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Key PointsThis snow year started slow, with low mountain snow around the Snoqualmie Summit area not gaining major accumulations until recently. In the last couple of weeks, the early snow shortfalls caught up with mother nature dumping feet of snow into the Snoqualmie Summit and other Cascade lowland areas. Last week, the accumulation levels hit the highest in the last decade. Last season, the Cascades averaged about 345" of total snow. A of last week, that number had been surpassed with more storms on the way.
Last week, The Olympics had roughly 144% of its normal average annual snowfall; the Cascades was 120%. It's safe to say that by the end of this season, those numbers will get blown away.
At the beginning of the Snow season, the weather forecasters had predicted a colder and higher snowfall year for the area due to La Nina in the ocean. The NOAA predicted la Nina to be about a 55% chance of happening.
Back in the Mid 70's and 90's we had drier and fewer snowfall periods than in the recent past and actually by quite a bit, as the following WSDOT report shows.
There have only been a few periods where the Snoqualmie Summit snowfall was exceptional. It looks like about every 10 to 15 yrs, we have a peak number of almost 700"'s of snowfall. We are due for another since the last time was way back in 1999 at 603".
At our current rate, it looks like we may get to 500"'s range of snow. The Cascades usually get the most snowfall in March.
For all of us Skiers and Snow lovers, get out and play in it; it'll be over before we know it!
Come on, snow... let's get there!
