 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi ,
Early in the season I booked to go to Whistler on the week beginning the 4th of March . Back then the possibility of another short winter and another unseasonally early spring looked remote . Now that week is forecast to have at least 5 days with a 70 percent chance of snow and an average daytime temp of 3-4 degrees Celsius !!!!!
This is not looking good at all . Last year I went to Stowe in March and it rained all week and I ended up in the motel for 5 miserable soggy days . The mountain was basically puddles and grass !
Is Whistler bad in the rain or does it snow higher up when it's raining in the Village. I am a fairly robust intermediate skier who is between two minds right now about risking another washout ski vacation or not.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Error
Meant 5 days with a 70 percent chance of RAIN not SNOW
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Rain in March is very common in Whistler (in the village). I'd be going for sure.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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It rained when we were there, I think that is pretty standard. A rain crust did cover all the off piste, but the on piste skiing was pretty good still. I was very thankful for my full waterproof kit though.... a lot of ski jackets don't do that well with a prolonged soaking, so that is something to consider if you'll be out in all conditions.
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I have been several times to Whistler when it's rained in the village and snowed at height. It's not ideal if the snow is very wet, but I'd probably still go.
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@imgalvin, PS Welcome to snowHeads 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Never been to Whistler but a rain low down means snow high so I'd go anyway, heard its either icy or wet.
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Like others, I've had rain in the village turning to snow not that far up. I'd go.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I doubt it will rain all the way up. I spent a season there many moons ago and we did get the occasional day or two when it rained in the village but it was snowing mid-way up the first chair (chair not gondy). The forecast can change pretty quick. The lower chairs have covers on them so at least you stay dry on them. If I was you I would still go. March can be epic - I certainly had a great March when I was there....so much snow!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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It rains all the time in the valley. They don't have WB branded binbag ponchos for nothing. It's still great up top.
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| imgalvin wrote: |
Error
Meant 5 days with a 70 percent chance of RAIN not SNOW |
This probably means 70% chance of precipitation, rather than 'rain not snow.' 3°C in the village likely means (wet) snow barely a hundred vertical metres up the mountain.
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You know it makes sense.
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Whistler has a huge vertical, for north America anyway. I've been there in April when i6s rained to the trendline. Still great up top.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@imgalvin, Well we will be there too !
It rained last week up top, daughter out there in resort, but this week gone cold again so not so bad. Its all about the freezing level on the mountain, if there is rain in the village then there will most likely be snow some height on the mountain.
I have seen people on here had a bad time of warm conditions but in 10years we have never had a problem. So it is a gamble but with only a small risk.
They have a had 7m of snow so the base is good and there will be skiing. It is 1 mile up so somewhere in there will be some nice snow. It is also quieter if there is no huge powder dump as that brings everyone out to play.
See you on the bus as you flying BA or Air Canada?
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Poster: A snowHead
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@imgalvin, Its the freezing level you have to look out for https://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/mountain-info/snow-report
1300 is mid-station, we seldom ski below that and mostly you will be above 1500m. Alpine forecast for this week is freezing no higher than 800m which is village level
It will be fine
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Was there 2 years ago, great condition until our last day in resort when it rained. Up the mountain (Blackcombe side) it was raining to the bottom of the top lifts (if that makes sense). We were half way through our honeymoon (before heading off to the sun) so my OH was having none of it and headed for the mountain restaurant for a couple of hot chocolates, I meanwhile had a great few hours lapping the top lift with very few other skiers and lots of fresh (albeit wet) snow!
In summary, I would definitely still go, especially if only 3 degrees at resort, got to be snowing somewhere on the mountain!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Yoose pulling our leg I'm sure.
They have lots of snow because there's lots of precip. The important question is "where will the freezing level be". That's why they have a mountain, so you can get up to where the snow is. Go to the village, expect rain there, although you can always ski down to it if you want.
Now and then you'll get a "rain event" where it rains top-to-bottom. If that happens, the pistes are fine (they have piste bashers...) but the off piste is hammered, with significant "upside down" snow. Once you've learned to ride it, just wait until it snows again and then it'll be reset. That's not relevant if you're asking this question. It'll be fine: that's how it's supposed to be.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@imgalvin, Brolly in one hand, GoPro in the other - Ski the American Dream
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@red 27, I have a feeling Whistler is in Canada.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I'd go. I don't think that forecast will hold up. At least not that temp. It may get to a high of 3 or 4C. But it should be colder than that. A ridge may set up next week (March 2 or 3rd.) off the Pacific that will set up a few hundred miles of the Coast. So far weather models are not clear on where and how far East or North/South it will establish itself, or even how strong it will be. It currently looks like Whistler will be far enough North to remain cool enough to have snow from mid-mtn on up.
I just came back from Sun Valley where it was +1c to+3c at the base but it was dumping from mid-mtn on up. So, it's not uncommon for that scenario to play out in Whistler. In fact, some would say that's the norm.
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Been in Whistler since the start of the season. The weather forecast is usually pretty accurate at predicting 2-3 days in advance. You can't really put much confidence in any longer than that, so I would take the current forecast with a pinch of salt.
Right now it's 2 degrees in the village and -9 up top! So as others have said rain in the village often means snow higher up - where all the best terrain is. In fact one of the deepest powder days this year came when they finally opened the alpine after 2 days of heavy rain in the village.
Freezing level is useful, although slightly different to snow level (usually snow falls 200-300m below freezing level).
Based on all that I'm pretty optimistic about the current forecast (which may change considerably anyway), so would not be thinking about cancelling.
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@imgalvin, this is snowHeads. Nobody cancels unless they're dead. Or at least unable to move a muscle. 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I've been in Whistler and experienced biblical rain in the village, where you would think no sane person would go outside, let a alone consider skiing. If you can brave the walk to the lifts, the top tip is to use the covered sidewalks, the rain typically turns to heavy snow before you hit the mid stations.
Just make sure you outer layers are fully water proof 
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I've woken up many times in Whistler, looked out the window to see a rainy day and thought 'OMG, what's it going to be like today'. Most times it's been fantastic. Make sure you take goggles what work well for you in poor vis. Maybe even a pair with demisting fans:
https://www.cnet.com/pictures/best-high-tech-ski-gear-pictures/12/
and the vis is always manageable in the trees.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks to everyone who replied . That's really helpful - looks like the mountain might be good after all. With work and everything else it's not easy to get ski days in the short season so don't want to miss any precious snow days !!!
Thanks everyone and Ski On !!!!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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One nice thing about WB is the rain policy. There was a day we were out there: raining in the village, got soaked on the way up the chair; which then promptly froze on us as we passed into the snow line, it was truly horrible. So we skied back down, and as we were unclipping, one of the piste guys said " leaving at 10 am? - you should ask for your pass money back" .
Would never have occurred to us in Europe. So we went to the booth, and yes, even though we had a ten day pass, and even though technically we'd skied that day, they refunded us the day's value of the pass.
Top geezers.
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@Arctic Roll, gosh, that's nice.
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You know it makes sense.
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The thing about Whistler is that although the village is low most of the skiing is higher (obviously!!) and the runs down to the resort are only really skied at the end of the day returning to the village. And you can easily download if you want to avoid those.
So even if the lower runs aren't great you won't be skiing those very often and the vast majority of the ski area is higher up - and hopefully where the rain has turned to snow.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I've been twice, both times at the end of April. It did rain in the village on a few occasions but higher up it turned to snow. The main problems are poor visibility (fog) and needed one of those plastic goggle wipers to stick on a finger for when you ski back down into the rain (you will need on of these)
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Always the problem with those Pacific Coast Ski Areas.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| stanton wrote: |
| Always the problem with those Pacific Coast Ski Areas. |
Yeah, all that snow
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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It is a well known issue on the coast range. One reason i don't go there but hope you luck out.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| essex wrote: |
| It is a well known issue on the coast range. One reason i don't go there but hope you luck out. |
That "terrible" weather meant I was skiing at the end of November. Deep pow, steeps, trees, in December, and will probably still be able to go skiing right through May. But yes guess you're right, awful, best not come! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Been twice in April in last 6 years and both times have been able to ski to base. Have also woken to torrential rain in the village which turned to snow half way up the Whistler gondola, fantastic powder at the top. Days later there was a foot of new snow in the village but by lunchtime was sunny and 10 degrees. It's a wierd part of the world.
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It has been a bit like that in Verbier this week.
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@imgalvin, So you went to America last year and it P-ed down all week and so you decided to go to America again this year. I like the way you're thinking there 
Most insurance policies allow you to cancel for inclement weather - it's the "Rain Check" clause.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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It always rains in Whistler.
The village is low and near the coast.
Like Scotland, but with more money and better food.
Skiing is good and snowy up top. Just stay high. All will be fine.
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