Fresh snowfall across the Okanagan this week has given Big White Ski Resort reason to feel optimistic as El Niño could bring warmer conditions that affect snowpack building.
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People across the Okanagan woke up this week to fresh snow on surrounding mountains, providing an early taste of winter.
The snowfall comes as forecasters monitor El Niño, a climate pattern driven by warmer waters in the tropical Pacific that can influence weather around the world, including in British Columbia. El Niño typically occurs every two to seven years as part of a natural cycle of warming and cooling ocean temperatures.
While early snow is encouraging, warmer-than-normal conditions during potentially strong El Niño years could make it harder for ski resorts to build a solid snowpack. When temperatures rise above zero degrees Celsius, precipitation that might otherwise fall as snow can arrive as rain, slowing snowpack formation.
Big White vice-president of hospitality Trevor Hanna said the resort has had “a couple of light snow years the last couple of years,” and the recent conditions have given the resort reason to be optimistic.
Weather expert Peter Quinlan said sustained cold temperatures are important for building the base snowpack, adding that “We can’t have above normal temperatures because then that snowpack won’t form and in turn we will have a shorter ski season.”
For Big White, the resort said it needs about 70 to 80 centimetres of snow to safely open some runs, while around 100 centimetres is ideal.
Big White is scheduled to open Nov. 26, following a delayed opening last season when it opened about a week later than planned.
With the forecast still uncertain, skiers and resort staff are watching temperatures closely to see whether the snow continues to build into a durable start to the season.
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