Atmospheric river delivers snow to Alberta Rockies
above: Marmot Basin upper mountain webcam, 08:30, Oct 21, 2024
It's almost time to dance in the white ballroom again! With an atmospheric river sweeping in from the west coast, Alberta ski resorts got their first sizable snowfall.
As much as 25cm or more was forecast for higher alpine areas, according to Environment Canada weather warnings.
Atmospheric river delivers snow to Rockies
With cooler temperatures this side of the Great Divide, rain on the BC side turned to snow in Alberta, with northern areas like Jasper benefiting most.
The primary corridor for snow was along the Rockies from Jasper down to Lake Louise, reaching as far as Grande Cache, Grande Prairie and Hinton in the northwest. Not great for highway driving but great for the ski resorts!
Marmot Basin, Jasper
Marmot appears to be the big winner from this latest storm. See the banner image at the top of this story for a view onto the hill from the lodge, and below for a look at the upper mountain.
Lake Louise
Top of Ptarmigan chair always has a beauty view, but a fresh dusting of snow sure perks it up.
Nakiska
Snow was falling heavy around mid-mountain lodge as recently as 9 a.m., Oct 21 (from webcam).
Snow trivia: what is an atmospheric river?
We are all for more snow! But what is an atmospheric river anyway, and how does it work?
Well, if you've heard of the Pineapple Express, you've heard of one famous atmospheric river.
Photo:
NASA
This sattelite photo shows an atmospheric river passing over the Pacific NorthWest in 2023 (photo by NASA).
They are essentially long, narrow corridors of dense moisture in the atmosphere that turn to precipitation upon reaching a cold land front. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) describes them as literally “rivers in the sky.”
So with the right temperatures, atmospheric rivers can be a definite positive to the ski season, delivering heavy snowfalls (think California's massive storms, for example).
Keeping up on ski resort opening dates
We will soon know which ski resort is going to open first, with several Alberta resorts in the running. November 2 remains the date to watch.
Which means you only have another handful of days to enter your guess for a chance to win our opening day sweepstakes!
Meanwhile, parts of BC saw heavy rain and flooding, particularly the southern coast around Vancouver. So while we celebrate the snow in Alberta, we're watching the conditions in BC and hoping the toll is minimal there, and the rain soon turns to snow.
Stay safe on the roads and remember to avoid resort leaseholds during this critical busy season. While the slopes are looking softer, heavy machinery is operating at many resorts and other hazards remain. If you're heading backcountry, be sure to check the latest avalanche reports and weather forecasts.
Winter is coming...
Get ready! We have a whole season ahead of us, but only two more days to enter our exclusive Big White ski trip contest.
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