tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168620747792092240.post6106064154189389752..comments2024-03-27T15:09:59.039-06:00Comments on Wasatch Weather Weenies: Who Has the Best Snow in the East?Jim Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15799757451626876963noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168620747792092240.post-89869018880896067912014-01-22T16:31:15.425-07:002014-01-22T16:31:15.425-07:00I'm glad to see the Keweenaw/Bohemia in the di...I'm glad to see the Keweenaw/Bohemia in the discussion:<br /><br />"Very low water content" is entirely consistent with my experience at Bohemia and in the backcountry of the U.P. However, I've cherry picked all of my days out there.<br /><br />The numbers from the Keweenaw County Road Commission ( http://keweenawcountyonline.org/snowfall.php ) are interesting:<br /><br />201 inches for the season as of yesterday (Bohemia is claiming 213, which seems very reasonable);<br /><br />171.5 inches since December 1;<br /><br />That 171.5 inches of snow increased the settled snow depth by only 30 inches between December 1 and January 21.<br /><br />It is also interesting to note that during this 7-week period there was only one day with new snow of more than 8.5 inches (17 inches on December 7). It sounds to me like Tug gets more large and intense storms. However, I'm going to hazard a guess that Tug averages more frequent thaws than the Keweenaw.<br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168620747792092240.post-77749043464801644792014-01-22T14:31:35.717-07:002014-01-22T14:31:35.717-07:00A couple of Vermont weather guys Scott Braaten and...A couple of Vermont weather guys Scott Braaten and Jay Silveira investigated the Mt. Mansfield station because the numbers seemed low by their experience. The Mt. Mansfield site measures snowfall in a 24-inch canister, which can significantly underreport vs. the open snowboard used at most sites, East and West. They believe and have some data to support the upper elevations of Stowe, Smugglers and Bolton to be just over 300 inches, with Jay Peak being slightly more.<br /><br />So despite the quality of lake effect snow, the much greater orographic lift of the Green Mountains result in more snowfall. Japan of course gives you both.<br /><br />The Laurentians get much less snow, likely under 200 inches. Le Massif, exposed to the unfrozen Gulf of St. Lawrence, gets about 240 inches. The Gaspe could get more, but I've seen no data. Its spring summer snowpack lasts no longer than the leeward ravines on Mt. Washington in NH though. <br /><br />The key issue in degrading eastern snow is RAIN. The top of Mt. Mansfield site averages over 4 days of midwinter rain and 15 days Nov.-Apr. Rain is undoubtedly even more frequent at lower elevations in the East.Tony Crockerhttp://bestsnow.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168620747792092240.post-90029022440911839052014-01-21T18:47:49.363-07:002014-01-21T18:47:49.363-07:00I know this article mentions just the Eastern US, ...I know this article mentions just the Eastern US, but get over the French language barrier and head north to places like the Laurentians and Gaspe Peninsula. Just as much snow as places Jim mentioned, but way fewer thaws and thus a deeper snowpack.Todd Foisynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168620747792092240.post-38170539409354896072014-01-21T14:26:01.117-07:002014-01-21T14:26:01.117-07:00Hate to blow Bohemia's cover, but the blower p...Hate to blow Bohemia's cover, but the blower pow there is unlike anything I've experienced in the West. When the lake effect storms blow through, the temps are usually in the single digits- making the snow super light, fluffy, and often bottomless. Too bad the vert is only 900 feet, otherwise it would be better than a lot of the top spots in the US. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168620747792092240.post-53009109580243779712014-01-20T11:19:22.311-07:002014-01-20T11:19:22.311-07:00I think the lower humidity is why Alta's 0F fe...I think the lower humidity is why Alta's 0F feels warmer than anywhere out east. Personally, I've lived in Tahoe, Colorado and Utah. Utah's combination of quantity and quality (and ease of access) is unrivaled. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168620747792092240.post-49737547951642886552014-01-20T10:14:41.488-07:002014-01-20T10:14:41.488-07:00I'd take 150 inches at Vail any day over 300+ ...I'd take 150 inches at Vail any day over 300+ at Jay Peak. Assuming Jay really gets that much snow, and that is questionable, they don't have to adjust for the multiple mid-winter snow wipeouts. Vermont has had some great snow this year, and by my count they have had three complete wipeouts....60 degrees and fog does a number on the snowpack.<br /><br />I have some great power days in Vermont, but don't forget that the weather generally sucks in Vermont all winter. If its not warm and foggy it is either cloudy and cold or clear and brutally cold with wind. And for reasons I can't explain, zero degrees on a cold clear morning at Alta feels so much warmer than zero degrees in Vermont. Bill Ozannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15936153685133838102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168620747792092240.post-46018389458846001462014-01-20T09:58:19.654-07:002014-01-20T09:58:19.654-07:00212" so far at BoHo this year...212" so far at BoHo this year...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6168620747792092240.post-54862710583571940092014-01-19T21:27:55.807-07:002014-01-19T21:27:55.807-07:00I used to live in Syracuse and xc ski the Tug quit...I used to live in Syracuse and xc ski the Tug quite often. Always thought it would be cool to send the Northeast's garbage to Tug Hill and build a 3000 foot mountain of it to ski from. Can you imagine the lake effect snow that would pile up on THAT?<br />From your friend Groomer RaoulGroomer Raoulhttp://groomerraoul.comnoreply@blogger.com