Snow?

[Mr Banks]

When does it usually start snowing in Reno and how much?

In Seattle we're used to 1 or 2 days a year with an inch or less that melts by the end of the day.

[IndigoThirdEye]

It usually starts snowing in August, and ends in July.

Seriously, there is no way to tell what the weather is going to do in this area. I think it snowed a few weeks before Halloween last year, and a few years ago I remember it snowed around Father's Day.

[davidlaplante]

Here's the beautiful thing about Reno: It can snow 4 feet of fresh in Tahoe and Reno will only get a dusting. Reno's at the base of the Sierra's on the east side in the "rainshadow".

From Wikipedia: A rain shadow or rainshadow, or more accurately, precipitation shadow, is a dry region of land that is leeward of a mountain range or other geographic feature, with respect to prevailing wind direction. The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems, casting a "shadow" of dryness behind them.

I live in downtown Reno. Mainly ski Alpine and Squaw which are only 40 minutes away. Mt. Rose maybe 35 minutes. Heavenly is 50-60 minutes in South Shore. From my office in South Reno I've left my desk and been on the Mt. Rose slide-side chairlift in 16 minutes flat.

We can see flurries in October...I think we'll get one this weekend even. But nothing ever sticks to the ground until January. By the end of March flowers are blooming in Reno and you're skiing powder one day and then a storm comes in and you can have your best powder day of the season in April.

Bottom line: Living in Reno you don't pay California taxes, you're 15 minutes from the airport and Tahoe's right by with:

* 7 Ski Lake Tahoe resorts (Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe, Northstar-at-Tahoe™, Sierra-at-Tahoe, Squaw Valley USA, Alpine Meadows, Heavenly, Kirkwood)
* 17,520 total skiable acres
* 535 total groomed trails
* 125 total lifts
* 21 total terrain parks
* Average percentage of beginner terrain: 28%
* Average percentage of intermediate terrain: 42%
* Average percentage of advanced/expert terrain: 30%
* Average base elevation - 6,831 feet/2,082 meters
* Average summit elevation - 9,246 feet/2,818 meters
* Average days of sunshine per year – 300 days
* Average annual snowfall - 420 inches/35 feet/10.67 meters
* Typical season span – November through May

[Elisa Maser]

Hey Seattle, in Reno we get an average of just 7 inches of rain a YEAR.

Looked into it a little, and our annual average snowfall is 24.6 inches a year, with 6 inches in Jan. being the best month.

Ask around and you'll hear great stories - I woke up to snow in Virginia City on my first honeymoon (June 2nd). And I have a friend who broke his arm skiing on the 4th of July at Mammoth.

Bottom line - we LOVE the snow because we need the water.

[Tom Clark]

It just so happens it's snowing right now...no really!

[IndigoThirdEye]

Proof (courtesy of Francine)

Link

[davidlaplante]

The deck at Alpine Meadows this afternoon!

[Mr Banks]

is it gone yet ? hehe