Snowpack in Oregon’s mountains remains significantly below average, according to the latest data from the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Statewide totals range from just 22% of normal in southeastern Oregon to 28% in the northeast, with much of the state sitting at roughly one-third of typical snowpack levels for this time of year.
Cameron Greenwood, a hydrologist with the Oregon Water Resources Department, said the deficit stems from both warm and dry snow drought conditions this fall and winter.
“Because of these persistent warm and dry conditions that have coupled together, we just haven’t seen any sort of recovery of our snowpack thus far into our water year,” Greenwood said. “Recently we had some good precipitation that brought some snowpack to the region, a little bit of an increase recently, but we’re still in that well-below-normal territory.”
The lack of snow has created challenges for ski resorts across the state. Several have alternated between opening and closing due to insufficient snow or unfavorable weather conditions.
Hoodoo Ski Area shut down for nearly two weeks because of warm temperatures, while Willamette Pass has temporarily closed multiple times this season. Officials with Willamette Pass said a decision about weekend operations would be announced Thursday afternoon.
Other ski areas around Oregon have reported similar disruptions.
Greenwood said forecast models suggest it is unlikely snowpack will rebound to normal levels during the remaining winter months. He noted that precipitation would need to reach the 90th percentile or higher to close the gap — a scenario with roughly a one-in-ten chance of occurring.
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