I’ve got some good/bad news, depending on who you are and how you spend your wintry months here in the Flathead.
We just got this press release from Whitefish Mountain Resort. I’ll let you read it before I go on.
On August 29, snow began to fall and accumulate at the summit of Big Mountain, at Whitefish Mountain Resort.
For those planning to hike, mountain bike, zip line, or walk in the treetops that day, this was a bit of a bummer. For those in their homes across the country waxing skis, doing lunges, and breaking in new boots, however, the early snowfall was quite exciting.
“I say we just skip the rest of fall and it starts snowing NOW and doesnt stop till.. ummm… say NEVER! :D,” said Kalispell resident Alan Bowman on Whitefish Mountain Resort’s Facebook page.
Resort and US Forest Service staff measured approximately 3 inches of new snow, which was nearly completely gone by the end of the day.
“It melted pretty fast once the sun came out,” said part-time Whitefish resident Christine Shea. “But we had time to make a snowman, and it sure seems like a sign a of a great ski season to come.”
Weather scientists have identified a strengthening La Niña formation in the tropical Pacific Ocean, prompting the NOAA Climate Prediction Center to call for above-average precipitation and below-average temperatures for December – March in Whitefish. The last time similar conditions were present in the Pacific, during the 2007-2008 ski season, Whitefish received 426 inches of snow.
For photos of the snowfall, check out the resort’s Facebook page.
If your reaction was “Ew, it’s still August,” then you and I are on the same page.
I’m not a skier or a snowboarder, nor do I enjoy driving on icy roads. I do, however, love the fall, and the Flathead has an autumn unrivaled anywhere else in the state. The weather has been crazy this year, and I’m hoping this dusting on the mountain is not a sign of a truncated fall.
However, I do know a few snow-sport enthusiasts who would be pleased as punch with some decent snow for a few months this winter. They see pictures of snow in late August and practically start salivating. So, you know, to each their own, etc…
Keep an eye on the weather forecasts if you’re going out of town – especially if you’re going to high elevation!