Winter storm blankets Sisters Country

It may be a little late in the season for some folks' taste, but a heavy winter storm brought good news to irrigators and skiers, dumping well over two feet of snow across the Cascades.

The heavy snowfall means that Hoodoo Ski Area west of Sisters will have prime conditions for skiing when Sisters schools let out for spring break next week.

The ski area will host a demo day, "Preview the New," on March 19, providing free test runs of new ski and snowboard models.

The snowpack, which was just about normal or slightly above normal through most of the Deschutes Basin, received a significant boost from the heavy high-elevation snowfall.

Precipitation falling in the form of snow instead of heavy rain means the water stays locked up for longer, instead of simply washing down stream, so it will be available when irrigators need it to kick off the spring growing season and it will - hopefully - last through the summer.

The snow did, of course, create wintery driving conditions across Sisters Country. Drivers are advised to remember their good winter driving habits. Allow plenty of following distance, travel with an emergency kit, and be wary of icy patches as snow on roadways starts to melt off.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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