STEENBURGH WINTER IS HERE!!!!

What a storm!  At 2 PM 15 December, the snow depth at Alta-Collins reached 100", officially marking the beginning of Steenburgh winter.  The 33" snow interval ob is clearly spurious, but having some sort of observational irregularity to add to the controversy of this announcement always adds to the fun.  

Long-time readers of this blog know the importance of Steenburgh winter, but new readers may not.  I coined the term during a moment of narcissistic weakness during the winter of 2010/11, an epic year in which Alta-Collins reached 100" on December 20th (see Last Day of Steenburgh Winter from February 10, 2011).

As I wrote then, there are many ways to define winter.  There is astronomical winter, which runs from the winter solstice to the spring equinox.  There is meteorological winter, which is typically defined to run from the beginning of December to the end of February, and then there is Steenburgh winter, which covers the prime powder skiing season in the Wasatch when there is a deep snowpack and a low-angle sun so that the powder lingers for extended periods in the backcountry.

I have high standards.  That is why this blog's motto is "Mountain Meteorology and Snow Snobbery."  If you want to see someone excited about dust-on-crust, you've come to the wrong place.  

Steenburgh winter is about the crème-de-la-crème of Wasatch backcountry skiing.  It is the period from the date we reach a 100" base at Alta-Collins to February 10th.  Why 100"?  Because that's about when much of the Wasatch Backcountry opens up, including rocky areas in the Lone Peak Wilderness.  Why February 10th?  Because that's when the combination of sun angle and day length get large enough that even short appearances by the sun can have a caustic influence on the south side of the compass and have a growing influence on the northern side as we move deeper into the spring.  

If we don't get to 100" by February 10th, there is no Steenburgh winter.  Indeed, in recent years, Steenburgh winters have been rare.  This year, I think we will have the longest Steenburgh Winter since I started this blog and possibly since the 21st century began.  If my sleuthing of the records is accurate, previous early Steenburgh winters occurred in 2004/2005 (100" on December 30th) and 2010/11 (100" on 20 December).  

Thus, this season will provide the longest Steenburgh winter in at least 22 years.  Who knows, maybe it will ultimately be the longest Steenburgh winter of the 21st century?

Controversy

Steenburgh winter is not without controversy and it remains contentious today.  Let me address many of the criticisms one by one.

1. The snowpack can settle back below 100 inches: Yes it can.  I confess I didn't really think about this when I coined the phrase.  It is common for narcissists to do things impulsively.  I recognize this is a problem, but precedent has been set.

2. Total snow depth is not the best measure of how fat the snowpack is.  For sure and indeed I think snowpack water equivalent would be a better variable to use as it is a better measure of how fat the snowpack is and it is less likely to decline significantly, unlike snow depth.  For example, in 2004/2005, we didn't reach 100" until 30 December, but on this date there was more snowpack water equivalent at the Snowbird SNOTEL than there is today.  Based on prior Steenburgh winter records, we could use 16" of snow water equivalent, but that is such a BORING number.  A 100" snow depth is a major psych point and even in metric, 2.5 meters sounds pretty good.

3. There can be good skiing before a 100" base and after February 10th.  Yes yes.  I know this.  I have skied great powder while bottom-feeding in October and on Memorial Day weekend when we are almost dealing with a summer solstice sun.  The point here is to isolate the period with both a fat snowpack AND a low angle sun for powder preservation.  Yes, I know that high north aspects can preserve snow pretty good later than February 10th, but I tell you there is something obvious that happens around February 10th.  Skin up Flagstaff from Alta on a sunny powder day in mid January and compare with mid February.  I tell you, you can FEEL the difference, and on the following day in February you will feel the sun crust.

Enter your complaints below so I can address them one-by-one, but don't expect me to yield.  And be sure to get out and enjoy the almost 2-month Steenburgh winter this season!