Have you seen the snow in Steamboat? To put it mildly (no pun intended) it isn't as though you've needed to rush to your mechanic and have those brand new snow tires put on your Subaru.
For the past few weeks Steamboat Springs has experienced what makes Steamboat wonderful - Fall. Sure there was that bit of snow a few weeks ago that got everyone excited. And snow in the valley this time of year means pretty decent snow up in the mountains. But in general the Yampa Valley has been mild and dry.
Unlike our friends in other parts of the Rocky Mountains Steamboat Springs really has four seasons. While it happens occasionally we don't usually need to tune up the snow-blower or get the snow-shovels out of storage over Labor Day weekend. Besides what good is all that snow if the Resort isn't even open to enjoy it?
Ha. Which brings us to today... Forecast: 50 degrees, increasing clouds, chance of rain (maybe snow) showers late. That's my summary of course, but it is significantly improved from yesterday... Forecast: 60 degrees, mostly sunny, beautiful, 0% chance of snow.
What's making everyone nervous? Steamboat opens in exactly 8 days!!!!
Where's the snowmaking? What about all the construction? Mother Nature, hello? Some snow starting right about YESTERDAY would be nice! So as I'm sitting here, sobbing in my office; thinking there is no way we'll be ready to ski in a week; thinking Thanksgiving and turkey without snow on the ground reminds me of my prior life in Pennsylvania (and that's why I moved to Colorado); thinking, well praying, for a shift in the weather I find this... no, it isn't a snow report telling me we received a foot of snow yesterday and the forecast is calling for 6-12 by Friday morning, but it is a sign of hope...
SnowForecast.com could be my new favorite website. Not because they are necessarily the best or always right, but because they told me what I wanted to hear, when I needed to hear it. (http://www.snowforecast.com/Steamboat) Looks like a chance of light snow for Saturday and a real change in the weather pattern that may bring us continued snow next week, maybe through the holiday.
My favorite part: --By next week (19th onward) we see more storms moving in with frequent snowfall for several days, possibly through the whole week.
Hooray! Keeping praying. Keep your fingers croseed. Do your snow dance. And I'll see you on the slopes.
Scholarship Day - November 21; Opening Day - November 22