Boardersonly>>

2008-01-19T10:23:00.000-06:00

540 Productions January edit. Six inches of snow geve way to a pretty good couple of days.

2007-12-24T00:56:00.000-06:00

A few clips from the other night...

2007-12-17T20:17:00.000-06:00

Snowshoe 12-17 pictures. One foot of freshies. Insane drifts, some deep enough to bury a person. I didnt think I would be able to say this, but today beat 12-6, hands down.

Afterwards, made a little pit stop to The Homestead on the way back home. Pleasantly suprised- Opening day set Dec 23rd.

2007-12-17T00:47:00.000-06:00

Ten minutes away from here......

Pounded.

2007-12-16T20:33:00.001-06:00

Snowshoe 12-15-07. Temp 32. Foggy. Light Snow. Trace of new. Despite poor visibility, conditions were very good. A frozen grandular to loose grandular for the day, groomed still found on sides all day long.

Warriors.

So this is where we go in for lunch. Food is expensive. So we "brown-bagged" it and took it into Hoot's at Top of the World. Start eating, and three minutes later we are told it is against health code to bring outside food in there. This didnt phase me, until I saw a dog in there, without a word said about that. We were told to eat in the locker room.

Snowshoe under a Winter Storm Warning right now for about a foot overnight. Going tomorow? Good chance. Should see a powder day report up soon.

2007-12-16T20:02:00.000-06:00

Picture time. Ill put this in 2 posts as there are two different events on my camera.

Numero one- 540 Mtn Lab picked up 3" of snow Wed the 5th. While these aren't pictures from Wednesday, they are from that Friday, when we also got handed 1/8" of freezing rain.

Now, onto Snowshoe 12-15...

2007-12-06T19:47:00.000-06:00

Well well well. The past 24 hours have been... shall we say sick? The 540 Mtn Lab opened up Wednesday afternoon. While that date was set 2 weeks in advance, ma nature came in right on time- Allowing 3 nights of snowmaking temps before Wednesday, And really coming in with 3-4" of natural snow that fell during the day Wednesday. Timely eh? Only grabbed a handful of shots from that, but expecting another session Friday at 7pm, as snowmaking is going on now.

Yeah. Thats a lake buoy.

Now what gave the lab around 3" of snow really pounded Snowshoe. Really. The highest peaks of West Virginia picked up between 15 and 25 inches. Needless to say inspection was in order. We weren't disappointed. These pictures were taken very late in the day, so everything really is tracked up until morning. I would have taken shots that morning, but that doesn't sound fun now does it?

Snowmaking.
24.8F
Awesome.

2007-11-23T19:29:00.000-06:00

Snowshoe 11-23 photos. Manmade powder day. Nothing like opening day. Cold and snowy all day long- the way it should be.

...And maybe tomorrow, there will be pictures of tomorrow. But thats if I have time like i did tonight... except tomorrow.

2007-11-22T21:06:00.000-06:00

Snowshoe opening day 2007. Servin up slushies all day. Ideal conditions for an opening day. Now bring the cold.

Sorry I accidentally uploaded in 320x240. Forgot to change the setting back up. Tomorrow's trip batch of pictures will be the 640x480.

2007-11-17T16:33:00.000-06:00

Well i've got two stories to tell. Both of which will be with pictures.

Last nights run was successful. I was able to run a ring on the fangun with the aid of the standard gun. Ended up with a bit shy of a foot for a seven hour run.

Afterwards me and a few friends went up to Snowshoe to check things out. Pretty impressive.

So yeah.

2007-11-17T01:21:00.000-06:00

Its 2:21am, and these are pictures taken 20 minutes ago.

Current temperature at 27.3° .
Temperatures very marginal to be running the fangun. I set up the ground gun to add some more nuc to the mix. Worked out well.

Fireplaces are good for warming frozen hands.

2007-11-09T17:07:00.000-06:00

Snoww.

Cat? Opened at 1pm Wednesday
Sugar? Opened at 9am Wednesday
Snowshoe? Insane amounts of snow:

That last picture. You'll see a report of that this weekend. Goin' back up for some pre-season. building.

2007-11-06T23:02:00.000-06:00

They're popping like popcorn.

Cataloochee, NC is currently making snow. Take a peek-

Cataloochee started their snowmaking at 4:30pm Tuesday. They have announced an opening aimed for Wednesday 1pm.

Sugar, NC began their snowmaking a bit before midnight on Monday. Current status of the snowmaking is "testing", but that really looks like a lot of snow for a test. Their opening has not been announced, but it could happen at any time.

Snowshoe, WV is still going strong with their snowmaking, which began Friday morning. They plan to open in two weeks- November 21st.

2007-11-04T19:59:00.000-06:00

As said before, Snowshoe Mountain began their snowmaking for the season. Out of a spontaneous idea, a little effort, and two nights of snowmaking at Snowmaking- I give you pictures from what was a heck of a way to kick the season off.

Quality is low as they were snagged from video. But you get the picture. More photos from a digital camera (quality will be better) soon.

11.03.07 >>

2007-11-02T14:57:00.000-06:00

Snowshoe Mountain has started their season, with a snowmaking start last night at about 4am. They also plan to make snow again tonight. Check out the article below.

_________________________________
By AlpineZone News

SNOWSHOE, West Virginia -- It's time to think snow. With the first natural flakes falling on Snowshoe Mountain on October 11th, the Southeast and mid-Atlantic's largest resort has decided to kick-off November by firing up the region's best snowmaking equipment.

Around 4am Friday, Snowshoe's expert team fired up the snow guns for the first time this season. An inversion on mountain made temperatures cooler on the bottom of the mountain, where the snowmaking process began. Over 400 snow guns and 40 miles of pipe service Snowshoe's 60 trails and 244 acres of skiable terrain-including 3 new slopes for 2007-2008. The early-season snowmaking will help build an ideal base for the winter, providing the perfect supplement to the 180" of snowfall the resort receives from Mother Nature each year. The combination of superior snowmaking and amazing natural conditions make Snowshoe's terrain the best available in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic.

With snow already being made, and forecasters predicting more natural snowfall in the coming days, the anticipation of Snowshoe's Opening Day of November 21 is growing. Snowshoe will open just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, and with the most slopes in the region, the best terrain, and an amazing variety of restaurants, nightlife and adventure activities, there's no better escape than Snowshoe-and only a drive away.

The early-season is a great time to visit Snowshoe, and great deals, including a free fourth night when you book three nights, are now available. Season passes are also now on-sale, and it's the perfect time to buy for those looking to hit the slopes early and often this season. While you can't wrap it up, a Snowshoe escape is also a great present, and amazing holiday season deals are available. The festive atmosphere found all year at Snowshoe will have kids of all ages reveling in the holiday spirit.

Snowshoe's snowmaking capabilities are the most advanced and comprehensive in the region. The expert mountain operations team is able to produce 3,500 tons of fresh snow per hour at full capacity; that's the equivalent of covering five football fields with a foot of snow in one hour. Forecasts show temperatures will drop below freezing again this evening and snowmaking will begin again as soon as possible and continue through Friday night, into Saturday morning, as long as weather conditions permit. Mountain operations anticipate beginning the snowmaking process on the upper portions of the mountain as early as Friday evening.

The expert team at Snowshoe has perfected the snowmaking process. Guests are treated to the best terrain in the region, as well as most days to enjoy it-an average of 130 days a year. While the white stuff may not be falling at your home, you can bet that if the temperature is below freezing, there is snow flying atop Snowshoe Mountain.

2007-10-29T05:09:00.000-06:00

And nearly 12 hours after those few select Northeast resorts began making snow...

Currently making snow with a temp of 29.3F. Due to typically warm ground temps, Its being made on my car- to baffle the locals. Pics later today, hopefully.

2007-10-28T22:38:00.000-06:00

Northeast Snowmaking >>
Pictures: Killington, VT

Along with Killington- Sugarloaf, Sugarbush, and Mt. Snow have started building their bases for the season.

2007-10-27T22:38:00.000-06:00

Sunday

Mostly
Sunny
Hi 56°F

Sunday
Night

Mostly
Clear
Lo 28°F

Monday

Frost

Hi 56°F

Monday
Night

Frost

Lo 26°F

Tuesday

Frost

Hi 59°F

Snowmaking may begin for the 08 season Monday morning. Freeze Watches in effect.

2007-10-17T18:49:00.000-06:00

2007-10-14T21:17:00.000-06:00

2007-10-11T20:05:00.000-06:00

What a month. What a week. Today was awesome.

Nineties one week, sixties the next. Over and over. All in the name of fall, winter's prelude.
Just this week, we hit 91 on Monday. Now im writing this at 48 degrees. Today barely made it into the 50s- 52 being today's high. Snowshoe, WV picked up their first snow of the season, And most areas in the region above 2500' should see the flakes.

Another big event went down this week- Arapahoe Basin, CO opened Wednesday morning, and earned the title of first open ski resort in North America for the second year in a row. now for the eye candy.

Alleghany County, VA-

Overnight

Slight Chc
Showers
Lo 36°F

Friday

Slight Chc
Rain/Snow
Hi 55°F

Friday
Night

Mostly
Cloudy
Lo 35°F

Saturday

Mostly
Sunny
Hi 61°F

Arapahoe Basin, CO-

Snowshoe, WV-

"As of 3:20pm on Thursday, October 11 Snowshoe Mountain is experiencing the first snowfall of the season! It's cloudy, windy and 32 degrees... perfect weather for a ski resort! Although we don't expect this snow to accumulate, it's a sign of great things to come.Our projected opening date is November 21, and we hope to begin making snow in early November."

Ahh.

2007-09-16T00:35:00.000-06:00

Overnight: Clear, with a low around 38. Calm wind.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 69. Light and variable wind.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 41. Calm wind.

Frost possible here, and very likely in the WV mountains.
To think that during my last post, It was 94F that day.

Hello, Fall.

Oh yeah, and check the new, realtime weather.

2007-09-01T08:13:00.000-06:00

Shots I did manage of the park last winter.

...Yeah. It was great.

2007-08-31T13:22:00.000-06:00

TeaserFive. Pretty much an assortment of mostly bloopers from the '07 season. Featuring myself and other area riders. Unfortunately we never did film too much, and usually never when someone did something nice. But, reguardless, enjoy.

2007-08-30T21:25:00.000-06:00

About time.

Sorry its been. Well. A long time.

But this thing is not dead. To confess, the reason there werent any updates for the rest of Feb, is that about when I stopped blogging, Is when the park got insanely good. Seven foot quarterpipe, killer box, and the 3' high flat rail nearly got buried. It was, without a doubt, one awesome thing to have in your backyard.

But fall is here, And I will be posting up updates hopefully on a weekly basis. Oh yeah, 540 productions- Thats my video producing title. Movie comin out summer '08.

So yeah. Check back often. Like, tomorrow, then the next day, then the next day......

2007-02-06T00:01:00.000-06:00

Overnight: Clear, with a low around -2. Wind chill values between -7 and -12. West wind between 10 and 13 mph.

Tuesday: A slight chance of snow after noon. Increasing clouds, with a high near 24. Wind chill values between -5 and -15. West wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tuesday Night: Periods of snow, mainly after 10pm. Low around 18. West wind 5 to 9 mph becoming south. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

Wednesday: Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly sunny, with a high near 30. Northwest wind between 9 and 13 mph.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 14. West wind between 7 and 10 mph.

Thursday: Partly cloudy, with a high near 31.

Current weather-
Temp- 5.6F
Hum- 53%
DewP- -7F
WetB- 3.8F
Wind- NW @ 6mph G to 17

24 HOURS>> (2-5-07)
Low- 9.8F
High- 19.4F

2007-02-05T23:46:00.000-06:00

Thats alot of snow.

Ok. There is alot of snow out there. Whether it be piled into the features, making up a constant 15-30" base, or scattered everywhere by the wind, Its going to take a pretty good warm pump in april to knock this out. There used to be features out there... now theyre hard to distinguish given all the snow now on top of them. Park will be re-cut tomorrow. Got to plant the 10' Rail towards the top, currently making snow for an elevated in-run. Might have to dig the rail out tomorrow...

Features expected to be up on Wednesday>>
> Elevated starting roller
> 10' Flat rail
> 12' Flat box with front and side kicker
> 5' High, 8' wide quarterpipe

All this on a solid 20-30" base expected Wednesday... Along with 2-4" of new natural snow.

Status: Open
Surface conditions: Machine Made, Groomed, Manmade piles
Features: 12' Box , 10' Flat Rail, 5' Quarterpipe
Past 24hr snowmaking: Yes
Past 24hr natural snow: Flurries
Comments: 15-25" base, Intense snowmaking since Saturday. Two to four inches of natural snow expected Tuesday night.

2007-02-03T19:39:00.000-06:00

Movin Up.

As of The first of February this is how the park is lookin. Ill try to get some pics up in the morning. With this bitterly cold spell coming, Plan to Increase the pipe to 8' wide and 5' tall, set up the 10' rail near the top of the park, and eventually move the box to the center a bit with small tabletops bumping up beside the box. Should be sweet.

Current weather-
Temp- 30.6F
Hum- 37%
DewP- 7F
WetB- 24.4F
Wind- W @ 11mph G to 20

24 HOURS>>
Low- 21.0F
High- 35.2F

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 14. West wind between 15 and 17 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.

Sunday: Scattered flurries after 1pm. Partly cloudy, with a high near 23. Wind chill values between zero and 8. Breezy, with a west wind between 15 and 22 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph.

Sunday Night: Scattered flurries. Partly cloudy, with a low around 9. Wind chill values between -5 and 5. West wind between 14 and 17 mph.

Monday: Partly cloudy, with a high near 17. Wind chill values between -8 and zero. West wind between 16 and 18 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 2. Northwest wind between 10 and 18 mph.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 21.

2007-01-30T15:49:00.000-06:00

Parkin.

Vermont was epic. I still have to post up on it, and edit and show a video. That will come soon enough.

While we were gone, not much melted. After last nights snowmaking there is now as much as, if not more snow in the park now than when we left. Two huge piles went down last night, each about 2-3' tall. Expecting the same tonight, the only downfall being a little bit of wind. Hopefully everything will go well. Rail and box jam Friday night- Hopeful to have the box, 10' rail, and an all snow quarterpipe. Just need the temps.

A moderate snow event may occur Thursday, early forecasts stating 3-6" possible. Which will definitely help, no doubt.

Current weather-
Temp- 35.6F
Hum- 44%
DewP- 16F
WetB- 29.3F
Wind- NW @ 10mph G to 18

24 HOURS>>
Low- 14.2F
High- 38.5F

Tonight Mostly cloudy. A slight chance of snow showers early... then scattered snow showers this evening. Scattered flurries after midnight. Little or no snow accumulation. Cold with lows 15 to 20. West winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. Chance of snow 30 percent. Wind chill values as low as 2 above.

Wednesday Mostly sunny. Scattered flurries in the morning. Cooler with highs around 30. West winds 10 to 15 mph. Wind chill values as low as 5 below in the morning.

Wednesday Night Partly cloudy in the evening...then becoming mostly cloudy. Cold with lows around 19. Light and variable winds.

Thursday A chance of snow in the morning...then snow in the afternoon. Light snow accumulation. Highs around 30. Light and variable winds. Chance of snow 90 percent.

Thursday Night Snow or sleet in the evening...then freezing rain or freezing drizzle likely after midnight. Not as cool with lows in the upper 20s. Light and variable winds. Chance of precipitation 80 percent.

Friday Mostly cloudy. A chance of freezing rain in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 30s. Chance of precipitation 30 percent.

2007-01-17T18:38:00.000-06:00

Eat Snow

Snowmaking commenced last night around 10pm. Although high winds kept accumulations down and led to wet snow from the fangun. Shut the system down around 10:30am today.

Currently running the ground gun, and the fangun is soon to follow.

Current weather-
Temp- 24.5F
Hum- 65%
DewP- 13F
WetB- 21.6F

Status: Closed (Open 9am Thurs)
Surface conditions: Manmade piles
Features: 12' Box , 10' Flat Rail
Past 24hr snowmaking: Yes
Past 24hr natural snow: Flurries
Comments: Slope has fresh manmade cover of 4-10". Snowmaking occurring now, plan to open tomorrow with a 6-12" base, with the 12' box and a 10' flat rail.

Forecast:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 18. South wind between 3 and 5 mph.

Thursday: A slight chance of snow after 1pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 35. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 26. West wind between 5 and 10 mph.

Friday: A slight chance of snow showers after 1pm. Partly cloudy, with a high near 36. West wind between 9 and 16 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

2007-01-15T22:48:00.000-06:00

The Box

The plastic topsheet for the 12' box came today. The box should be finished by tomorrow.

Currently sitting with a temperature of 60F. At midnight. Does not bother me however, this cold front is going to bring dead-winter back. A friend and I are headed up to snowshoe tomorrow to check things out. They are expecting 2-4" of snow tomorrow, with a HIGH of 21. Yummy.

As far as the backyard park goes, snowmaking looks promising starting around 6pm tomorrow. Will run til about 11am Wednesday, then fire back up around 5pm Wed. Plan to have a good session with some friends all day Thursday, the day before the epic trip to Vermont.

Speaking of Vermont, here are a few premature totals.
Stowe>> 4-6" Snow changed to sleet for a while.
Jay Peak>> 8-10"
Killington>> 4-6" Snow + Sleet
Okemo>> 1-2" Sleet and lack of moisture held accumulations down in Southern Vermont.

But you get the picture. A desperately needed dose of snow.

Status: Closed
Surface conditions: Grass, Bare Spots, MUD
Features: 12' Box (closed), 8' Flat Rail (closed)
Past 24hr snowmaking: No
Past 24hr natural snow: No
Comments: Snowmaking to commence in less than 24 hours.

2007-01-14T13:04:00.000-06:00

First Actual Snow Report
1/14/2007

Status: Closed
Surface conditions: Two piles of manmade, Grass
Features: 12' Box (closed), 8' Flat Rail (closed)
Past 24hr snowmaking: No
Past 24hr natural snow: No
Comments: Two piles of snow remain from what was made Wednesday night. Weather looks better beginning Monday.

Forecast:

This Afternoon: Partly cloudy, with a high near 62. West wind around 10 mph.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. West wind between 8 and 15 mph.

M.L.King Day: Rain likely, mainly after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 56. West wind between 14 and 17 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Monday Night: Showers likely, mainly before 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 34. West wind between 13 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Tuesday: A chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. Northwest wind between 16 and 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Tuesday Night: A slight chance of snow showers before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 15. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy, with a high near 28.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 17.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 35.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 24.

Friday: Partly cloudy, with a high near 33.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 24.

Saturday: Partly cloudy, with a high near 34.

2007-01-14T12:46:00.000-06:00

You didn't miss a thing

Nothing to post about. besides the word 'warm' in every sentence. But thats about to change. For quite a while.

In the meantime, I was able to get some snow down. Which is uh, melting at the moment, with a temp of 58F currently. Have been building a new box over the past few weeks of warmth. 16" wide, and 12' long. Currently waiting on the plastic topsheet, and it has yet to be fully painted. This coming week, the setup should be sweet. Hopefully getting up to 3 features open quickly. But as for the next week, Myself and a few friends (Both of which help maintain the park occasionally) are headed up to Vermont for a week of powder. Weather looks to be insane, with highs around 15, snow squalls, and nighttime lows around -10F each day. Snow should be alot better than it has so far this season, as the Greens are forecasted to pick up 10-15" of snow now through Tuesday. In the meantime while we are gone, local resorts, including the backyard par should hold up well. Highs in the mid thirties should keep the snow that gets laid down this week while we are away. Hopefully when we return, we will be able to continue getting the park in peak condition. Hopefully.

2006-12-20T21:57:00.000-06:00

Well Then.

Well its warm. Heres some physics on what all contributes to snow melt. Just because.

There are many factors that affect snowmelt rate.

The angle of the Sun to the surface is a good example.
Notice the amount of snow on the sloped sides of an
east-west interstate highway. The south side will
have more snow left because it does not receive as
much sunshine and receives it at a lower Sun angle
than the north side. The greater the angle of the
Sun to the surface, the less energy it receives from
the Sun.

The type of snow also has an affect. If the snow is
light and fluffy ("dry snow") it may not melt as fast
as heavy, "wet" snow that has more liquid water in it.
A light, fluffy snow also allows more light to filter
through it, thereby distributing the energy through
a greater depth of snow, whereas wet snow absorbs
much of the Sun's energy near the top of the snow and
therefore it melts at the top; the melted snow drips
through the snowpack, making it "wetter" and icy if
temperatures drop well below freezing.

The dirtiness of the snow makes a big difference. A
new snow reflects more light than an old dirty snow;
the old snow will absorb more of the Sun's energy
and therefore melt faster.

David R. Cook

Atmospheric Research Section
Environmental Research Division
Argonne National Laboratory
The melting of snow is a very complex process. Some (but not all of the
factors, for sure) are: flow pattern(s) of the water from melted snow which
tend to be random and chaotic, wind that can push snow and / or water in a
preferred direction, the topography of underlying terrain that can make the
apparent snow depth different than the topography of the snow itself, the
deposition of water soluble solutes that can change the melting point of the
ice from one spot to another, differences in the packing density that result
from wind and / or rate of deposition of the snow, and so on.... and on.

The short answer is the process is pretty complex.

Vince Calder
>>Source

2006-11-30T12:33:00.000-06:00

Theres a Cold Front

Can you find it?

Currently it is 66°F in Cincinatti, OH... While it is 28°F and falling in St. Louis, MO. Temperatures here will do the same, with a high of 60° on Friday, falling to a high of 42 on Saturday- Making it all the way down to a high of 31 on Monday. Once Sunday comes, Temperatures look well for snowmaking all next week. Resorts that are open now, will be able to end the struggle, and will be able to make snow all of next week, including some around-the-clock runs. Resorts in the East that arent open yet, will be able to open later than expected, but will excellent conditons.

2006-11-30T12:19:00.000-06:00

Mt. Baker Anyone?

Candy, baby.

________________________________________________

2006-11-22T22:06:00.000-06:00

The Weather...

Lets review the past 3 days>>

Monday was pure bliss. We picked up our first trace of snow here on the mountain. Scattered flurries continued throuout the day, with the highest peaks (3500'+) receiving additional snow that afternoon. High of 39.
Tuesday was a cloudy day, with off and on rain and snow showers. This was also the day where history was set, with snow flurries reported all the way down to northern suburbs of Orlando, Florida. Here, Highest of elevations stayed in the fog, with snow squalls throughout the day. High 44

And Wednesday. Cloudy for the first half of the day, giving way to a wintery mix of rain, sleet, and snow which is presently still going on. High for today was 43.

>> Now a look ahead- Cold doesnt seem to stay around. Warming up to around 50 for Thanksgiving day, Then all the way up to 60 on Friday. For the next 6 days, at least, Temperatures look to be average to slightly above agerage. Unfortunately, we wont be going below freezing any in the next 6 days. After the near future, however, Changes look to occur. A cold front will sweep through the midwest, and should arrive in the East around the first of December. The front should bring significantly below average temperatures, which will bode well for snowmaking. Some models are indicating a possible storm as the cold front passes, which should lead to a rani to snow event, with backside upslope once the front passes.

Until then, Happy Thanksgiving.

2006-11-19T11:36:00.000-06:00

Blog.

I did a little css tweaking and put in a topo background I created myself. Hope you enjoy it.

Other than that, Off and on snow bands will come through the area, With highs in the upper 30s to low 40s. See the NWS point location forecast.

>>This Afternoon: A slight chance of rain and snow showers after 4pm. Cloudy, with a high near 36. Northwest wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

>>Tonight: A chance of snow showers. Cloudy, with a low around 23. North wind between 6 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

>>Monday: A chance of snow showers before 1pm, then a slight chance of rain showers between 1pm and 4pm, then a slight chance of snow showers after 4pm. Cloudy, with a high near 31. North wind between 13 and 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Temperatures this week look to be right around average- Highs in the low 50s, with lows in the lower 30s.

2006-11-17T21:05:00.000-06:00

Good Ol' Snowshoe

Cold temperatures have once again returned to the mountain allowing our snowmakers to get out and fire up the guns. With the forecast in store for the next five days, it looks good for around the clock snowmaking. This means that Snowshoe Mountain will be opening for the winter season on Thursday, November 23. When we open on November 23, it looks like we'll open with Skidder and Grabhammer lifts along the the following trails: Skidder, Crosscut, Spruce Glades, Powder Monkey, Heisler Way and Whistlepunk. Stayed tuned to this report for further updates about opening day.

And while temps here might not bode well for snowmaking currently, A possible (note italics) run may occur Monday night, with a low of 24- (Along with some natural snow Monday). Good to have it back.

2006-11-13T18:49:00.000-06:00

No Snowmaking For Now.

If there were a 'Snowmaking Office' here, This is what it would be like today.

A large piece of information is missing in between this update, and the October 23rd update. Will piece together an 'event' packed article when time is found. Includes a rail jam, 17" of manmade snow, First hiked turns (Oct 25), and First lift-serviced turns (Nov 5). Now wheres that time...

2006-10-24T15:19:00.000-06:00

Winter Made its Appearance...

Two days earlier than the 05-06 season, were off. Snow made its prescence all the way down to the foothills, or about 50 miles east, and south of here. Here in the mountains, we picked up our first trace, two days earlier than last year, when it snowed on October 24, 2005. Some snow-favored areas, Such as Snowshoe, WV, and the western slopes of the allegheny mountains, 2 to 6 inch reports were common. To the south, resorts in the High Country of North Carolina, such as Sugar, and Beech resort picked up a trace.

Pictures from Oct 23 at Snowshoe Mountain.
Pictures taken during event. More snow has fallen since these pictures were taken-

An article from DCski.com on the event-

Mother Nature Provides First Taste of Snow
By M. Scott Smith, DCSki Editor

October 24, 2006 — With temperatures dipping into the 20’s and teens in the mountains of the mid-Atlantic, Mother Nature provided a taste of the approaching ski season on Monday, October 23, 2006 with some light snowfall.

Light snow fell throughout the morning on October 23, 2006 at Maryland’s Wisp Resort. According to Wisp’s Lori Epp, the flurries started before dawn. Photo provided by Lori Epp / Wisp Resort.

One inch of snow had fallen at Snowshoe Mountain Resort by Monday night. The temperature at the West Virginia Resort dipped down to 17 degrees. Snowshoe hopes to begin snowmaking by the second week of November. Photo provided by Andrea Smith / Snowshoe Mountain Resort.

A dusting in the Canaan Valley region of West Virginia was expected to accumulate to two inches. “The flakes are big and fluffy; it is so nice to see the snow,” remarked Laura Reed of Canaan Realty. Photo provided by Laura Reed / Canaan Realty.

Corridor H from Wardensville to Moorefield recently opened, cutting the travel time to West Virginia resorts. Canaan Realty’s Laura Reed drove on the new section on Sunday, October 23. “It is a beautiful stretch of road to say the least,” she said. “One of the most scenic drives I have been on with the leaves at peak the whole way!” Photo provided by Laura Reed / Canaan Realty.

A stretch of the newly-opened Corridor H. Photo provided by Laura Reed / Canaan Realty.

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Snowshoe, WV - 10/24/06

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Ski Beech, NC Live Streaming Webcam-

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-Currently, it is 39F, giving a 32F wetbulb. If temperatures permit, Should run the system tonight.

2006-10-14T14:45:00.000-06:00

We're in.

Sorry for the neglect. Here we go.

I fired up at 6:10am Friday morning. With current water temps around 50F, ground temps way to warm, and the relatively high temp (For snowmaking standards, a Wetbulb of 25 is high), I did not get very much out of it, but I expected that. As the water temps cool off, Will be able to make the 3-5' mounds the system is capable of.

Friday morning pictures-

2006-10-13T04:58:00.000-06:00

Ahh Yes.

Have not updated for quite some time now, and it is hard to type with frozen fingers. But that cold shot I mentiond in a previous post has delivered, while not int the form of snow, but in cold temps. Currently here it is 26F, with light winds. Awesome for some October snowmaking. At 6:10am, I set out the ground gun. To my delight, a white substance began to accumulate.

Plan to run until around 8am.

But yes, Another trip to snowshoe happening this afternoon, and snowmaking this morning. Awesome Friday the 13th.

2006-10-07T09:29:00.000-06:00

Next Week...

Computer models are trenduing cooler, and a freeze, even outside of the higher elevations, may occur next week. Last night, we bottomed at 38. Snowshoe, WV officially picked up a trace of snow overnight, making it the first accumulating snow of the season. A poster at EasternUsWx reported, and posted pictures of snow in highland county, Less than an hour North of here.

If temperatures permit, the first snowmaking may occur here, as well as many resorts in the East. although it is 7 days out, the NWS in Blacksburg has already projected a Friday high of 49.

As far as local pictures, I am heading to Warm Springs Mtn as soon as I get off of work, so hopefully will be able to grab some nice shots and video clips. Even if it isnt snow, the foliage is peaking across the higher elevations.

2006-10-06T20:23:00.000-06:00

Needs no title

2006-10-06T20:03:00.000-06:00

This will work

SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
902 PM EDT FRI OCT 6 2006

WVZ046-070415-
POCAHONTAS-
INCLUDING THE CITY OF...MARLINTON
902 PM EDT FRI OCT 6 2006

9 PM TO 3 AM...CLOUDY. RAIN AND SNOW LIKELY UNTIL MIDNIGHT...THEN
A CHANCE OF RAIN MIDNIGHT THROUGH 3 AM. LITTLE OR NO SNOW
ACCUMULATION. COLD WITH LOWS IN THE UPPER 30S. LIGHT AND VARIABLE
WINDS. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 70 PERCENT.
3 AM TO 9 AM...MOSTLY CLOUDY. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN THROUGH
6 AM. LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS...BECOMING NORTHEAST AROUND 10 MPH
WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH THROUGH 9 AM. CHANCE OF RAIN 20 PERCENT.

2006-10-06T18:23:00.000-06:00

Noreaster?

Hardly. But still, the low pressure cutoff is making things interesting. Currently here, it is 42 degrees, with light rain. Reports in from locals, and snow enthusiasts like myself, that it is indeed snowing at and above 3500' or so. A forecast low of 39 here at 2000'. Any slight change for the cooler may result in a change in P-type. Hope. Chilly enough here that a fire may be needed.

KHSP (3900') is reporting 38 and rain. Right at the edge of a changeover.

Snowshoe, WV-

Tonight: Periods of rain and snow before 4am, then a slight chance of rain. Low around 33. Northeast wind between 5 and 7 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Saturday: A slight chance of showers after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49. East wind 15 to 18 mph decreasing to between 6 and 9 mph. Winds could gust as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

And a CRW (Charleston, WV) discussion-

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
743 PM EDT FRI OCT 6 2006

.AVIATION...

AT 22Z UPPER LOW APPEARS SE OF LYH. COOLEST LOW LEVELS ARE NOW
THRU ABOUT 05Z. RAIN/SNOW LEVEL DOWN TO ABOUT 3000 FEET MSL EKN-
BKW CORRIDOR DURING THAT INTERVAL...BEFORE WARMING.

So thats about as much as I can dig up as far as conditions here in the mountains go.
Hopefully something noteworthy will come up in the next few hours...

2006-10-02T17:42:00.000-06:00

Yeah its Fall

And 76 degrees, with a high of 82. Near freezing a few nights ago. Its fall.

As far as the voyage to snowshoe goes- So close, but no... snow. Managed 41 and Rain up at 4848'. But it was a really nice feeling, and reports of flurries from the locals that morning made it even better. Unfortunately, we couldnt make out any pictures, as the sun was nearly gone when we arrived.

But it is October now. If this were 2005, many of us in the East would be on the snow in 24 days. (If in case you dont remember, Remanants of Wilma dropped as little as a trace on the NC high country, 10" on Snowshoe, WV, to as much as nearly 4 feet in Vermont and New Hampshire.)

This is October. Anything can happen.

Yeah its Fall.

2006-09-29T21:01:00.000-06:00

MMM. Snow.

2006-09-29T19:41:00.000-06:00

Its 9:41pm

And the stick says 46F, with a forecast low of 37. Its these times that make you really wish you lived further North... Higher in elevation would be best. The thought of waking up to a nice 33 degrees is like Christmas. But the odds of that happening are the same as that of me making snow in September... About a tenth of one percent. Still I will dream, and set out the cords, for old times sake. And for that one tenth of one percent. I swear, tonight I will dream of a perfect sunrise at 3F, 7" of new snow, and a perfect overnight run. And I will be overjoyed.

Yet to satisfy my urge for some past time, A nice ride up to Snowshoe, WV will do the trick tomorrow. Pictures?

Testing took place Wednesday. Seems a trip to lowes is in store. I mean really, you just can never have enough brass fittings, PVC pipe, and Tubing...

2006-09-21T21:20:00.000-06:00

Nothing.

Today will be short. I will say that we bottomed out at 38 this morning, and managed to get a light frosting- Significant, considering its still summer. But since a picture says a thousand words, Ill take you up north to the Whites of New Hampshire...

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05:45 AM Thu Sep 21st
First accumulating snow...

A cold front had cleared the White Mountain Region yesterday morning, and temperatures had already dropped about 20 degrees from the evening prior. However, it was a second frontal trough, which moved through towards evening that really changed the weather for the worse.

Clear skies early gave way to thick fog with temperatures in the upper 30s around noon yesterday, and temperatures continued to fall through the afternoon. By evening, the first signs of the second front were becoming evident, with increasing winds into the 30 to 40 mph range with showers on the radar screen. Rain began falling after 7PM, as temperatures fell to 34 degrees. Visibility though low through the afternoon was cut to near zero as the fog became even more dense.

Then around midnight, conditions took a further turn for the worse, as temperatures began to drop rapidly, and snow began to fall. We picked up a few tenths of an inch by the 1AM synoptic, and temperatures have settled at 23 degrees as of this writing. Glaze and rime ice have been accumulating since midnight as well, and a few ice feathers exceed 6 inches in length.

Conditions will not improve much today, and highs on the summits are only expected to top out around 30 degrees. With windchills likely around zero for much of the day, expect full on winter conditions if hiking today on the high peaks!

Here's two more pictures from this morning:
First snow #1
First snow #2

Jim Salge – Observer

http://www.mountwashington.org/weather/comments/

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2006-09-20T19:51:00.000-06:00

Cold.

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
229 PM EDT WED SEP 20 2006

NCZ001-002-018-VAZ007-009>020-WVZ042>045-210300-
ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-WATAUGA-TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-
PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON-CARROLL-FLOYD-CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-
MERCER-SUMMERS-MONROE-GREENBRIER-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WEST JEFFERSON...SPARTA...BOONE...
TAZEWELL...MARION...BLAND...PEARISBURG...WYTHEVILLE...PULASKI...
RADFORD...BLACKSBURG...INDEPENDENCE...GALAX...FLOYD...
NEW CASTLE...CLIFTON FORGE...HOT SPRINGS...BLUEFIELD...HINTON...
UNION...LEWISBURG
229 PM EDT WED SEP 20 2006


...PATCHY FROST POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAIN VALLEYS LATE TONIGHT...

COOL HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE MIDWEST WILL DRIFT EAST THIS EVENING
BEFORE SETTLING ACROSS THE REGION LATE TONIGHT. THE COMBINATION OF
CLEARING SKIES AND DIMINISHING WINDS SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO
FALL TO THEIR LOWEST VALUES OF THE SEASON. LOCATIONS ACROSS THE
DEEPER VALLEYS CAN EXPECT READINGS TO DIP BRIEFLY INTO THE MID
AND UPPER 30S LATE TONIGHT. THIS WILL RESULT IN PATCHY FROST
TOWARD DAYBREAK THURSDAY...ESPECIALLY IN AREAS NOT IMMEDIATELY
ADJACENT TO RIVERS AND STREAMS WHERE FOG MAY KEEP TEMPERATURES A
BIT WARMER. CONSIDER PROTECTING SENSITIVE VEGETATION AND BRINGING
TENDER PLANTS INSIDE THIS EVENING.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR UPDATES.





A high of 59 here today, and unoficially, snowshoe picked up some snow. Should bottom out at 36 tonight.


And snowmaking has begun in the states.

2006-09-19T18:13:00.000-06:00

Wholesome white goodness.

That, along with a low of 36 here. Beautiful.

And another daily helping of candy...

2006-09-18T20:29:00.000-06:00

'06 Slides

Put together a few pictures from '06. Enjoy.

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2006-09-18T19:50:00.000-06:00

Midweek Cold Shot...
and some stoke.

Quite possibly the first of the season. Ill let the screenshot speak for its self.

Nice color showing here. Looking for a frost soon.

Oh, and heres something to satisfy your needs.

2006-09-13T19:29:00.000-06:00

Boardersonly Terrain Garden Snow Report

This year, all snow reports, and comments for the 2006-2007 winter season will be posted and archived on this blog. This will allow for better user interface, versus last years jumbled html tables.

Enjoy.