Kirkwood CA, January 26th, 2012…..The almost 5 feet of snow that slammed Kirkwood Mountain Resort this past weekend has transformed the resort, allowing it to open 100% of terrain and lifts and move to full operations by the weekend. Throughout the week, the resort has consistently opened more terrain. Timber Creek, Tahoe’s premiere beginner and family area was opened over the weekend, and Chair 10 opened this morning, allowing skiers and riders to access ‘The Wall’ and Wagon Wheel Bowl. On Saturday, Kirkwood will open chairs 2, 3 & 4 accessing Kirkwood’s ‘Backside’ and opening 100% of the resort’s terrain for skiing and riding. With the opening of the ‘Backside’, Kirkwood Mountain Resort is the first resort in the Tahoe Basin to open 100% of terrain and lifts to the public.

“It is common knowledge that Kirkwood is among the top resorts in North America in terms of snowfall and hands down receives the most snow in the Tahoe Basin,” states Dave Likins, CEO of Kirkwood Mountain Resort. “With the snow storm that hit us this past weekend we are back to mid-winter snow conditions and are able to open up skiing and riding the entire resort,” continues Likins.

With a base elevation of 7,800 and a summit elevation of 9,800, Kirkwood has the geographical advantage of being at a higher elevation than most other Tahoe resorts. It rests at the high point on the western slope of the Sierra allowing the resort to take full advantage of powerful winter storms as they peel off the Pacific Ocean. This ideal location regularly results in Kirkwood receiving more snow than any other resort in the nation.

“It has been a bit of a late start to the winter, but with the recent welcomed changes in the weather pattern, the resort is still optimistic that it will hit its seasonal snowfall total averages,” says Jon Copeland, Director of Skier Services at Kirkwood Mountain Resort.  “The current weather pattern is more typical for Lake Tahoe this time of year and the snowiest months of the season still lay ahead. Kirkwood has long been famous for its impressive snowfall totals and the resort is proud of its recent investment in the new weather and snowfall reporting systems so that guests can stay updated and make informed decisions.”

About Kirkwood Mountain Resort
Kirkwood Mountain Resort is one of the nation’s top destination resorts. Located just 177 miles from the Bay Area along scenic Highway 88, its base elevation of 7,800-feet, assures skiers more annual snowfall than any other resort in North America. Kirkwood is recognized by winter purists and national media alike for the quality of its snow and terrain variety and is a true skiers destination. Known for its pristine beauty and action-packed expeditions and events, winter fun includes skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, snow shoeing, sled dog tours, and backcountry expeditions. An ideal location for weddings and corporate meetings, the Kirkwood Village includes boutique shopping, live music and dining. For more information about Kirkwood Mountain Resort or to book your holiday on season pass, visit www.kirkwood.com or call 209.258.6000.

Jan. 19 2012

Let the winter begin.

After more than two months with hardly any snow, Tahoe is about to enjoy a white weekend.

The chart below from the National Weather Service shows the precipitation forecast for the next five days. Tahoe is in the zone for about 6 inches of water through Monday. And it now appears that, above about 7000 feet, almost all of that will be snow. That means a total of perhaps 4 feet or more above 8000 feet by Monday.

Things should get going late today as the first in a series of storms moves across Northern California and into the Sierra. We should see some strong winds and snow above about 6000 feet by tonight, with 5 to 10 inches of snow above 7000 feet by Friday morning and a few inches around the lake.

The biggest storm in the series will be Friday. This will be wet, warm and windy system. We could see winds in excess of 100 mph at the Sierra Crest. Snow levels will rise as the storm approaches Friday afternoon or Friday evening, perhaps rising above 7000 or 7500 feet. Then they will drop again Friday night. This one should bring another two feet or so above 8000 feet and as much as a foot below the mountain passes. Snow will continue into Saturday, tapering to snow showers by the afternoon. The winds should be easing up by Saturday morning as well.

After a break on Sunday, the coldest of the storms is on track for arrival late Sunday or early Monday. This will be a smaller system, but colder. Snow levels should start out around 6000 or 6500 feet before dropping as the front moves through. It looks like this one has the potential to dump another foot of snow above 7000 feet, with several inches at lake level. But the forecast models are in conflict, and one of the models is already showing this one fading to just a heavy dusting of additional snow.

After that, a ridge of high pressure is forecast to build again over the Pacific, potentially sending us into another dry spell, at least through the end of the month. But that’s not certain. It could set up in a place that would still allow some storms to get through.

See www.tahoeloco.com for updates.

High temperatures

Lake Level

Thursday 43
Friday 45
Saturday 38
Sunday 34

7000 feet

Thursday 36
Friday 34
Saturday 32
Sunday 31

Jan. 13 2012

The dry spell that has gripped Northern California and western Nevada for weeks is about to give way. But there are still some questions about the timing and the nature of the precipitation that is coming.

What we do know is that a low pressure system setting up in the Gulf of Alaska is forecast to sweep across the region late Sunday and Monday, bringing cooler temperatures, high winds and a chance of snow to far Northern California, with perhaps a few flurries around Tahoe. Temperatures will be cooler in its wake, dropping to 10 degrees or so below normal on Monday and Tuesday.

The real change is likely to hit Northern California later in the week, around Wednesday or Thursday. This will be the long-awaited return of a wetter pattern of moisture from across the Pacific. The first storms in this series will be pointed more at Oregon and far Northern California than at Tahoe. But they will be very moist, packing several inches of precipitation, which will translate into several feet of snow where it falls. By Thursday at the latest we in Tahoe should be under at least the southern edge of this Pacific fire hose. Oregon will be getting hammered.

The next question will be the temperature. Early forecasts show this warm Pacific moisture pushing the cold air out of the region and moving snow levels up to around 7000 feet, maybe higher, for the initial storms. So we could be seeing some rain at the mountain passes and below.

The next system in the series, likely to arrive around next weekend, looks even stronger for us, but it is too early to say what will happen with the temperatures, and the snow levels.

Stay tuned for updates.

Jan. 12 2012

Tahoe’s weather looks as if it is finally about to change.

The ridge of high pressure that’s been blocking our storms since Thanksgiving is on the move. It is shifting west, and next week the ridge is expected to move toward the International Dateline. This will allow a trough to set up along the West Coast, shuttling storms into Oregon and Northern California, where moisture from the Pacific will merge with cold air sweeping down from the Arctic.

The first hint of this coming change will be the passage of a storm system to our north on Sunday and Monday. This system, like so many others this season, will largely miss Tahoe, but it will bring cooler temperatures, high winds and a chance of showers as far south as Highway 50. But no accumulations are expected.

After that we will briefly return to the mild weather we’ve seen for weeks. But by Wednesday a fairly significant system should be bearing down on far Northern California, with Tahoe perhaps seeing its first snow of the year by Thursday, Jan. 19.

Lets hope this is what California looks like next week!

It’s too early to say how much snow we’ll get, or to make any predictions about quality. Certainly if these early forecasts take shape we will be talking about at least a foot or two through that first weekend of storms. But we are not yet convinced that the jet stream is going to sag far enough south to really nail Tahoe. At least in the initial stages, we could be left with just the southern edge of a storm that lowers the boom on Oregon.

But the good news is that the pattern is definitely changing, and the long-range forecast models are showing a period of wetter than normal weather through the end of January.

Stay tuned to www.tahoeloco.com for updates.

High temperatures

Lake Level

Thursday 43
Friday 45
Saturday 47
Sunday 40

7000 feet

Thursday 45
Friday 49
Saturday 49
Sunday 38

Jan. 5, 2012

Tahoe’s record-setting dry spell will be around for at least another week.

The conditions in the Pacific that have blocked every storm for more than six weeks are not going to be changing before the middle of next week. A ridge of high pressure will continue to send our storms north and then east, missing California and the Sierra.

One of these storms is passing north and east of Tahoe tomorrow and Saturday. It will settle in the Great Basin of Nevada and Utah, but its western boundary will likely be around Reno or even a little east. The system is forecast to drag some cold arctic air south with it, cooling our daytime highs by 10 degrees or so, back toward normal for this time of year. In its wake, brisk winds out of the east and northeast will push toward the Sierra crest.

By Sunday the high pressure should be in control again, pushing temperatures back toward record levels through Tuesday, when another of these “inside slider” systems is forecast to move through Washington and Oregon and into Nevada.

Stay tuned to www.tahoeloco.com for updates.

High temperatures

Lake Level

Thursday 52
Friday 43
Saturday 45
Sunday 47

7000 feet

Thursday 52
Friday 47
Saturday 40
Sunday 47