The first system brought a mix of rain and snow across the area, but a stronger storm is expected next.
SODA SPRINGS, Calif. — After a mostly dry start to winter, snow is finally falling in the Sierra, bringing relief and excitement for skiers who have been waiting weeks for conditions to change.
Snow in mid-December shouldn’t feel unusual, but after weeks of dry weather, it came as a long-awaited moment for students on the mountain.
Smith Macosko, a student and skier, summed up the frustration.
“I think it’s insanity,” said Macosko.
Miles Riedel, also a student and skier, said the timing felt off but welcomed the change.
“It feels a little bit late to have snow, but it is better to have it now,” he said.
For Charlie Myers, another student skier, the delay had been hard to watch.
“I feels that it’s like really sad that like it’s so late into the season,” Myers said.
While Friday’s storm brought smiles on the slopes, it also created hazardous travel conditions. California Highway Patrol in Truckee reported multiple spinouts over Donner Summit, briefly forcing chain controls to go into effect.
The first system brought a mix of rain and snow across the area, but a stronger storm is expected next. Boreal Mountain Resort announced it will temporarily suspend operations through Monday due to safety risks from an incoming atmospheric river.
The closure is a short-term setback, but resort officials say it could bring long-term benefits.
“We are really excited for that Christmas miracle to come hit not just for Boreal but all of Tahoe,” said Tucker Norred, marketing director at Boreal Mountain Resort.
Warming temperatures before the storm have limited snowmaking, but crews are preparing to take advantage of colder conditions.
“We have ou snowmaking team standing by 24 hours a day and they flip those guns on every chance that we get,” said Norred.
For young skiers like Thomas Conway, the wait is nearly over.
“I am pretty excited since clearly it’s snowing I’m ready to ski,” Conway said, later adding “It is a Christmas miracle.”
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