JACKSON, Wyo. — After a relatively slow start to the winter in the Tetons, the past couple of weeks have seen an abrupt shift with multiple storm cycles resulting in deep snow totals.
On the heels of a late January storm cycle, another series of storms during the first week of February deposited five feet of snow at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s Raymer Plot from Tuesday night, February 2 through Monday morning, February 8.
Not surprisingly, skiing conditions over the past few days were the deepest they have been all season, while the new snow combined with strong winds resulted in dangerous avalanche conditions in the backcountry.
Storm #1: Tuesday night through Wednesday (February 2-3)
The first of three storms in this cycle arrived from the west/southwest on Tuesday night and Wednesday with snow totals ranging from 9-18 inches in the Tetons and 2-6 inches in the Jackson Hole Valley. The deepest 18-inch total was recorded at JHMR’s Rendezvous Bowl Plot.
Storm #2: Thursday night through Friday (February 4-5)
The biggest storm of this cycle resulted in extremely heavy snowfall rates on Thursday night and Friday with deep totals throughout the Tetons. The storm arrived via northwesterly winds, which led to a significant drop-off in snow totals east of the Jackson Hole valley and into the town of Jackson as most of the moisture was “intercepted” by the Tetons.
Snow totals from this storm ranged from 25-35 inches in the Tetons and 2-16 inches in the Jackson Hole Valley (higher over the west side of the valley, lower over the southeast side of the valley). The deepest 35-inch total was recorded at JHMR’s Raymer Plot. Most of this snow fell in only a 24-36 hour window.
Storm #3: Saturday through Sunday (February 5-6)
The third storm resulted in another good round of snow on Saturday with lighter snow showers persisting on Sunday. Snow totals from this storm ranged from 6-14 inches in the Tetons and 0.5-4 inches in the Jackson Hole Valley. The deepest 14-inch total was recorded at Surprise Meadow in Grand Teton National Park (near Surprise & Amphitheater Lakes).
Here is the finally tally of six-day snow totals from February 2-8:
- 60″ – JHMR Raymer Plot
- 57″ – JHMR Rendezvous Bowl Plot
- 49″ – Surprise Meadow
- 43″ – Grand Targhee
- 41″ – JHMR Mid Mountain
- 22″ – Teton Village (JHMR Base)
- 13.2″ – Moran
- 12″ – Snow King
- 5.3″ – Jackson
Snowpack Update
Thanks to deep snow totals over the past week, settled snow depths are 110% to 114% of average at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s mid to upper mountain. Grand Targhee is right around average with a current depth of 95 inches, compared to an average for the date of 96 inches.
Across the lower elevations, snow depth is right around average at the base of JHMR but below average in Jackson and Moran.
Weather Outlook over the next week (February 8-14)
An unsettled pattern will remain in place early this week with occasional flurries expected on Monday and Tuesday, followed by a better chance of snow showers on Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday night.
Another strong storm is then likely on Thursday and Friday with another round of heavy snow expected in the Tetons. Skiers should expect Friday to offer the deepest powder conditions, while Teton Pass commuters should be expected Thursday evening and Friday morning to offer the most difficult travel conditions.
Here is the five-day snow forecast for the Teton Range:
Confidence in the weather pattern decreases significantly for Saturday and Sunday as medium-range weather models are projecting vastly different solutions.
Some models are projecting a strong arctic blast to arrive from the north, which would usher in dry air and bitterly cold temperatures.
However, other models are projecting the arctic front to stay north and east of Jackson Hole on the other side of the Continental Divide, with milder temperatures and moisture arriving from the southwest that could lead to additional snowfall.
Stay tuned to our daily forecasts moving forward, as we should get a better handle on what to expect for Saturday and Sunday as weather models come into better agreement over the ensuing days.
Alan Smith, Meteorologist
