Pineapple Express Trumps El Niño As Huge Californian Snowstorm Blows In

A huge snowstorm currently impacting North America’s Pacific Coast looks like it could bring almost as much snowfall to Californian ski slopes this week as some centres have seen all season to date.

Mammoth Mountain (pictured below) was the first beneficiary of the first wave of snowstorms, reporting 14” (35cm) in 24 hours at its main lodge, more snowfall at higher elevations.

However, the snow is expected to keep coming until Friday this week bringing cumulative totals of at least a metre (40”) of snowfall to the region.

Taos in New Mexico (pictured top) has reported 30″ (75cm) so far.

The snowfall is being credited to a weather system colloquially known as the pineapple express which brings a lot of moisture in from the Pacific, including heavy rain at lower elevations

The system also brings strong winds leading ski areas to warm skiers or possible blizzard and other extreme weather conditions and to be prepared for closed access roads and ski slopes while the storm blows through.

California had a very bad start to the season in November and December last year, credited to a strong El Niño system from the Pacific bringing warm temperatures and little snowfall. January saw some respite however with some areas seeing 3-6 feet of snowfall allowing many to open most of their slopes at last.

The current snowfall is not so heavy nor expected to be so prolonged in the Rockies but has broken up a spell of dry weather in Colorado and Utah to bring powder days this weekend. Telluride is pictured above on Saturday evening.

However the current strong El Niño continues to make its presence felt with ski centres further north in Washington state, BC and parts of Alaska reporting ongoing issues with warm temperatures bringing rain rather than snow, in some cases destabilising the snowpack. Whistler Blackcomb issued a statement on rain damage to its lower slopes latte last week as Mt Washington on Vancouver Island was forced to temporarily close due to the conditions. Mt Baker in Washington state, which holds the world record for the most snowfall in a season, has been forced to cancel a major race too due to conditions there.

Temperatures have now begun to drop in the area however with rainfall turning to snow.