Early Start - Winter '08 / '09

Good reason to think winter/s getting a head start this year. Ski resorts on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean are opening early. There have been encouraging events recently in the 49th state...as well.

"Mammoth Mountain in California and Bormio in Italy have both opened early for winter 2008-9." Mammoth opened 10 days early. Bormio a full month.

Breckenridge Ski Resort...CO. Earliest opening in 30 years.

"Baqueira Beret ski area in the Pyrenees will open a week earlier than planned, on Saturday November 22nd, rather than the 29th."

"Marmot Basin in Canada opens...Saturday 15th November, its earliest ever opening."

"Verbier has opened earlier than expected because of the heavy snowfall across the Alps in recent weeks."

Meanwhile...Bill Steffen...Chief Meteorologist @ WOOD-TV 8 in Grands Rapids...MI... blogs about recent events in Alaska...

"Barrow at the northern tip of Alaska had 21″ of snow in 28 days (they average 29″ per year…it’s a cold desert up there).

"Fairbanks has only had two days warmer than average in the last month and a half. During October and early November, Fairbanks has been 8 degrees colder than average!

"On the southern coast, Anchorage has only had one month this year that has been warmer than average. They haven’t reached 30 degrees since Oct. 22 and the last three weeks have been five degrees colder than average.

"The water off Alaska is colder than average and the sun won’t be of any help until spring. That heavy, cold air will start building southward soon. The surface Arctic icecap grew this year and is now at its greatest areal extent since 2002."