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Solid Start to Mid-Atlantic Ski Season
Good snow-making temperatures, and actual snow to boot
* Light Snow Late Saturday? Local Forecast | Redskins-Ravens Forecast *
Cold air and early-season snows have the mid-Atlantic ski season off to a solid start.
Just how cold has it been? The average temperature in Hot Springs, Va., not far from West Virginia's Snowshoe Mountain Resort, for the period Nov. 16 to Dec. 3 was 29.6°F, almost 10 degrees lower than the 38.9°F for the same period a year ago.
In addition to good snow-making temperatures, actual snowfall has been impressive, too. So much so that Snowshoe's Web site boasts "The Conditions Are Historic!"
How much snow has fallen? Keep reading...
The mountains of West Virginia and Western Maryland are already measuring their snow totals in feet. Snowshoe has received an incredible 69 inches of snow, 31 of which came during a few-day span in mid-November, allowing the resort to open on Nov. 21, five days earlier than originally planned. Meanwhile, Maryland's Wisp resort opened for skiing Nov. 28, 10 days earlier than last year's Dec. 8 opening.
Trails are also open at Massanutten, Seven Springs, Ski Roundtop and Bryce, according to Ski Bonk, and will be open this weekend at Wintergreen, Whitetail and Liberty Mountain.
The mid-Atlantic skier's forecast looks good, with resorts expecting a few inches of snow over the weekend and temperatures staying well below average into next week.
By
Dan Stillman
| December 5, 2008; 11:00 AM ET
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News & Notes
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Posted by: Brian-CapitalWeatherGang | December 5, 2008 11:55 AM | Report abuse
i can assure you for the real deal try these first liberty is just a hill http://www.skiresorts.org/unitedstates/virginia/
Posted by: deveinmadisonva | December 5, 2008 12:06 PM | Report abuse
Brian-- I'd pick Whitetail over Liberty if you want to stay within 90 minutes. 2.5 hours, try Wintergreen. If you're willing to drive 3 hours, try Wisp. Four to four and a half hours, Canaan Valley, Seven Springs or Hidden Valley. Five hours-- Snowshoe. The skiing generally improves the further you drive.
Posted by: Jason-CapitalWeatherGang | December 5, 2008 1:11 PM | Report abuse
Hot Springs is in VA not WVA btw. Hopefully Snowshoe can get some nice upslope snows saturday night and sunday
Posted by: jfva | December 5, 2008 1:20 PM | Report abuse
The comments to this entry are closed.
As an avid skiier, I'mm looking forward to trying out some of the mountains around here. I'll be going out at least twice before heading home for the holidays. As this is my first winter here, do any of you have any suggestions on any good mountains in the area. I'm probably going to start at Liberty, since its closest. I've also heard W. Va. is the place to go around here. Any truths?