Snowfall of 34 inches reported on Whiteface

PHOTOGRAPHER: John Enger

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A hefty blanket of snow fell on the Whiteface Mountain ski area this weekend, just in time for Memorial Day.

But before digging the skis out of storage and racing for the hills, downhill enthusiasts should know the Whiteface lifts are deactivated, the slopes closed down until next year.

According to National Weather Service meteorologist Bob Schiesser of Binghamton, several feet of snow fell on isolated Adirondack high peaks over the weekend.

Sunday night, the Whiteface slope Twitter feed buzzed with snow talk. “Epic snow storm brings 34 inches,” read one excited tweet. Another more down-to-earth entry pointed out, “unfortunately the lifts are closed for the season.”

Schiesser said the snow won’t last long enough for good summer skiing anyway.

“It’s more of a novelty than anything else,” he said.

The snowstorm that dropped 34 inches on Whiteface didn’t actually affect many people. Most places below 2,000 feet didn’t see a flake, Schiesser said, and the largest accumulations happened above 3,000 feet.

“There is a road that goes all the way up Whiteface,” he said. “I expect that was closed.”

Aside from a citizen’s report from Whiteface, only one other weather spotter at Mount Mansfield in Vermont reported snow to the weather service.

Schiesser said they got 13 inches.

“Even that is pretty out of the ordinary,” he said, “You don’t usually get a foot of snow on Memorial Day weekend.”

The snow will be gone nearly as quick as it came. By the weekend, Adirondack valleys will seen temperatures of 90 degrees, and 70 degrees on the high peaks.

“It will melt,” he said.