East South Driving Observations; Ahtanum & HWY 12 near Rimrock
Quick report
I got eyes and boots on the ground in East South for the first time this season. With low visibility, stormy conditions, and low snow cover, a driving tour seemed to be the best way to gather information about how this storm is playing out in this zone. Unfortunately, I missed the window to drive further into the Ahtanum State Forest as the roads closed to wheeled vehicles today, December 1st. But that also allowed me time to get into the HWY 12 corridor today.
A few breaks in the clouds allowed me to see into higher elevation ridgelines, and it looked like the new snow was falling on bare ground up to 4500-5000ft. This storm favored the northern and western portions of the zone with higher snow totals.
NOTE: As long as snow cover allows, grooming will begin in the Ahtanum on December 15th, so get those sleds dialed in for the season.
Weather
- Air Temp
- Below Freezing
- Cloud Cover
- obscured
- Recent Snowfall
- 3-6 inches
Overall, it was a stormy day in the mountains. However, there was quite a difference from west to east in the zone. The eastern portion of the zone experienced overcast skies with a few sun breaks in the afternoon, while areas further west stayed socked in with moderate snowfall rates. The HWY 12 corridor seemed to be favored with about twice the total new snow depths as Ahtanum.
Snowpack
Ahtanum Meadows, 3000ft: 3" new
HWY 12 by Rimrock Lake, 2700ft: 6" new