J.Spin

What matters most is the temperature where the snow is forming. To make it to the surface at temperatures above 32 F, all the flakes have to do is survive the trip through the above freezing temperatures. It could be a mountain/climate/dry air thing though around here – but I’ve seen snow falling up to close around 40 F and certainly accumulating above the freezing mark.

It’s very possible that it’s off a bit – it’s just one of those Radio Shack remote thermometers that transmits to an interior unit. I know it’s within a degree or two of where it should be at around the freezing mark, simply due to the experience of seeing what its reporting and being outside when things are melting/not melting. For me it’s just a rough reference to throw in the observations anyway, since I don’t track daily/monthly temperatures or anything like that. I was surprised when I saw it reporting that temperature above freezing last night, but it seemed about right based on feel. The air felt kind of dry despite the snowfall, and even if the temperature is a bit above freezing, we often seem to be able to accumulate with loft if the air is dry.

Event totals: 3.3” Snow/0.37” L.E. Details from the 6:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 0.7 inches New Liquid: 0.01 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 70.0 Snow Density: 1.4% H2O Temperature: 28.0 F Sky: Mostly Cloudy Snow at the stake: 31.0 inches

Event totals: 2.6” Snow/0.36” L.E. Details from the 12:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 1.2 inches New Liquid: 0.08 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 15.0 Snow Density: 6.7% H2O Temperature: 33.3 F Sky: Snow (2 to 12 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 31.0 inches

I’ve seen that it’s been picking up around here, and it looks like there’s more moisture to push into the area based on the radar:

Event totals: 1.4” Snow/0.28” L.E. There wasn’t any obvious mixed precipitation in this morning’s accumulation stack on the snowboard, it just seemed like dense snow. But with a density of 20% H2O, I’m assuming there must have been at least a bit of something hidden in there. It was subtle enough around here that it shouldn’t have dramatic effects on the snow surfaces on the slopes, but that may vary from location to location depending on when any precipitation changes occurred. Details from the 6:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 1.4 inches New Liquid: 0.28 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 5.0 Snow Density: 20.0% H2O Temperature: 24.8 F Sky: Flurries Snow at the stake: 31.0 inches

Early this morning at around 3 AM I got a text alert that we’ve been put under a Winter Weather Advisory for the anticipated effects of Winter Storm Petra. The point forecast for our locations suggests accumulations in the 3-5” range, which seems consistent with the projected accumulations map from the BTV NWS. Latest maps are below:

Event totals: 4.1” Snow/0.10” L.E. Details from the 6:00 P.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 0.8 inches New Liquid: 0.02 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 40.0 Snow Density: 2.5% H2O Temperature: 11.7 F Sky: Partly Cloudy Snow at the stake: 32.0 inches

Close enough I'd say: Details from the 12:00 P.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 3.0 inches New Liquid: 0.08 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 37.5 Snow Density: 2.7% H2O

Don’t worry too much about the exact words PF, you already invented one of the local memes to summarily cover what goes on around here in NVT and especially the spine of the Northern Greens:

Event totals: 3.3” Snow/0.08” L.E. Snow growth has been quite good this afternoon, with snow ratios between 30 and 40 to 1 here at the house. Details from the 12:00 P.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 3.0 inches New Liquid: 0.08 inches Snow/Water Ratio: 37.5 Snow Density: 2.7% H2O Temperature: 22.5 F Sky: Light Snow (2 to 6 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 32.0 inches

Glad to hear you were able to get out to Brandon Gap for some turns. I suspect the snow is a bit less variable up here in NVT, just based on how far north the mixing/warming got with the two storms last week and what I’ve seen on the slopes this weekend. The family was out on Saturday at Bolton Valley, and with 25 inches in the previous 72 hours, the only real deficiency we could find was how high the freezing level had risen with the Friday storm – I’m guessing it had reached up to somewhere around 2,000’. There had been enough additional snow on the back side of that system that conditions were still powder below that, but the thickening of the subsurface meant that you didn’t have quite as deep or soft of a cushion down there. Most of Bolton’s terrain is above 2,000’ anyway, so the only places we saw effects were in the lower elevation of the Timberline area. There was tons of powder out there all around the resort, and those recent 25 inches held a lot of liquid equivalent, so the depths of all that new snow have been holding very well without too much settling. Right now we’re at a point with the snowpack that’s it’s tough to gauge powder depths because of all the latest snow burying the previous layers so deeply. My sons and I were testing snow depths throughout the day, but the harder thaw/freeze layers below are simply getting merged with the rest of the snow, and it doesn’t take much effort to simply push your pole down into the snowpack until it’s gone. Anyway, that’s the way it should be in February around here so that’s good, and the timing was nice for the holiday weekend visitors. We often do hit the backcountry on these holiday weekends as well, but when there’s been this much recent fresh snow (and just as importantly, liquid equivalent) in the frontcountry terrain, it’s the place to be. We’re sort of lucky at Bolton in that it’s low key enough that there really aren’t any lift queues to deal with, even on most holidays. When all their lifts and terrain are open, it’s plenty of capacity to keep up with some extra visitors. I’ll pass along a few shots from our Saturday session – we even had some bonus snowfall in the morning to further freshen things up:

Event totals: 0.3” Snow/Trace L.E. Details from the 6:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 0.3 inches New Liquid: Trace Temperature: 16.0 F Sky: Light snow (2 to 12 mm flakes) Snow at the stake: 30.0 inches

Yes, it’s in our yard at our house in Waterbury.

Event totals: 0.5” Snow/0.21” L.E. Details from the 6:00 A.M. Waterbury observations: New Snow: 0.1 inches New Liquid: Trace Temperature: 30.2 F Sky: Flurries Snow at the stake: 31.0 inches