40 inches of snow on summit of Big Mountain

The steady rain in the valley that has left some yards in town suspiciously green for December has actually added up to some decent snow on the upper slopes of Big Mountain.

More than 40 inches of snow blankets the summit and 30 inches is reported at the base of Chair 7 on the north side of Whitefish Mountain Resort, set to open this Saturday, Dec. 8. Grass and rocks are still showing through a thin layer of snow in the village area.

Skiers who climbed the mountain last weekend reported variable conditions from top to bottom. Rain in the parking lot, mixed precipitation at 5,500 feet then full winter conditions at the summit.

Whitefish skier Ben Parsons was on the mountain Saturday and described the snow on the north side as “classic Pacific Northwest cream pow.”

By Monday the snow line had dropped to the village area.

The National Weather Service in Missoula brings more good news for local skiers with predictions of winter-like conditions possibly moving into the valley by Friday.

“A potential for arctic air and northwest flow may be the ingredients for some accumulating snows in the valley,” the Weather Service noted Dec. 2.

A strong cold front will push through the region sometime Wednesday afternoon, the service predicts, and snow levels will quickly drop to pass level and the valley floors overnight.

A significant cold outbreak could hit by the weekend.

Resort officials say they will only make snow if temperatures are in the 20s or lower for a sustained period. They have limited water-rights for the snow-making ponds and need to be as efficient as possible.