Is All This Snow a March '06 Miracle?
Word on the street and slope is that we've got another "Miracle March" on our hands. It's true that Squaw Valley received about 13.5 feet of snow in the first 15 days of March. In fact, it has snowed everyday so far this month and there is more on the way. What's the skinny on the miracle?
Word on the street and slope is that we've got another "Miracle March" on our hands. It's true that Squaw Valley received about 13.5 feet of snow in the first 15 days of March. In fact, it has snowed everyday so far this month and there is more on the way. What's the skinny on the miracle?
The first Miracle March was 15 years ago. At the peak of the most severe drought since the Dust Bowl, heavy snowfall in March 1991 saved the Tahoe-Truckee region from setting a record for the driest winter ever. It was tough going here in February 1991. The lake was at its lowest level in history, and the snow pack was down to 19% of normal. Needless to say, ski conditions were terrible. Retail sales at Tahoe ski shops plummeted 33% from the year before, lodging fell 40%, and worst of all, unemployment was up 145% of "normal."
Ultimately, the 1991 March storms boosted the meager Tahoe snow pack significantly. Fresh snowfalls ranged from 14 feet at Northstar to 20 feet at Sugar Bowl. The runoff gave a much-needed hydrologic injection of water into Lake Tahoe. The long, dry winter quickly morphed into a decent water year and skiers finally had a chance to hit the slopes in conditions they expect here in the High Sierra.
This Year
As impressive as it has been so far, by definition, March 2006 could never be a classic Miracle March because we did not enter the month in a drought condition. Precipitation this year was already running at 150% of average before the month began. Lake Tahoe is up more than three feet so far this winter to healthy levels, and the spring runoff hasn't even started.
But for skiers and boarders, this month's cold and wet storm pattern is still a blessing as they have bottomless amounts of fluffy snow, often boasting a water to snow ratio between 1:20 to 1:30. This means 1 inch of water equals 20 to 30 inches of snow, which makes our snow just like Utah's champagne powder! We'll take it.
