES INTO THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY.STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGERS ARE WORKING WITH THE NATIONALWEATHER SERVICE AND ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING FOR EMERGENCYRESPONSE...SHOULD IT BECOME NECESSARY. CITIZENS CAN ASSIST INTHIS EFFORT BY STAYING INFORMED ON THE LATEST FORECASTS FROM THENATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.CAZ072-073-NVZ002-042015-/O.CON.KREV.BZ.W.0001.000000T0000Z-080105T1800Z/GREATER LAKE TAHOE AREA-MONO-INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SOUTH LAKE TAHOE...TAHOE CITY..TRUCKEE...MARKLEEVILLE...BRIDGEPORT...COLEVILLE...LEE VINING..MAMMOTH LAKES...GLENBROOK...INCLINE VILLAGE410 AM PST FRI JAN 4 2008...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST SATURDAY..A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST SATURDAY.SNOW WILL BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES LATER THIS MORNING ACROSS THEEASTERN SIERRA FROM LAKE TAHOE SOUTH TO MONO COUNTY. THE SNOWCOULD BRIEFLY CHANGE TO RAIN BELOW 7000 FEET AROUND MIDDAY...BEFORESNOW LEVELS FALL TO BELOW 6000 FEET LATER THIS AFTERNOON.EXTREMELY HEAVY SNOW WILL OCCUR THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING WITHSNOWFALL RATES UP TO 6 INCHES PER HOUR.TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING WILL BE 3 TO5 FEET ABOVE 7000 FEET WITH HIGHER AMOUNTS ALONG THE SIERRACREST...AND 2 TO 3 FEET BELOW 7000 FEET...INCLUDING THE LAKE TAHOEBASIN. IN ADDITION...STRONG WINDS WILL PRODUCE LARGE AND EVENDEEPER SNOW DRIFTS.STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT...WITH THE MOSTDANGEROUS WINDS FROM EARLY THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING.WIND GUSTS UP TO 70 MPH WILL BE COMMON WITH GUSTS OVER 150 MPHOVER THE SIERRA RIDGES. THESE STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH THEHEAVY SNOW TO BRING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AT ALL SIERRA PASSES..WITH A PERIOD OF BLIZZARD CONDITIONS REACHING LOWER ELEVATIONSTHIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY SATURDAY.A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS AREEXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDSWILL PRODUCE ZERO VISIBILITY. DO NOT TRAVEL IN THESE CONDITIONS.IF YOU GET STRANDED...STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE.


----------



## roark (Jan 4, 2008)

I leave New England and several nice storms hit... I leave CA and sure enough... :evil:


----------



## bdjeep (Jan 4, 2008)

That's some serious snow.  Drive off the road during that storm and they might not find you until spring.


----------



## loafer89 (Jan 4, 2008)

They might not find you until summer, this was Tioga Pass in June 2006:


----------



## severine (Jan 4, 2008)

Wowsers!  That's hard to imagine, having lived on the east coast my entire life.  Amazing!


----------



## ajl50 (Jan 4, 2008)

bdjeep said:


> That's some serious snow.  Drive off the road during that storm and they might not find you until spring.



This happens all the time. 
I believe it was even discussed in Misery (the moive)


----------



## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Jan 4, 2008)

Wow the dropping temperature is going to make for cold smoke powder..Jackson Hole is also going to get a piece of the action..woo hoo..


T-misus 15 days to J-Hole


----------



## Bumpsis (Jan 4, 2008)

*10 feet of snow!!???*

So we have been enjoying decent ski conditions here in the east but if you  want to get some real powder start packing up and catch a flight out to Lake Tahoe.
They are about to get hit by a monster storm which is likely to drop 7-10 feet of snow.

This is from CNN:

"The state is expecting a powerful series of storms that could produce blizzard conditions in the higher elevations of the Sierra, with wind gusts of more than 100 mph and 8 to 10 feet of snow forecast at above 7,000 feet," a news release from Schwarzenegger's office said. 

Now, that's what I call epic!


----------



## millerm277 (Jan 4, 2008)

Check this out....http://www.snowforecast.com/californiafcst/kirkwood.html

It predicted 50-58in of snow today, we'll find out tomorrow how close it was.


----------



## basemoto (Jan 5, 2008)

that sounds like a joke.....but it isnt. Thats an incredible amount of snow! Is that amount of fresh powder even skiable?


----------



## kingslug (Jan 5, 2008)

Posted the same thing but got moved to NE weather???????????  This is a storm of the century!!!!!!!! And I just have to get there!


----------



## kingslug (Jan 5, 2008)

Must get there!
Must get there!
Must get there!


----------



## andyzee (Jan 5, 2008)

kingslug said:


> Posted the same thing but got moved to NE weather??????????? This is a storm of the century!!!!!!!! And I just have to get there!


 
Today's conditions at Kirkwood, they got too much (48-60"), and will open trails as they groom them.. 

http://www.kirkwood.com/winter/conditions.php


----------



## wa-loaf (Jan 5, 2008)

basemoto said:


> that sounds like a joke.....but it isnt. Thats an incredible amount of snow! Is that amount of fresh powder even skiable?



The Sierras get these kind of storms pretty regularly. I think ten feet is definitely on the high side but 5-6 feet in a storm is not that unusual. It's this kind of stuff that got the Donner Party in trouble.


----------



## ta&idaho (Jan 5, 2008)

wa-loaf said:


> The Sierras get these kind of storms pretty regularly. I think ten feet is definitely on the high side but 5-6 feet in a storm is not that unusual. It's this kind of stuff that got the Donner Party in trouble.



Wa-loaf's post is definitely accurate.  In a typical year, it dumps several feet every week or two, and then it is mostly blue skis and fairly warm temps the rest of the time.  The difficulty is timing.  The locals are set, but it can be tricky to make it from places like San Francisco and catch the goods (especially given that the passes close and/or get really backed up at the chain-on points).

Fortunately you learn to enjoy both the deep powder days (which get skied off quickly at the major mountains, which is why you hear people talking up random places like Mt. Rose and Homewood) and the 50+-and-sunny days.


----------



## kingslug (Jan 5, 2008)

Doesn't look like I can cancel my BC trip to make way for this...too bad.


----------



## wa-loaf (Jan 5, 2008)

kingslug said:


> Doesn't look like I can cancel my BC trip to make way for this...too bad.



Don't bother, unless you're there while it's happening, it'll set up as sierra cement after the storm. Like Ta&Idaho said, they get big dumps and then a week or so of 50 degree days. Most of the time it's spring like skiing out there all season. Not that there's anything wrong with that, just not worth chasing if you are looking for deep powder.


----------



## snoseek (Jan 5, 2008)

We are getting a good piece of this one in colorado. I'm resting my tired legs today because the next several days are going to be killer, I don't want to pussy out in the middle of this one.

This storm is huge! Looks like everyone in the west is going to get a peice, Yesterdays radar looked like a hurricane. Avy danger is going to be very very serious (man died yesterday skiing east vail chutes, I'm not hitting berthoud for a while now).


----------



## snoseek (Jan 5, 2008)

I'd rather be skiing the storms leftovers in cottonwood canyons, looks like utah is back on track.


----------



## kingslug (Jan 5, 2008)

The only time I ever got out there was a rainy Jan at Squaw. It was still pretty cool, especialy when the sun came out and we could see where we where going. Still, I would like to hit some of the other spots like Kirkwood. And I wouild wait until it calms down out there as I hear its a disaster zone right now.


----------



## andyzee (Jan 5, 2008)

snoseek said:


> I'd rather be skiing the storms leftovers in cottonwood canyons, looks like utah is back on track.


 
Even better Powder mountain or Snowbasin.


----------



## kingslug (Jan 5, 2008)

And I'm going to Canada, figures.


----------



## snoseek (Jan 5, 2008)

andyzee said:


> Even better Powder mountain or Snowbasin.




I agree.


----------



## kingslug (Jan 5, 2008)

Sitting here at work...like a slug...I would rather be ANYWHERE else.


----------



## bobbutts (Jan 5, 2008)

wa-loaf said:


> Don't bother, unless you're there while it's happening, it'll set up as sierra cement after the storm. Like Ta&Idaho said, they get big dumps and then a week or so of 50 degree days. Most of the time it's spring like skiing out there all season. Not that there's anything wrong with that, just not worth chasing if you are looking for deep powder.



are you kidding?  how many seasons have you spent in Tahoe?


----------



## ski_resort_observer (Jan 5, 2008)

wa-loaf said:


> Don't bother, unless you're there while it's happening, it'll set up as sierra cement after the storm. Like Ta&Idaho said, they get big dumps and then a week or so of 50 degree days. Most of the time it's spring like skiing out there all season. Not that there's anything wrong with that, just not worth chasing if you are looking for deep powder.



Many times they do get a warm-up after a big storm which does yield "Sierra Cement" but this time it looks like the temps will remain seasonal.

The idea that you can fly out there and then ski this snow now is totally naive. They have massive power outages, the roads are impassable unless you have a vehicle with truck like clearance, many resorts are operating on a limited basis or totally closed, many employees cannot get to work and the avalanche danger is very high. Now going out there a couple of days after...now that would be sweet.


----------



## billski (Jan 5, 2008)

Now I understand why my colleagues in Sacramento were nowhere to be found yesterday/Friday....

It dumped like nuts for five days when I was out there last March on business. The main freeway I-80 was closed for four days. When I finally broke away from business meetings and the road was re-opened, I was sadly informed that the locals had already tracked out all the good stuff. Sure enough....


----------



## marcski (Jan 5, 2008)

Actually, its probably too much snow (if there is such a thing) if you're out there now.  There going to need to do a whole hell of a lot of avy work to get the steeper slopes ready.  Let alone dig out the lifts with that much snow....

Still, I'm drooling!!


----------



## loafer89 (Jan 5, 2008)

Mammoth snow report:

*Snow Report - Updated: Jan 5, 2008 4:05 PM*

It has been absolutely dumping snow in Mammoth.  The snow only started a day and a half ago. *We have already received between 3 to 5 feet* and there is plenty more on the way.  At 4 p.m. the snow was still coming down and it was 19 degrees at Main Lodge and 11 degrees up at the summit.  At Main Lodge, winds are averaging around 15 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.  These winds may cause severely reduced visibility.  
All lower elevation lifts ran today from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. wind and weather permitting.  Upper elevation lifts were put on a weather hold until conditions improve.  
Be extremely careful if you plan on driving anywhere today.  There is a Winter Storm Warning in effect until 7 p.m. Sunday.  Traveling during this timeframe could potentially be dangerous with heavy snowfall, strong winds and low visibility.  Please be safe.


----------



## davidhowland14 (Jan 6, 2008)

Kirkwood reporting 60" in 24 hours.


----------



## Powdr (Jan 6, 2008)

bobbutts said:


> are you kidding?  how many seasons have you spent in Tahoe?



I lived in the Bay for ten years and I'd say that was a pretty accurate statement. Tahoe does get big dumps, but the snowline is so close to the lake level that it often turns to a big mushy mess soon thereafter. You can get spring conditions just about any time of year.


----------



## wa-loaf (Jan 6, 2008)

bobbutts said:


> are you kidding?  how many seasons have you spent in Tahoe?



I lived out there for a year. Even in January it was like that. I've also read enough articles in ski mags and trip reports to know that it wasn't a fluke.

How much experience do you have there?


----------



## andyzee (Jan 6, 2008)

From Kirkwood:

Time Of Report: 01/06/2008  5:27amSnowfall: Today: 36 - 54
Jan 05: 48 - 60"
Jan 04: 6 - 8"
Snow History: 96-132" past 72 hrs
Season Total: 169-220""

SICK!!!!


----------



## WJenness (Jan 7, 2008)

snoseek said:


> We are getting a good piece of this one in colorado. I'm resting my tired legs today because the next several days are going to be killer, I don't want to pussy out in the middle of this one.
> 
> This storm is huge! Looks like everyone in the west is going to get a peice, Yesterdays radar looked like a hurricane. Avy danger is going to be very very serious (man died yesterday skiing east vail chutes, I'm not hitting berthoud for a while now).



The man who died skiing the east vail chutes was actually from out this way (Worcester, MA).

Story: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/14990950/detail.html

-w


----------

