1999-2000 Ski Season Summary

The following major weather patterns affected the ski season.
November: Snowfall was less than half normal everywhere in the western U.S. Only Alberta had high snowfall, while the rest of Canada was about average.
Early to mid-December: The storm track moved into the Pacific Northwest and U.S. Northern Rockies, allowing most of these areas to reach full operation for Christmas. Utah and central Colorado had normal snow, but most resorts were in partial operation for the holidays after the dry November. California and the Southwest remained in extreme drought condition.
The Holiday High Pressure System sat over the entire West Coast for a week and a half. It extended into interior Canada, where there were bizarre temperature inversions bringing spring conditions at Christmas to areas like Red Mt. and Big White. Only Wyoming and Colorado got any new snow during the holidays.
January: This was the most "normal" month of the season, though the storm track gradually moved from north to south. Canada, the Northwest and Northern Rockies attained deep bases by mid-January. By January 10 the storms finally reached California and dumped enough to get everything open within a couple of weeks. Utah and central Colorado areas were generally in full operation by mid-January. Southern Colorado areas had normal snow, but were only partially open after the two drought months.
February to early March: California had the most snow, with significant storms continuing into Utah and Colorado. Southern Colorado rallied nicely and escaped the possibility of a 1977/1981-type full season of limited operation. Full operation did not occur in Arizona and New Mexico until March.
Mid-to late March: Starting March 10, high pressure blocked out California for another month. The northern areas favored in December got the snow again, but storms then curved south so Utah and Colorado got much more snow than before Christmas.
Spring: Spring was warmer and dryer than normal throughout the West. The Pacific Northwest had its usual late season on stockpiled snow. California got 3 feet in mid-April after a totally dry month. Utah and Colorado missed out on their usual spring storms. Snowbird and A-Basin's Palivaccini lost their snow base by early May.
For more detail on snow incidence by month and region, see 1999-2000 Ski Season Analysis.

1999-2000 SKI SEASON SNOWFALL SUMMARY
RECORD HIGH (10 Years Minimum) RECORD HIGH (10 Years Minimum)
Jay Peak, Vt. 4,000 465
HIGH HIGH
Stowe, Vt. 3,950 271 Steamboat, Colo. 9,200 324 Dec.-Mar.
Lake Louise, Alb. 6,700 205
Alyeska, Alaska 1,400 741
ABOVE AVERAGE ABOVE AVERAGE
Mt. Rainier Paradise, Wash. 5,420 683 Whiteface (Lake Placid), N. Y. 3,660 136 Dec.-Mar.
Mammoth Mtn, Calif. 9,600 or 8,900 442 Bridger Bowl, Mont. 7,100 237 Dec.-Mar.
Berthoud Pass, Colo. 11,315 351 Telluride, Colo. 11,170 195 Dec.-Mar.
Mt. Fidelity (Selkirks), B. C. 6,150 517 Crystal Mtn 1, Wash. 4,400 284 Dec.-Mar.
Sunshine Village, Alb. 7,028 287 Crystal Mtn 2, Wash. 6,100 341 Dec.-Mar.
Kirkwood (Carson Pass), Calif. 8,526 496 Schweitzer, Idaho 227 Dec.-Mar.
Grand Targhee, Wyo. 8,200 465 Big Mountain, Mont. 6,700 285 Dec.-Mar.
Whistler Roundhouse, B. C. 6,000 426
Silver Star, B. C. 5,200 247
Big White, B. C. 6,200 308
Snowshoe, W. V. 4,848 169
Big Sky, Mont. 8,920 296
Mt. Baker, Wash. 4,300 701
Stevens Pass, Wash. 4,061 530
Copper Mtn, Colo. 11,000 310
Keystone, Colo. 11,641 248
Snowmass, Colo. 11,000 267
BELOW AVERAGE BELOW AVERAGE
Central Sierra Snow Lab - Boreal, Cal. 7,200 345 Sun Valley, Idaho 8,800 124 Dec.-Mar.
Killington, Vt. 4,142 209 Deer Valley, Utah 8,200 227 Dec.-Mar.
Sugarloaf, Maine 3,695 157 Crested Butte, Colo. 10,150 219 Dec.-Mar.
Jackson Hole, Wyo. 8,250 363 Breckenridge, Colo. 11,100 222 Dec.-Mar.
Alta, Utah 8,650 501 Aspen Mtn, Colo. 11,190 195 Dec.-Mar.
Whistler Base, B. C. 2,200 184 Purgatory, Colo. 10,000 196 Dec.-Mar.
Alpine Meadows, Calif. 7,000 330
Brighton, Utah 8,740 312
Snowbird, Utah 10,000 409
Mt. Bachelor, Ore. 6,350 336
Southern California Composite 7,000 - 8,000 112
Mary Jane at Winter Park, Colo. 10,800 334
Gothic, Colo. 9,400 288
Arapahoe Basin, Colo. 10,820 304
Sugarbush, Vt. 3,000 221
Fernie Snow Valley, B. C. 5,400 348
Mt. Hood Meadows, Ore. 5,400 364
Red Mt. Pass, Colo. 11,090 263
Brian Head, Utah 9,770 293
Vail, Colo. 11,250 345
Smuggler's Notch, Vt. 1,600 263
Monarch, Colo. 252
Tod Mt. (Sun Peaks), B. C. 6,100 192
Heavenly Valley, Calif. 8,400 254
LOW LOW
Mt. Washington, N. H. 6,262 236 Waterville Valley, N. H. 3,000 91 Dec.-Mar.
Taos, N. Mex. 11,200 153 Stratton, Vt. 3,875 115 Dec.-Mar.
Arizona Snowbowl 1, Ariz. 9,500 115
Arizona Snowbowl 2, Ariz. 10,800 178
Okemo, Vt. 3,300 120
Snow Basin, Utah 7,700 250
Wolf Creek, Colo. 10,642 216
RECORD LOW (10 Years Minimum) RECORD LOW (10 Years Minimum)
None