Snowfall on Mount Hood prompts preseason ski opening

Early snowfall on Oregon’s Mount Hood has prompted a preseason opening for a nearby ski lift, but the snow won’t last for long. (Photo by Jonathan Fox/Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0)

PORTLAND, Ore. — Early snowfall on Oregon’s Mount Hood has prompted a preseason opening for a nearby ski lift, but the snow won’t last for long.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports more than 2 feet of snow fell on the northern Oregon mountain from Wednesday through Friday, leading to the opening of a lift at the Timberline Ski Area.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Jon Bonk says the system that produced the snow was isolated. The snowy mountain conditions are expected to vanish by Tuesday, but he says there’s potential for another Pacific storm that could produce snow later in the week.

Timberline officials expect the lift to continue operating through Sunday, but they urge skiers and snowboarders to check conditions before heading up the mountain over the weekend.