For Skiers, 12 Months, 2 Continents = A World of Difference

One year ago, I was in the snowless Alps. My report focused on the brown slopes and an unproductive sky. Resorts in Colorado and other Western states and provinces ultimately had successful ski seasons, while the Alps and the East Coast of North America limped along until late-season snow. This year, it has been just the opposite. As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, the Alps have been covered, the East and Midwest have had been cold enough for snowmaking ,but the West has unchracteristically been limping along with minimal snowfall and above-normal temperatures -- except at Whistler, BC, where I arrived yesterday evening. It's still early. I have yet to set skis on snow. But the mountains and the village is covered with white. On the patio beneath the sill of my window at the Adara Hotel has about five inches on snow. And the air smells as if another storm is coming in.

The CBC news just reported that due to the weather system called La Nina, Canada can expect coast-to-coast seasonlong cold. A winter storm system is supposed to hit Ontario later today and continue to Quebec and the Maritimes. Another system is due to dump snow on Vancouver Island this afternoon, and that means Whistler should be getting it a few hours later. White Christmas is anticipated across the country. Canadian skiers and snowboarders are loving it, and I am too but also hoping that some of these systems track south.