As the lower levels of the Comox Valley experienced a typical fall storm throughout part of the Thanksgiving weekend, Mount Washington Alpine Resort received its first blast of winter weather for the new season.
Kayla Stockton, the resort’s marketing manager said while they haven’t received an official record of total snowfall, she estimates about 15 cm of snow fell throughout the latter half of the weekend.
Because of the snow, closing day for both the ZipTour and Bike Park was moved up one day early to Oct. 10.
“We got a really good dusting. On Sunday, there was about 5 cm at the Hawk base. Generally this time of the year because of the cold weather and the fog, both are shut down by the end of September, but we were lucky to extend it to the Thanksgiving weekend,” explains Stockton.
As of late Tuesday morning, weather at the resort was partly cloudy and 5C, however, with the wind, temperatures felt more like -1C.
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More snow is in the forecast later in the day, but temperatures are expected to rise to a high of 7C later in the week with a rain-snow mix for next weekend.
While it’s too early to indicate whether the snow will accumulate enough to push forward opening day – currently set for Dec. 4 – Stockton says the blast of snow is a good early sign of what may be to come, particularly with weather forecasts indicating a La Niña advisory.
The advisory notes La Niña is the appearance of cooler than normal water in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean which could bring more snow than usual to the B.C. coast.
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