Ski resorts in Tahoe reported heavy snowfall in February, particularly Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe with 63 inches so far. However, conditions are not ideal; the snow includes ice and rain, leading to challenging ski conditions. The Sierra Avalanche Center warned of considerable avalanche risk due to heavy, dense snow layers. Temperature fluctuations have complicated conditions, causing mixed precipitation at various elevations. Despite the sketchy snow quality, skiers flocked to the resorts for the first major storm after a dry spell.
When it comes to ski conditions on the mountain, however, those numbers may be slightly deceiving, said Bryan Allegretto, the Tahoe forecaster at Open Snow. Tahoe isn't getting cold enough for the storms to deliver powdery snow, Allegretto said. The reality is that Tahoe ski resorts have received a mixture of ice, rain, slush and snow that adds up to variable, if not sketchy, conditions.
The Sierra Avalanche Center warned on Friday of dangerous avalanche conditions. They rated the avalanche danger as level three, or "considerable," on a five-level scale with five being extreme. Changing conditions in the storm created heavy, dense wind slabs that could be prone to sliding.
Huge swings in temperatures caused the storms this week to flip-flop between snow and rain, with freezing spells in between, Allegretto said. On Thursday night, the storm rained above 7,000 feet in Tahoe - an elevation that hits mid-mountain for many ski resorts.
Even so, with the first major storm system blowing through this week after a long dryspell, skiers and snowboarders began lining up for chairlifts at Tahoe ski resorts early in the morning on Friday.
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