2019-2020 Snow Update

I can't find the gumption to write more about this year's snow update. But I still want to post the figures as stats go back to to 2014, and I don't want to break the streak. If you need background, the concept of the Steenburgh Winter is explained below and a few relevant links are included. 

When I started collecting these stats in 2014, I thought it was a good idea to get yearly readings on snow conditions - something interesting to check out and some data to look at when people argue whether it's a good snow year or not.

February 21, 2020 - The stats so far this year....

Big Sky, 56" - 96" (Season-to-date snow not reported)
Bridger Bowl, 78" base, (227" season)
Alta, 125", (416" season)
Crested Butte, 51" (156" season)

Historic Data - Snow Depth (Snowfall season-to-date)

2019 (February 17) 
Big Sky, 48" - 89" (Not reported)
Bridger Bowl, 70" base, (192" season)
Alta, 133", (386" season)
Crested Butte, 71" (186" season)

2018 (February 19) 
Big Sky, 63" - 95" (Not reported)
Bridger Bowl, 77" base, (210" season)
Alta, 76", 1(83" season)
Crested Butte, 48" (112" season)

2017 (February 14) Big Sky 48" - 72" (188" season); Bridger Bowl = 45" (143" season)
2016 (February 12) Big Sky 43” - 65” (277" season); Bridger Bowl = 56” (209" season)
2015 (February 17) Big Sky 42”- 63” (294" season); Bridger Bowl = 56” (228" season)
2014 (February 12) Big Sky 57” - 85” (236" season) ; Bridger Bowl = 76” (166" season)

Snow concepts and resources: 

“Steenburgh winter begins the first day that the Alta-Collins snow stake reaches 100….It represents the approximate snow depth needed to transition from early season conditions to winter conditions in the Cottonwoods…. Steenburgh winter ends on February 10…. It seems to be around this time of year when the sun begins to have an increasingly caustic effect on powder…. Prior to February 10, powder can linger for many days on most aspects.  Even south facing slopes might survive without a melt-freeze cycle if it is really cold.  After February 10, the south aspects will almost always suffer a melt-freeze cycle if the sun comes out and, as the days go on, the sun becomes an increasingly formidable enemy to powder on an increasingly greater range of aspects.” 
http://wasatchweatherweenies.blogspot.com/2012/02/year-without-winter.html 

 Jim Steenburgh’s blog: http://wasatchweatherweenies.blogspot.com/

The first day the maximum sun angle reaches 35 degrees above the horizon is when the Steenbrugh Winter ends. A web page that is pretty useful in regard to sun angle, etc is here:  http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/AltAz.php.