Forecast doesn't look good!!

[Metallicat]

I had to finally look online, and Tug Hill is only 2000 ft above sea level, so what gives that area the great snows? Just lake effect from cold fronts?

 

[cnybrian]

Here are a few web cams to check out the conditions too:

http://www.northernchateau.com/northernchateau.htm

http://www.gotsnowcams.com/gotsnowcams.htm

 

[4StrokeAddict]

I had to finally look online, and Tug Hill is only 2000 ft above sea level, so what gives that area the great snows? Just lake effect from cold fronts?

Pretty much. I lived just north of tug hill for a couple years and still have a house there. The 2000' makes a huge difference. As the wind and moisture off the lake rises over the hill, it condenses and freezes which dumps snow on the area. Go north, south or east right up to the lake and you don't get nearly as much since the elevation is lower. 3 years-ish ago was a low snowfall year. My house may have gotten 2 feet all year. Tug hill had well over 6' on the ground where I visited and I was told that was low compared to other areas...

 

[Metallicat]

Our maples are budding, looks like spring. El Nino - The Force Awakens.

 

[yamahaguy]

Our maples are budding, looks like spring. El Nino - The Force Awakens.

Mr. El Nino be gone!

 

[WINDER1987]

Christmas eve morning 7:15 am in northern ny 64 degrees I'm. Beginning to think I will not get any quality riding this year with the ground still. Soft and muddy and not a pond or Creek even frozen

 

[4StrokeAddict]

How is the UP this morning? I saw lots of blue on radar last night...

 

[Deeppow16]

Our maples are budding, looks like spring. El Nino - The Force Awakens.

I beat if the sun came out here in Minnesota the grass would green right back up and start growing again. I don't think I have seen the sun in 3 weeks. Nothing but rain and clouds and not enough cold to make snow. Northern Minnesota got over a foot last week but central state and south still brown as can be.

 

[4StrokeAddict]

I know there is lots of negativity out there, but it isn't that bad yet. Last year, we managed to get 8-12" of snow with up to 16" on the ground just before Christmas and the trails were "passable". We decided to go just outside Marquette for our first ride the day after christmas. The streams and rivers were mostly frozen over, but were thin. On our way back home about 3 miles from the car, we came up to a stream that had been opened up by some other sleds after we had gone over it on our way out. My dad crossed it and made it worse. When I crossed it, I had to balance having enough speed to cross and not to much to plow too hard into the other side as it was steep. Well, I didn't get it quite right and only made it half way up. Unfortunately, the I and the sled were sitting on a sinking sheet of ice and the back of the sled was going under. As I'm yelling at my dad to get the tow rope, I'm sinking back... The sled ended up under water almost to the top of the seat by the gas tank and completely submerged behind that. Between a tow sled and my strategic rocking and throttle work, we managed to get it out but not before being soaked.

Point of the story is that while we may have early snow some years, the trails are often not passable until after new years. Temps are dropping after Christmas for the extended forecast with snow in the picture. I'm not too worried yet... Keep up your snow dances, it will come.