Powder Will Pound the West
By Ryan Loverick, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer
Feb 3, 2012; 3:11 PM ET
The 2011-12 winter season has been less than favorable for snow sport enthusiasts, but an upcoming storm in the West could stir up excitement for skiers and snowboarders everywhere.
Friday could bring up to a foot of snow to some places in Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado. This will make for a fluffy blanket of fresh powder on top of the packed powder many resorts have been relying on.
The estimated foot of snow that will fall east of the nation's midsection will come just in time to heighten the spirits of skiers everywhere during a year where snow blindness is more likely to occur due to a lack of snow rather than too much of it.
The pressure will come from the east, which will create precipitation for the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. When a front comes from the eastern side of the Continental Partition, air passes over the mountains, descends, and becomes drier, offering a severely smaller amount of snowfall.
Resorts found at higher elevations will gather the bulk of the snow for riders to enjoy, while the trails at the bottom of the mountain will not accumulate as much. This is not exceptional news for resorts found at lower elevations, but it will certainly make it easier for lift operators to clean a safe path for the lifts.
Some resorts, however, could be offering some speed-snow instead of fresh powder, as the fresh snow could freeze into a slick track Thursday night into Friday morning. Gusts up to 45 mph will make a handful of open lifts across the Northwest a challenge to endure.
Jennifer Rudolph, coloradoski.com, said that Colorado riders are looking forward to the flurry. "There isn't anything that we're doing to prepare for this more-so than any other part of the season."
The Midwest has had a significantly larger snowfall than the eastern part of the country this year, and lower temperatures have allowed enough time for most major resorts to create a solid man-made base.
"Our frequent riders are usually pretty savvy and know where to find the snow," said Rudolph. "We are looking forward to more, there is a lot of season left."
Stay close to your AccuWeather.com mobile app to stay up to the date on the fresh powder on its way to a black diamond near you!
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