Heavy Snow Warning: Cascades go git sum!

[Buster Highmen]

I'm sitting here, sweating out the minutes until 3:30 when I will literally jump through the glass window, get my gear, and get on a fllight to take me to Seattle this evening for what looks like four of the sickest days imaginable at Cryatal!!!!

As of now we don't have a truck rented, how sketchy is the drive from Seattle to Crystal with all this weather? My friend lives at 3,000 ft., but he said the 10 mile drive to the mountain every morning might be dicey. What do you all think? To truck or not to truck?

The access road can be bad, especially when crowded. At the very least, get chains or cables. awd if you can.

I'm going to try to get up Tuesday and will likely be in the lineup ridiculously early: tall grey toque of st00pidity, yellow softshell, black pants, older Asteroids w/Fritsches.

[Sutter]

Buster, sounds good, I also plan to be there ridiculously early. I'll have blue patagucci jacket, tan pants, powder pluses, and black leedom helmet with First Chair magazine sticker on the side. Not to mention a pair of mismatched poles that make children cry. Hope to see you there.

[Buster Highmen]

Check. And to pump ya up some more, check this (from http://www.nwac.noaa.gov/products/SABNW with measurements in water)

>>>>
In the 24 hours ending at 4 AM this Monday morning, precipitation
amounts have been 1.5 to 2.5 inches throughout the Cascades,
except that Crystal Mtn has gotten 3.75 inches and the Mt. Hood
area has gotten 1 to 1.3 inches. New snow accumulations have been
10 to 20 inches. However, last night freezing levels spiked
upward with a warm front passage, and that caused snowfall to
change to rain below 4000 to 5000 feet.
....
SNOW LEVELS--CASCADE MTNS
4000 ft N, 5000 ft C, 5500 ft S early Monday morning
3000 ft N, 3000 ft C, 3500 ft S later Monday morning
2000 ft N, 2500 ft C, 3000 ft S Monday afternoon and night
1500 ft N, 2000 ft C, 2500 ft S Tuesday morning and aftn
2500 ft N, 4000 ft C, 6000 ft S Tuesday night, except snow
levels near the surface Cascade passes and east slopes Tuesday
night
...
EXTENDED WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

On Wednesday another short wave and cold front system should move
over the Cascades with the jet over central Oregon. This should
bring continued snowfall. Snowfall should be moderate from Mt.
Rainier northward, and light for the southern Cascades and Mt.
Hood area. On Thursday, a very weak short wave with so-so
moisture and zonal flow aloft should bring snow showers
throughout the mountain area. Then by Friday, ridging and surface
high pressure may bring the first dry day of the week. Stay tuned
though, because another system may be poised to move in by
Saturday morning.

EXTENDED FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
Wednesday: Cloudy with moderate snowfall likely in the northern
mountain areas, and light snow for the southern Cascades.
Thursday: Cloudy, snow showers all areas.
Friday: Partly cloudy, and chance for minor scattered snow
showers at higher elevations.

SNOW LEVELS
2-3000 ft N, 2500-3500 ft S Wednesday and Thursday
2-3000 ft N, 4-6000 ft S Friday





<<<<

Looks like the lower mountain got rain, but don't worry, all the goods are above 5000. You've picked a great time.

[Monique]

On Thursday, a very weak short wave with so-so
moisture and zonal flow aloft should bring snow showers
throughout the mountain area.

I love it when NWAC gets all technical-n-shit.

[extreeski]

I love it when NWAC gets all technical-n-shit.

NOAA's got a couple more feet falling with cold temps thursday and friday. Ending friday night/saturday morning.

[Monique]

Go...catch a wave or something!

Left Oahu via wave at 4:00 this a.m., got as far as the Big Island but was too tired to swim any further so I had to turn back. If only I'd worked out more this summer!

Glad Alta's treating you right....

[Monique]

Oh, and be careful out there today, you PNW nutbags, it's gonna be sketchy!

[Squirrel99]

From North Bend to Cle Elum

Latest from NOAA indicates winter storm warning to continue into tonight:

WEST SLOPES NORTHERN CASCADES AND PASSES-
WEST SLOPES CENTRAL CASCADES AND PASSES-
618 AM PST MON JAN 30 2006

...HEAVY SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS
EVENING ABOVE 2500 FEET..

A HEAVY SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CASCADES ABOVE
25O0 FEET UNTIL 10 PM PST TONIGHT.

THE SNOW HAD CHANGED OVER TO RAIN OR A RAIN SNOW MIX EARLY THIS
MORNING AS A WARM FRONT MOVED ACROSS THE AREA. THIS WARMING WILL
BE SHORT LIVED HOWEVER BECAUSE AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT WILL
BRING COLDER AIR BACK INTO THE AREA LATER THIS MORNING. THUS
ANTICIPATE THE SNOW LEVEL TO DROP BACK DOWN TO NEAR 2000 FEET.

MEANWHILE...INCREASING WESTERLY FLOW DURING THE DAY WILL HELP
ENHANCE SNOWFALL RATES WITH BURSTS OF HEAVY SNOW OCCURRING THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. TOTAL STORM AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 FEET ARE
LIKELY...WITH THE HEAVIER AMOUNTS OCCURRING ABOVE THE 4500 FOOT
LEVEL.

THE SNOW WILL TAPER OFF SOMEWHAT OR BECOME LIGHTER OVERNIGHT
BEFORE INCREASING AGAIN TUESDAY AS YET ANOTHER STRONG PACIFIC
STORM SYSTEM HEADS TOWARD THE AREA.

THE FOLLOWING ARE STORM TOTALS THUS FAR.

MOUNT BAKER...21 INCHES
CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN...16 INCHES
SNOQUALMIE PASS...14 INCHES
PARADISE...14 INCHES
STEVENS PASS...12 INCHES

PEOPLE PLANNING TRAVEL IN THE CASCADES SHOULD BE READY FOR
HAZARDOUS WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS.

[LAN]

From North Bend to Cle Elum

[/SIZE]

Freaking sucks. I was all set to take myself on a date today and now it's a no go. LAME!

[Dr. Crash]

Saturday at Crystal was sweet and deep. Sunday at Alpental was certainly good too! Got stuck on the way down with highway closures though. And it's really tough to be at work today!

drC

[joshbu]

I was all set for a big Crystal day today, but the upper mountain is being wind hammered (60 mph gusts) and thus only the lower mountain chairs are open.

Also, the freezing level peaked on us last night. So, the lower mountain got rained on.

I just hope the freezing level held on in the passes and above 5500ft' 'cause I haven't gotten any from this storm yet.

[Sutter]

2 hours and I'm out! we've rented a ford focus, no joke. I told SPC I was concerned and he said, "don't sweat it man, they rally race these things." When I asked him if Budget optioned him the rally package he laughed and said "I'm the rally package mofo!!" and the made a revving engine noise. this should be good.

[PNWbrit]

get chains for that thing

[Sutter]

he took one up to Alpine last year and didn't run into any trouble even in storm conditions so he feels confident about the vehicle. I plan to have a leather strap to bite down on when everything goes bezerk, followed by a tallboy.

[ptavv]

When I asked him if Budget optioned him the rally package he laughed and said "I'm the rally package mofo!!" and the made a revving engine noise.

That just made my morning.

[PNWbrit]

whatever you think best

Seems like cheap insurance when compared to getting stopped at chain control, towed, ticketed, wrecking car or ruining your trip. I saw three front wheel drive vehicles spin off Crystal mountain blvd right in front of me this weekend they joined the already substantial collection laying on their sides in the snow.

rally cars on snow and ice use the gnarliest, hand siped, studed tires that you've ever seen - not common or garden all seasons.

WA State Patrol were requiring chains on 4WD vehicles in places this morning.

[Shin-to-Win]

Any chance that the Alpy snow will survive the warming? I think I can pull of a morning escape to Alpy, but heading to Xtal may require more stars to align.

Is there a wireless connection anywhere at Crystal? Anyone else heading to Alpy or Crystal on Tuesday?

[Buster Highmen]

Any chance that the Alpy snow will survive the warming? I think I can pull of a morning escape to Alpy, but heading to Xtal may require more stars to align.

Is there a wireless connection anywhere at Crystal? Anyone else heading to Alpy or Crystal on Tuesday?

(Tuesday(Buster, Early)->Crustal == 1), provided the checkin for all these files goes OK today.

[joshbu]

Yeah, I'm making another game time call, but I'm jonesin' pretty bad, so I may there even if it's crappy. [ANTI-JINX]So far tho' it looks like the temps have only briefly kissed 31, so things may be dense and wind effected in areas, but still snow-like[/ANTI-JINX]

BH: Lift line at 8:30? 8:15? Ealier?

[Sutter]

PNWbrit, we just have to make it to our friend's house, which is 10 miles from the mountain. From there my buddy and his two friends should lead the charge to the mountain in the 4WD trucks. His house is at 3,000 feet so that should be all rain from what I've seen.

[Buster Highmen]

Yeah, I'm making another game time call, but I'm jonesin' pretty bad, so I may there even if it's crappy. [ANTI-JINX]So far tho' it looks like the temps have only briefly kissed 31, so things may be dense and wind effected in areas, but still snow-like[/ANTI-JINX]

BH: Lift line at 8:30? 8:15? Ealier?

From the telemetry site where hopefully the temps are accurate, even if the snowfall amounts have OD'ed:

>>>>
1-30-2006
Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center
Green Valley, Crystal Mountain Ski Area, Washington

Total snow occasionally erratic during ski lift operation

MM/DD Hour Temp 24 Hr Total
PST F Snow Snow
6300' 6300' 6300'
------------------------------
1 29 1100 20 8 123
1 29 1200 21 9 125
1 29 1300 21 9 146
1 29 1400 22 10 128
1 29 1500 23 13 128
1 29 1600 24 12 129
1 29 1700 27 13 129
1 29 1800 28 14 132
1 29 1900 29 47 133
1 29 2000 29 47 134
1 29 2100 29 47 135
1 29 2200 30 47 136
1 29 2300 30 47 136
1 30 0 30 47 137
1 30 100 30 47 138
1 30 200 30 47 137
1 30 300 30 47 139
1 30 400 30 47 140
1 30 500 31 47 139
1 30 600 30 47 139
1 30 700 28 47 140
1 30 800 28 47 139
1 30 900 27 47 139
1 30 1000 26 47 140

<<<<
Upper mountain is closed today. w0000000t!


I'm shooting for 8:15.

[Sutter]

I'm shooting for 8:15.

I'm gonna shoot my load

[s.p.c]

shit. should i get chains? i just remember my brother coming to visit me when i was in truckee, telling me to get him at the top of donner pass because he didn't want to buy chains. it was 10pm and i was chilling with my girl. i told him to buy chains. by the time he got around to it, they closed 80 and he was pissed at me. i told him he was an idiot.

for real, i have mad confidence in focuses, plus my rallyability , but hmmm.... maybe i should give in to better judgement and buck up get chains and then get some.

[Shin-to-Win]

If you have a ride up to the mountain, you won't need chains on 410. It's very flat all the way up to the access road. The focus will get it done. If it's not puking, you should be able to make it up all the way in that rig.

[Shin-to-Win]

Looking like an early line up Crystal for me tomorrow. Look for the Bros and the big shit eating grin.