Late October Snowmaking?

Greg · Oct 22, 2007

All right - maybe I'm just dreaming here, but what the hell. Think there might be a chance of late October guns firing up anywhere in the Northeast? I still say the two best chances for early November openings would be Sugarloaf or Mount Snow with both Boyne and Peak Resorts wanting to make a statement. Well, take a look at these two 15 day forecasts:

Those forecasts are for in-town so obviously the elevations should be colder. I know, I know, it's Accuweather and extended forecasts are never anything to hang your hat on (unless of course they are positive like these are.

)

Anyway, let's all think COLD!!!

ERJ-145CA · Oct 22, 2007

I'll add the 15 day forecast for Belleayre (actually the town of Highmount, NY) as it shows some promise too. It looks like snowmaking temps after 11/02. If it's right and the night time temps continue they should be able to open on their planned opening day of 11/10.

http://www.accuweather.com/forecast-15day.asp?partner=netweather&traveler=1&zipcode=12441&metric=0

P.S. I don't know how to make the link all fancy like Greg with the name of the town and all. And yes I know it's a long range forecast too, but I like to be optimistic.

GrilledSteezeSandwich · Oct 22, 2007

OldsnowboarderME said:
Late October you say ?? I am beginning to think late November is going to be the earliest...:-?

Wow you're a pessimist...I'll be at Belleayre for their November 10th opening..they can do it with 3 nights of snowmaking

Vortex · Oct 22, 2007

We will See. Its never is early enough and always changes.

Greg · Oct 22, 2007

OldsnowboarderME said:
I don't want to be but it is 76 degrees outside right now and I am right by the ocean... If you followed the red Sox thread I was totally wrong about that situation too .. I would be very happy to be proved wrong once again..
..

"If you don't like the weather in New England, just wait a few minutes."

- Mark Twain

ski_resort_observer · Oct 22, 2007

I was pretty impressed with all those new fan snowguns Attitash now has lining up the lower trails. If they are so inclined opening a trail top to bottom should be alot easier for them than at alot of other resorts.

threecy · Oct 22, 2007

ski_resort_observer said:
I was pretty impressed with all those new fan snowguns Attitash now has lining up the lower trails. If they are so inclined opening a trail top to bottom should be alot easier for them than at alot of other resorts.

They certainly look a lot neater than a bunch of pipes sticking up, don't they?

Zand · Oct 22, 2007

Anything can happen. In 2002 Wachusett opened on November 8th after just 2 nights of temps in the 20s (and days in the 40s)... it wasn't much and it melted 2 days later due to an indian summer, but it's possible to do some crazy stuff.

trtaylor · Oct 22, 2007

OldsnowboarderME said:
I have a personal theory that there won't be sustain cold for snow making until the (eastern) Arctic re-freezes over in its entirely for the winter ...

Northern hemisphere ice and snow animation

ski_resort_observer · Oct 22, 2007

threecy said:
They certainly look a lot neater than a bunch of pipes sticking up, don't they?

Don't tease me by actually agreeing with me.....:wink:

snowman · Oct 22, 2007

Greg said:
All right - maybe I'm just dreaming here

Anyway, let's all think COLD!!!

You're dreaming I'm afraid. The first time the loaf is going to even remotely be able to make snow is Nov 4th, and even then it's going to be tough with all the moisture in the air and ground from the forecasted precipitation leading up to that date. If the forecat keeps having those 19's in it from the 4th on out, they should be good to go after a day or 2 after that coupled with the colder temps leading up to the 19's. If they can get to blowing decent snow on frozen ground by the 6th they should be able to hit the opening date of the 17th with 1 trail or maybe a trail and a half :daffy:

Angus · Oct 22, 2007

flew over the CO rockies this AM - the rockies are covered in snow! It was strange to look down on Denver and see everything south of town covered in snow. got me imagining about skiing in earnest! closest winter weather I've seen in the east this fall was the 3rd week of August during our NH vacation - sleet on top of Mt. Washington and cold nights that required a fire at the cottage!

riverc0il · Oct 22, 2007

Any one remember what happened last year when ski areas fired up the guns early in anticipation? Most of it if not all of it melted. And the only reason it got fired up that soon in many areas was because of three feet of natural snow near certain summits. I doubt we will see any snow making until an extended cold period with a favorable long term weather pattern occurs.

ERJ-145CA · Oct 23, 2007

I just looked at the long range forecast for Belleayre again and it got even better, snowmaking temps starting 10/30.:smile: I hope it's right.

http://www.accuweather.com/forecast-15day.asp?partner=netweather&traveler=1&zipcode=12441&metric=0

GrilledSteezeSandwich · Oct 23, 2007

ERJ-145CA said:
I just looked at the long range forecast for Belleayre again and it got even better, snowmaking temps starting 10/30.:smile: I hope it's right.

http://www.accuweather.com/forecast-15day.asp?partner=netweather&traveler=1&zipcode=12441&metric=0

There will be a large PASR contingent for Belleayres opening day..

Vortex · Oct 23, 2007

http://www.accuweather.com/forecast...ox&traveler=0&zipChg=1&zipcode=04217&metric=0

This to me means guns start beginning of next week.

snowman · Oct 23, 2007

Bob R said:
http://www.accuweather.com/forecast...ox&traveler=0&zipChg=1&zipcode=04217&metric=0

This to me means guns start beginning of next week.

That forecast is looking really good. I can see them starting by Nov 1 for sure with that one. Anyone who goes out blowing snow on night one of cold temps is a fool though. If they start on Monday, they'll lose half of what they blow that night to ground melt. I could see the River open with one trail by Sunday the 4th with that forecast :daffy:

GrilledSteezeSandwich · Oct 23, 2007

snowman said:
That forecast is looking really good. I can see them starting by Nov 1 for sure with that one. Anyone who goes out blowing snow on night one of cold temps is a fool though. If they start on Monday, they'll lose half of what they blow that night to ground melt. I could see the River open with one trail by Sunday the 4th with that forecast

I imagine alot of places are going to blow on the first night of cold temps...so what if they lose half of what they blow...that means that they still have half of the snow left to add to the next night:idea:You are such a pessimist and anti-stoke..,

tcharron · Oct 23, 2007

ski_resort_observer said:
I was pretty impressed with all those new fan snowguns Attitash now has lining up the lower trails. If they are so inclined opening a trail top to bottom should be alot easier for them than at alot of other resorts.

They are impressive when they fire them up at Crotched. It's going to be insane to see THAT many more on a big mountain.

Within a few hours:

snowman · Oct 23, 2007

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:
I imagine alot of places are going to blow on the first night of cold temps...so what if they lose half of what they blow...that means that they still have half of the snow left to add to the next night:idea:You are such a pessimist and anti-stoke..,

Well, the half that's left ends up getting mixed with the mud that you create. It's just a dumb idea unless you really, really have to (as in it's Dec 15 and you still have a $hit forecast). With the extended forecast rolling out with progressively colder temps, any smart mountain ops team is going to wait for the ground to freeze a little and then roll with the lower temps. Anything 20 and up for a nightly LOW is worthless. Humidity typically runs in the 90+ at night range this time of year (70 at best on a good night) meaning you can barely make any snow at 20. Couple that with the fact you're talking about a LOW, and it only gives you a 2-4 hour operating window. Warm ground, and a warm daytime temp with a bit of wind WILL take ALL of that away the next day. Those days with lows in the 16's should give you a 8-12 hour operating window with 4-6 hours of temps where you can make some decent amounts of snow. If you can't put people on the mountain for a real shift, and you stand the chance of losing most of what you do make, you're not going to do it, unless you're insane.

Late October Snowmaking?

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