Ski resorts like Timberline and Mt. Hood Meadows have yet to announce their opening days, so snowboarders and skiers are eyeing the forecasts. (Last year, those resorts opened before Thanksgiving.) Anyone looking to snowshoe or cross-country ski is obviously out of luck, too, as snow remains elusive.
I called the National Weather Service's Portland office yesterday to understand what's happening. Meteorologist Adam Batz answered my questions. Spoiler: With the weather, there are no guarantees:
It looks like Government Camp could get some snow today (finally)?
“There could be a little bit up there. [But] it's going to be showery. It'll be hit or miss on locations.”
So is it odd for there not to have been snow there by this point in the year?
“That's pretty out of the ordinary. Last November there were almost 30 inches in November. On average, they have about 30.5 inches a year in November. But it's not impossible to have a low amount.”
When should winter sports expect to get underway this month?
“We are expected to be pretty close to normal [for precipitation and temperature]. I would like to think we should see some snow in the mountains. December is a pretty snowy month up there. The average snowfall since 1951 to 2024 is 50 inches. [But] it's not impossible to be much less than 50 inches. Some Decembers only had 4 inches of snow in Government Camp. It varies widely.”
