SUMMARY
I am officially signing off this morning with some light to moderate freshies expected for Colorado through Tuesday morning. It has been a record year for many areas with above-average snowpack in nearly every spot of the Rockies, Sierra, and the desert southwest. The PNW came up short in Washington but is near normal in Oregon. Snow will be teasing Montana this morning and moves into the Front Range of Colorado Sunday PM through Tuesday albeit light (May add up near the Tunnel if we are lucky). Temps are are on the warm side!
Here is a look at the current snowpack for the west. Some spots are over 150% noted by the dark blue lines
Now take a look at the Snow water equivalent for the basins in California as of this morning.
FORECAST- Snow is falling lightly in Montana with Big Sky in the 2-inch range this morning and our forecasted pick (Red Lodge Mountain) with light snow (It was snowing on the webcams). It's possible that another 2-6 inches fall by late Sunday night (Storm was slightly delayed) at the Red Lodge Mountain Ski area today.
Below: Red Mountain Lodge Montana this morning (Final weekend). Snowing. 2 inches overnight but intensity increasing.
In Colorado confidence for any single deep event are very low. Snow showers and cooler temps (9-10,000 foot snow levels) will tease the Front Range ski areas closest to the Divide late Sunday to Tuesday. Models still are not very bullish. I would expect 2-3 inches possible by Monday morning at the Loveland Ski area, including Berthoud Pass (Possibly higher) and areas south towards Ski Cooper.
Snow showers will continue into Monday night (Weans a bit on Monday and picks up again late). Amounts will be light. Total snowfall from Sunday to Tuesday may only reach 3-5 inches at the higher summits. There is an outside chance in my opinion of higher amounts (40% confident). Its a drawn-out tease with no single deep event, but a series of weak teasers. The Front Range closer to Denver will see higher precipitation totals. Perhaps some luck lands totals in the 4-8 range by Tuesday (Stretch over the 2 days). Areas south into the highest peas of New Mexico (Above 11,000 feet) will see significant snow along the eastern Divide (Taos included- Closed for the season).
EXTENDED
The long range models show an increasing trend for moisture over the northern Rockies towards the end of the month. Early May might see an increase of moisture for the Sierra. There should be a significant warm up mid to late this upcoming week! See my below highlights from this season.
Thanks for following Powderchasers this season!
My top memories of 18/19
1) 56 inches of fresh at Squaw with bluebird just in time for the lifts to open (KT was waist deep).
2) Storm cycle in March at Jackson with 2-3 day 12 inch plus days in a row (Started cold and finished warm). 1 night had 18 inches!
3) 2-3 feet of overnight blower at Sun Valley that choked me on every turn (deepest and lightest snow of the season)
4) 25 inches plus at Vail primarily overnight and into the morning hours (Light density)- Amazing
5) 22 inches at the Arizona Snowbowl (Overnight). My first time visiting (Dessert Pow).
6) 12-18 inches of light density snow at Crystal (Snow level was nearly at sea level). They had an unusually cold winter
7) 18 inches during a single day (Storm ski) at Grand Targhee (snowed 2-3 inches per hour all day)
8) April Powder at Snowbird with a 2 day total of 48 inches (A few weeks ago).
Hey, there are so many chases that I am not mentioning here! They are all distant memories. Next season will be deep somewhere! This season was nothing short of Epic.
Have a great summer everyone! See you next season. Please Donate by joining the Concierge program if you scored powder this season. That program will carry you over to 2019-20.
Powderchaser Steve
