How Nor'easters Benefit Vermont Ski Areas

By Timothy Palmer-Benson

Nor'Easters

Nor'easters can occur in the eastern United States any time between October and April, when moisture and cold air are plentiful. They are known for dumping heavy amounts of snow and producing hurricane-force winds. A Nor'easter is named for the winds that blow in from the northeast and drive the storm up the east coast along the Gulf Stream, a band of warm water that lies off the Atlantic coast. Most Vermont resorts get hit with Nor'easters. Nor'easters tend to slow down as they come into eastern Quebec or New Brunswick.

What is Lake Effect Snow

Lake effect and lake enhanced snow events are relatively common in the northeast, particularly at Sugarbush, Smugglers' Notch, Bolton Valley, Stowe and Jay Peak because of their proximity to Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, and several other lakes and rivers in Ontario and Quebec. Lake effect snows are created when cold dry air passes over a large warmer body of water and picks up moisture and heat. The heaviest, most persistent lake effect snows occur during warmer than normal winters, when the lakes are not frozen and occasional bursts of cold air come over the warm waters.

What is Vermont's coldest and windy mountain? A clue - it's the mountain with the most snow!

Jay Peak's position in northeastern Vermont sets it apart when it comes to snowfall amounts. It generally receives more than other northern Vermont mountains (annual snowfall is about 355") . But, it also receives the worst of the weather -- howling winds, arctic temperatures and ice are all part of the skiing experience at Jay Peak. The ice comes from trails that are blown clean of any light snow.

The snowfall at Jay, Stowe, Sugarbush, Mad River Glen, Smugglers' and Bolton Valley is often attributed to an orographic uplift, a process that describes what happens when an incoming system collides with a mountain range. When air hits a mountain it is forced to rise, as it rises it becomes unstable, as it becomes unstable it produces snow. The colder and moister the air is, the more unstable it will become, and the more snow it will produce. Many resorts receive a portion of their snowfall in this way but Jay Peak benefits the most from this orographic uplift because of its location. While the Adirondacks and Catskills can sometimes 'rob' incoming moisture from the Green and White Mountains, the mountains to the west and north of Jay Peak are much smaller and further apart and therefore less efficient moisture thieves

Tim Palmer-Benson is editor and publish of Scenes of Vermont, a webzine about Vermont life. His website is http://www.scenesofvermont.com

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