Snowpack across Oregon’s mountains remains far below normal levels, according to the latest data from the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Statewide snowpack percentages range from 22% of normal in the southeastern corner of the state to 28% in the northeast, with much of Oregon hovering around one-third of average for this time of year.
Cameron Greenwood, a hydrologist with the Oregon Water Resources Department, said the deficit is the result of ongoing snow drought conditions. He explained that Oregon has experienced both a warm snow drought — where precipitation falls as rain instead of snow — and a dry snow drought, marked by below-average precipitation.
“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 been forced to alternate between opening and closing due to insufficient snow or unfavorable conditions.
Hoodoo Ski Area shut down for nearly two weeks because of warm weather, while Willamette Pass has temporarily closed multiple times this winter. Officials with Willamette Pass said a decision regarding the upcoming weekend’s operations would be announced Thursday afternoon.
Other ski areas around Oregon have reported similar disruptions.
Greenwood said forecasting models indicate it is unlikely snowpack will recover to normal levels during the remainder of the typical snow season. He noted that precipitation would need to reach the 90th percentile or higher to make up the deficit — a scenario with roughly a one-in-ten chance of occurring.
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