Is this purgatory?

[ckofer]

It seems we're painfully stuck between the bliss of powder about three weeks ago and the corn snow that awaits. I've been reading the trip reports and it's a little discouraging.

It's like winter is make some desparate effort to linger but without sharing too much good snow. I took this pic today near Bow Lake in Strafford (not posed, just showed up from under a snowbank-it seems fitting):



Jeezum.

 

[SLyardsale]

Time to take the Xmas decorations down.

 

[loafer89]

The extended forecasts do not look promising for warmer weather in fact April looks to be generally below normal, but potentially snowy. I was reading the extended outlook for Canada on Accuweather and they call for below normal temperatures in Eastern Canada, which translate into much the same in Northern New England.

With such a massive snowpack in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont it will be tough to warm things up very rapidly until it melts, maybe by the 4th of July

 

[ckofer]

Time to take the Xmas decorations down.

It's not Halloween yet.

 

[loafer89]

Extended outlook:

Latest indications from model data and comparing similar past weather conditions seems to indicate that this spring will feature a fair amount of high latitude blocking, especially over northeastern Canada and Greenland (basically persistent ridge of high pressure aloft). This type of pattern would lead to a rather chilly and unsettled weather pattern from the eastern U.S. through southern Ontario with slow-moving storm systems which lead to days of dreary weather.

Quebec: Temperatures in the north will be above normal for the spring with near-normal rainfall and below-normal snowfall. The south will have a wet/snowy start with below-normal temperatures. The second half of the spring will bring temps back to normal, along with rainfall.

 

[riverc0il]

It seems we're painfully stuck between the bliss of powder about three weeks ago and the corn snow that awaits. I've been reading the trip reports and it's a little discouraging.

I don't know about you, but I just was skiing knee to waist deep on Friday and boot to knee deep on Saturday. Maybe you haven't been reading the right reports, but this past weekend was full of powder in many locations including Sugarbush through Jay in NoVT. If this is purgatory, I don't even want Spring Corn (and I do want Spring Corn) and will take an infinite never ending purgatory of this weekend (sans the crowds on Saturday).

 

[loafer89]

I don't know about you, but I just was skiing knee to waist deep on Friday and boot to knee deep on Saturday. Maybe you haven't been reading the right reports, but this past weekend was full of powder in many locations including Sugarbush through Jay in NoVT. If this is purgatory, I don't even want Spring Corn (and I do want Spring Corn) and will take an infinite never ending purgatory of this weekend (sans the crowds on Saturday).

I hear you on that as I got to ski in 12" of powder at The Balsams, but south of there the skiing sucked.

It looks like Northern New England may get alot more snow this week.

 

[ckofer]

From what I'm reading there is a fairly distinct line between the haves and have-nots after the last storm. Thanks for the perspective-I guess I just have to drive a little further. So much of the stuff that seems to be an easy day-trip (less than 2 hrs each way) from southern NH looks like its mostly groomed ice and my trip to Jay last weekend had found hardly anything else.

 

[kingslug]

Trying to find a day trip for tommorow...............and failing. Hunter gets a little warm by noon but is mostly pretty scratchy. The Poconos has the same weather as well. Frustrating this is...

 

[wa-loaf]

No. Purgatory is knowing it is going to be long spring season and you can't ski until next fall.

 

[roark]

I thought purgatory was in SW Colorado...

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I'm so psyched that the temperatures are forecasted to be below normal up north going into April..warm weather is over-rated..maybe summer will never come..woo hoo

 

[deadheadskier]

I don't know about you, but I just was skiing knee to waist deep on Friday and boot to knee deep on Saturday. Maybe you haven't been reading the right reports, but this past weekend was full of powder in many locations including Sugarbush through Jay in NoVT. If this is purgatory, I don't even want Spring Corn (and I do want Spring Corn) and will take an infinite never ending purgatory of this weekend (sans the crowds on Saturday).

Not for nothing river, but you were making the same comment as ckofer just recently about the weather

http://forums.alpinezone.com/25603-jay-peak-3-15-2008-a.html#post247624


guess a weekend of powder skiing changes your perspective some. :lol:

 

[Greg]

I can totally see where Chris is coming from. Granted, northern NNE is still experiencing nice mid-winter conditions, but we only recently got into a good corn cycle down here. Sundown has been closed midweek last week and this week so all that nice snow is just sitting there. It's been a pretty cool March overall down here despite mostly wet precip. Looks like even Hunter is staying pretty firm. Had a good powder day on Friday, but I'm ready for consistent corn and slush bumps.

 

[wa-loaf]

I thought purgatory was in SW Colorado...

No, I think they changed the name to Durango Mtn Resort. :lol:

 

[SkiingInABlueDream]

If temps remain generally below freezing with no new snow, then it just delays corn & slush season later into April/May. The way I see that just increases the chance of getting that 1 or 2 weekend window of perfect blue skies, temps warm enough to ski in a t-shirt and nearly-fully-covered slush glades. :grin:

On the other hand I guess it's possible that April & May could be 2 months of constant upper-30's temps even at elevation, with constant clouds & rain yielding a slow painful meltdown and zero good spring skiing days - yuck!!

 

[billski]

If temps remain generally below freezing with no new snow, then it just delays corn & slush season later into April/May. The way I see that just increases the chance of getting that 1 or 2 weekend window of perfect blue skies, temps warm enough

problem with delays is that fewer and fewer skiers will come and resorts will close, sometimes earlier than projected when they don't see the yankee dollar....

 

[Greg]

If temps remain generally below freezing with no new snow, then it just delays corn & slush season later into April/May. The way I see that just increases the chance of getting that 1 or 2 weekend window of perfect blue skies, temps warm enough to ski in a t-shirt and nearly-fully-covered slush glades. :grin:

problem with delays is that fewer and fewer skiers will come and resorts will close, sometimes earlier than projected when they don't see the yankee dollar....

What billski said. That's exactly what happened to us at Sundown.

 

[SkiingInABlueDream]

problem with delays is that fewer and fewer skiers will come and resorts will close, sometimes earlier than projected when they don't see the yankee dollar....

That... is a good point:sad:

 

[riverc0il]

Not for nothing river, but you were making the same comment as ckofer just recently about the weather

http://forums.alpinezone.com/25603-jay-peak-3-15-2008-a.html#post247624


guess a weekend of powder skiing changes your perspective some. :lol:

My comment was applicable when I made the comment so I fail to see your reasoning. I was just commenting that ckofer's comment was not applicable to many locations in New England as of this past weekend.