National Climate Extremes Committee's Evaluation of the Reported 1,140 Inch National Seasonal Snowfall Record at the Mount Baker, Washington Ski Area

A Summary of the National Climate Extremes Committee's Evaluation of the Reported New National 1998-99 Seasonal Snowfall Record at the Mount Baker, Washington, Ski Area

Robert J. Leffler National Weather Service, Office of Meteorology Silver Spring, Maryland

Michael Changery National Climatic Data Center Asheville, North Carolina

Raymond Downs National Weather Service, Office of Systems Operations Silver Spring, Maryland

Andrew Horvitz National Weather Service, Office of Meteorology Silver Spring, Maryland

Kelly Redmond Western Regional Climate Center Reno, Nevada

George Taylor President, American Association of State Climatologists

During the July 1, 1998 through June 30, 1999 snow season, the Mount Baker, Washington Ski Area in the northern Cascade mountains of Washington state, reported a total seasonal snowfall of 1,129 inches. Due to the dissemination of a press release claiming that the total was a new, unofficial national seasonal snowfall record, the measurement received national attention. Additionally, the total, if correct, would stand as the new world seasonal snowfall record.

The National Climate Extremes Committee (sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA)) was activated to evaluate the validity of the Mount Baker snowfall measurements. For this study, the Committee included four NOAA employees and two external climatological community members.

The committee's extensive review of the Mount Baker, WA seasonal snowfall which includes a description of the method of measuring snow depth by the observers and the siting of the equipment will be summarized. NOAA's response to the committee's recommendation regarding the validity of the snowfall total will also be presented.