Over 3 Metres of Snowfall From Californian Storm
Over 3 Metres of Snowfall From Californian Storm
Published : 07-Mar-2024 10:42
A huge four-day long snowstorm that led to "Do not travel!" warnings in California and completely closed most of the states ski areas through the start of this week has finally blown through.
Slopes are starting to reopen and the snowfall stats are in with Sugar Bowl ski area reporting the most - 3.2 metres (10.7 feet) of fresh snow over the four days.
Most areas posted at least two metres of snowfall and several have jumped to top the North American snow depth table, with Mammoth Mountain now posting the most in the continent at nearly 4.5 metres (15 feet).
The snowfall was accompanied by very strong winds, the most powerful gusts recorded at Palisades hitting 180mph meaning blizzard conditions. It also meant some exposed areas were scoured of fresh snow, others buried in drifts many metres deep, including in some cases, entire lifts.
Resorts are now cautiously reopening terrain and roads are also opening to the mountains and lost power supplies restored. Besides avalanche danger resorts are warning excited skiers against the risk of tree-well suffocation, a deep-snow issue when skiers fall head first into voids that develop in deep snow near tree trunks. The advice is to never ski alone or out of sight of your skiing buddies.
All the snowfall comes in a season that started poorly in the Western US, blamed on a 'strong El Nino' system from The Pacific which was supposed to mean little snowfall all season.
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