It’s dumping at ski areas in California, and some of them have been forced to suspend lift operations.
Mammoth Mountain is predicting a total daytime snow accumulation between 33” and 39” and wind gusts as high as 70 miles per hour are expected. As of 8:30 a.m., the resort had already received 24-36” of snow overnight. Upper mountain lifts are closed to start the day, and Chairs 7,8, 15, and 17 are all opened as of 10 a.m. PST. Chairs 4 and 21 are expected to spin later today.
As of 12:40 p.m., there were 175 trails open, with seven lifts spinning. All 10 parks open and no halfpipes.
Anyone venturing to the mountain should carry chains in their car at all times. The National Weather Service has encouraged travelers to carry an extra flashlight, food, and water in case of an emergency.
Meanwhile, backcountry conditions in the Mammoth Mountain area call for high avalanche danger, according to the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center.
“We have a weak snowpack that extends across our forecast region, and it is being actively loaded, very quickly,” the forecast says. “Very dangerous avalanche conditions exist, and traveling in, beneath, or near avalanche terrain is not recommended.”
Just 45 miles north of Mammoth, June Mountain has delayed all of its chairlifts from spinning as ski patrol mitigates potential avalanche danger.
“Due to high avalanche danger, operations are delayed this morning. Ski Patrol is actively performing mitigation work, and we’ll assess conditions throughout the day,” an Instagram post says. “At this time, we do not have an estimated opening. Stay tuned for updates and be safe out there.”
The ski area has already received 20” of snow, and is expecting 32” on Thursday and another 9” on Friday.
The snow is a welcome addition. June’s base depth was just 26” before the most recent storm. Just 23% of the terrain was opened, and none of the runs were groomed.
There’s a winter storm warning for Mono County until 10 p.m. on Friday, February 14, 2025. That means snow could accumulate up to 3’ west of Highway 395, according to the National Weather Service, and up to 5’ at the Sierra Crest. Winds could reach as high as 100 mph at higher elevations in the region.
“Heavy snow along with gusty winds may result in periods of zero visibility,” the National Weather Service says.
Original Post from this site