Cascades snowpack above average for late November

Heading toward Thanksgiving, the Cascades snowpack is very healthy for this early in the snow season. In fact, the snowpack is better now than it has been at this point on the calendar since 2017, and with La Niña conditions a near-certainty this winter season, skiers and boarders -- and those whose livelihoods rely on snow -- are probably going to wind up happy as we end this most unusual year of 2020.

Often in November, snow levels (the elevation at which precipitation falls as snow) is often high, which leads to more rain than snow falling at lower elevations like at Stevens and Snoqualmie passes. And while we’ve had some rain events, snow has been the predominant precipitation type during some of our heavier weather events. The fact that snow has been more common has kept river flooding from being a problem so far this fall.

Could that change? Yes, it could and a glance at the long-range forecast for the end of November into early December does suggest a warmer period of time, but the expected effects from La Niña later in the winter (Dec.-Feb.) should keep snow in the forecast and skiers and boarders on the slopes.

La Niña occurs when cooler-than-normal water is along the equator off of the west coast of South America. It has been shown that when this occurs, the jet stream patterns (band of wind aloft which directs storms and influences temperature) favors a sometimes-stormy, but usually cooler weather pattern in the Northwest. This often gives us winters with higher mountain snowpack and sometimes, more frequent lowland snow events.

However La Niña is just one of the factors that will influence our weather this late fall and winter, so it doesn’t guarantee more snow. But with an early start to the snowfall and greater early-season snowpack, we are optimistic for a bountiful season for snow in the mountains as we end 2020 and start 2021.

Cox Media Group