Mt. Bachelor revels in September snow

Published 12:23 pm Friday, September 22, 2017

More than a foot of snowfall this week gave Mt. Bachelor ski area an early glimpse into winter, but the resort is not quite celebrating yet as the snow is expected to start melting this weekend.

The first snowfall came Monday, and kept accumulating to 4 to 8 inches across the mountain. About 13 inches of snow piled up at the base since Monday. That is one of the earliest snowfalls recorded at the mountain, according to Mt. Bachelor data.

“It’s not uncommon for us to receive some snow in September, but this is probably the most September snow we have had in quite a few years,” said Stirling Cobb, Mt. Bachelor marketing and communications manager.

A dusting of snow did come earlier, on Sept. 16, 2015, but most years snow doesn’t arrive until late September or early October. Snow didn’t fall until Oct. 16 in 2012.

Mt. Bachelor is coming off an abundant winter season. From Oct. 1 to April 1, the ski area accumulated 511 inches of snow. In comparison, the ski area had 388 inches by April 1, 2016. The average snowfall for a season is 457 inches.

“Last year was an incredible snow year. Stoke was high, and the powder hounds were frothing,” Cobb said. “Nothing gets you excited for winter like seeing the snow fly for the first time, especially after a hot summer. We are looking forward to another exceptional winter season here at Mt. Bachelor, and with whispers of La Niña, it could be a big one.”

Hoodoo Ski Area reported 3.5 inches of snowfall on Tuesday. It was a welcome sight for the more than 500 firefighters stationed at the ski resort as they work to contain the Whitewater Fire, burning 14,416 acres in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness.

As promising as the early season snow is for the ski resorts, the National Weather Service in Pendleton is saying temperatures will warm up into next week, likely melting the snow.

“We had a very large and unseasonably cold low-pressure system move across the area during the week and brought along with it a good amount of moisture, generally above 5,000 to 6,000 feet,” Meteorologist Marilyn Lohmann said. “It’s going to be pretty short-lived.”

Temperatures this week dipped to the low 20s at night in the mountains, and the low 30s around Bend and Redmond, according to the weather service.

“It was a little bit too cold for this time of year,” Lohmann said. “We should be seeing mid-to-upper 30s at night and highs in the 70s — more fall-like weather.”

The sight of snow-capped mountains may have surprised some people, but Lohmann said, September snowfall does occasionally happen. And after severely smoky fires, the snow could not have come at a better time, she said.

“I think it was really good timing, and I hope it does some good to get us a little bit out of fire season,” Lohmann said.

— Reporter: 541-617-7820, 
kspurr@bendbulletin.com

“Last year was an incredible snow year. Stoke was high, and the powder hounds were frothing.”— Stirling Cobb, Mt. Bachelor marketing and communications manager

First snow

Mt. Bachelor ski area has recorded the first snowfall over the past six seasons. The snowfall this week is among the earliest on record.

2012 — Oct. 16

2013 — First dusting came Sept. 18 with a bigger storm hitting on Sept. 25

2014 — Sept. 26 dusting

2015 — Sept. 16 dusting

2016 — Sept. 22 dusting

2017 — Sept. 18