Rain Is Holding Washington’s Ski Season Hostage

Ski season is usually ramping up across Washington by mid-December, but this year the mountains are stuck in limbo. Instead of snow piling up, relentless rain and unusually warm temperatures have kept many resorts sidelined. Flooding is now the greater concern.

The issue is not a lack of moisture. In fact, the opposite is true. A series of powerful atmospheric rivers has drenched the state with historic rainfall, turning what could have been a strong early-season snowpack into soaked slopes and dangerous runoff.

“It’s raining where you are, it’s raining where we are,” The Summit at Snoqualmie posted on social media this week, noting that more than eight inches of rain fell at the resort in early December alone. Similar conditions have played out across much of western Washington.

Crystal Mountain, one of the most popular ski destinations for the Seattle area, has delayed its opening as heavy rain and fluctuating temperatures continue to dominate the forecast. Stevens Pass has also remained closed, with resort officials saying future updates depend on when colder air finally arrives.

A Few Degrees Make All the Difference