Waiting for snow
The lifts at White Pine Ski Area and Resort stand ready for the start of the ski and snowboard season. Staff is on board, equipment is ready. Now all they need is Mother Nature to cooperate and bring snow. The cabins are open now, food services are available, and the Ski & Sport Shop is open. Open daily for lunch. Dinner Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
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Gusty winds, cold, chance of snow this week
Snow Advisory in effect for mountains and valleys of Western Wyoming
by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online!
November 27, 2007
A Snow Advisory is in effect today (Tuesday) for the mountains and valleys of Western Wyoming as a storm system moves into the Rocky Mountains.
Snowfall of 4 to 8 inches is forecast for most of the Western mountains, according to the National Weather Service out of Riverton. The far Western valleys could see 2 to 4 inches of snow. Gusty Southwest winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts up to 44 mph, are expected in the area as the cold front moves in, causing some blowing and drifting snow in open areas. Some gusts of 60 mph could occur on the east slopes of the Wind River and Absaroka Mountains.
“Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Mother Nature is going to produce a lot,” said Al Ross, Meteorologist with the National Weather Service out of Riverton. “The weather systems moving in are not laden with a lot of moisture.”
They hoped for the high country to get 3 to 5 inches, and the valleys 2 to 4 inches with the system moving into Wyoming Tuesday. There is another chance of snow later in the week. “Conservatively, 2 to 4 inches on Thursday, then a break on Friday, then a possibility of light snow on Saturday,” Ross ventured. The unsettled, broken nature of the weather systems makes predictions difficult for weather forecasters, he explained.
White Pine Ski Area and Resort near Pinedale had to delay their usual Thanksgiving weekend opening due the lack of snow, setting their sites on an early December opening for their winter snow sports. “Temperatures will be cold enough to make snow,” said Ross. “With help from Mother Nature, they should be able to catch up,” he said.
In Western Wyoming, Grand Targhee Ski Resort is 75% open with a 39” packed powder base and 4 of 5 lifts running. White Pine, Snow King and Jackson Hole Resort are all hoping for a December 1st opening.
Weather Forecast:
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 29. Breezy, with a west southwest wind between 18 and 21 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Total daytime snow accumulation of around an inch possible.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow, mainly before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 8. Wind chill values as low as -10. Breezy, with a west northwest wind between 18 and 22 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 23. Wind chill values as low as -11. Northwest wind between 16 and 18 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 8. Wind chill values as low as -2. West northwest wind 6 to 14 mph becoming south southwest.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 26. West southwest wind around 8 mph.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 6.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 27.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 2.
Saturday: A slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 27.
Saturday Night: A slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 6.
Sunday: A slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 29.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 5.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 29.
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