Season wrap up and forecast for next year
Well, it looks like the 2015/16 season is officially wrapping up. The avalanche bulletins are no longer reporting, the valleys are free of snow, and mountain bikes and paddle boards are out everywhere. Let's take a look at how the season of 2015/16 treated everyone here in western North America and get a glimpse of what next season should hold:
BC/COLORADO/UTAH/WYOMING
This was a very respectable season for the West with near or above normal snowfall for many areas of the Rockies. “The northern and central mountains of Colorado were near to slightly above normal where areas in the south slightly below” (Wolf Creek edged close to normal as of early May). The Tetons fared much better than expected ,and the Wasatch came up slightly short (“No ones complaining with 450 inches in the Cottonwoods” and far better than the previous several winters). The Sierra commanded some hefty weeks where we were the first media site to forecast 5-10 feet of snowfall that actually came true (Not April Fools) in March. Sugar bowl just grabbed 11 inches of May Powder a few days ago! “no ones complaining in the Sierra this season” British Columbia also fared above average from the looks at resort numbers around Whistler and Revelstoke.
CALIFORNIA
“Overall northern CA came up near average (Peaked above average early winter) where the southern sections came up slightly below average near Mammoth and significantly below average in far Southern CA. Areas just north of Tahoe were above average”. the forecasts this season were for well above average moisture for LA, San Diego and southern regions (That never materialized).
PACIFIC NORTHWEST
The Pacific Northwest saw near normal moisture (Our forecasted wildcard) just proving that El Nino can push decent moisture into the PNW. One issue in the PNW this season was above average snow levels so areas at the peaks were slightly above average where lower elevations may have dropped slightly below (Rain cycles mid season).
“We nabbed the 100 inch week in December which certainly contributed highly to the end of season totals”.
NEXT SEASON'S OUTLOOK
“The outlook for next season is for a moderate or strong La Nina”. In general terms that may bring colder temperatures to the Pacific Northwest, Rockies with perhaps higher than average snow possible for the northern areas. Areas of Utah and Colorado have lower impacts from La Nina versus El Nino with historic snowfall (Less impact and sit in the middle of southern and northern trends). We can say there is a higher chance of colder storms, and perhaps spots from the Tetons north into Montana, Idaho Panhandle, and into the Cascades may stand a higher chance of deep dumps. Colder temps are likely for the Wasatch next winter. There is good optimism for the New England areas also (Cant get worse than 15/16) with colder temperatures and a hopeful trend for more inland snowfall (The coast of New England and even areas near Boston faired best last season with storms skirting inland ski areas.
(Jamie Blair Photo)
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