Warm March Shakes Up Sierra Ski Resorts

The weather in March is hotter than usual, and it’s melting the snow fast on the Sierra Nevada mountains. Ski areas are closing early or cutting back their days because there isn’t enough snow left for a full season. At Sierra‑at‑Tahoe, the slopes that used to be deep and white are now showing bare patches of ground. A visitor from Castro Valley, Roxy Lux, said she saw snow disappear in a day and wondered where it went. This change happened after a big storm in February that dropped more than nine feet of snow over five days. That was one of the wettest spells in 40 years, but the warmer temperatures this month have turned most of that snow into water. Resorts across the region are adjusting quickly. Homewood Mountain Resort has already ended its season, and Sierra‑at‑Tahoe plans to close this Sunday. Jake Stern, the resort’s communications manager, explained that they had less snowfall than expected and it melted faster than anyone thought. Other big names like Palisades Tahoe, Heavenly Mountain Resort, Kirkwood Mountain Resort, Northstar California Resort, and Boreal Mountain Resort are still open but will offer fewer runs.Leaders say that the weather is getting more unpredictable, and they must adapt to a changing climate. Sierra‑at‑Tahoe has upgraded its snow‑making machines so they can produce artificial snow whenever temperatures drop below freezing. Even with these systems, the natural snowpack is still a worry for the state. California’s Department of Water Resources reports that the state’s snowpack is only 37% of what it normally should be by April 1. That level matches the snow conditions seen in 1976, a year when California faced a severe drought. State climatologist Michael Anderson noted that this low snowpack is not what people hoped for. Despite the challenges, many skiers are enjoying what remains. Angie Lux said she hopes next season will bring more powder and that today’s days are still worth the trip. Resort managers now look at daily conditions, because the Sierra snowpack shrinks by about 1% each day.