No snow on horizon in Sisters Country

With the exception of a little rain, Sisters Country enjoyed some lovely weather last week. Sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-to-high 50s made it feel like spring and enabled hikers and cyclists to get out and enjoy sports that they might have thought retired for the season.

But all Sisters Country folks know that a warm, dry January is not really good news. The Cascades' snow pack is far lower than it should be at this time of year, and backcountry recreation and the businesses that supply it have taken a hit. Hoodoo Mountain Resort remains closed, and Outlaws ski racers endured extremely sloppy conditions at Mt. Bachelor on Saturday.

The weather forecast indicates that we should not be expecting any snow in Sisters Country through the rest of the month. There is a slight chance of rain showers over the weekend, when temperatures will climb into the 50s again - and possibly approach 60 degrees.

Folks in Sisters Country can enjoy the relatively balmy conditions and look with a wary eye toward fire season that may come early this year.