Skiers and snowboarders enjoyed some fresh powder just before Thanksgiving, but Utah winter resorts have seen only an inch or two of new snow since then.
And the forecast doesn’t get much better in the near future.
KSL-TV meteorologists Kevin Eubank and Matt Johnson say there’s a small storm coming this week but it looks like it won’t be until the week of Christmas before the pattern shifts to bring in a bigger storm. They’re forecasting a “little bit” of snow Thursday night and then again Sunday.
“Neither of these storms look too terribly big for valleys or mountains but it should refresh the ski runs for riders,” Johnson said. Long range models, he said, call for at or below normal precipitation through the month. “Still looking for that first ‘big snowmaker’ of the season.”
Speaking of snowmaking, all resorts can do right now is turn on the snowmaking guns to bulk up their mostly meager bases. Among the areas open in Utah, Alta had the greatest depth at 29 inches, while Nordic Valley had the least at 10 inches as of Wednesday morning. Most areas reported about a 2-foot base. Only select lifts are running at all resorts with access to a limited number of runs.
Twelve of the state’s 15 resorts are open. Eagle Point is aiming for Dec. 20, while Beaver Mountain and Cherry Peak have not set opening dates.
Looking a little further ahead, the Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts a few rain and snow showers through December and cold temperatures at the end of the month. Snowfall picks up in January.
“Winter will be warmer than normal, with the coldest periods in late November and late January. Precipitation and snowfall will be above normal, with the snowiest periods in mid-November, early and late January, and mid-March. April and May will be warm with above-normal precipitation,” according to the Almanac.