LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — California and Colorado are both receiving impressive amounts of snow.
That's good for us because snow in the Rocky Mountains ultimately ends up in the Colorado River, which leads to Lake Mead.
That snow is hitting places like the Copper Mountain Ski Resort, which sits 9,700 feet up in Frisco, Colorado. That's about an hour and a half west of Denver.
"We have had a great season, consistent snowfall all year," Communication Coordinator Olivia Butrymovich said. "We are kind of getting into that home stretch."
Butrymovich said it's been a unique year.
"We are looking to close on May 7th, which is our longest season in 25 years."
And while the snow is sticking around, Butrymovich said people in Colorado will enjoy it.
"To be able to have a full product for the public well into May is unique for us this year," Butrymovich said. "We are excited to keep it open as long as possible."
When looking at a map of the Rocky Mountain snowpack near Denver, percentages were a little less than 100% last March.
The 2023 map shows parts of the state received above average snowfall while other areas received over 150% of their normal snowfall.
"As of today's date, April 3rd, we are well above average normal which is great to hear, meteorologist Caitlyn Mensch said. She's with the National Weather Service in Boulder, Colorado. "We are still in April. We are not done just yet so that is an incredible, great sign that we still do have some snow to come."
Snow in the mountains there melts when the temperatures rise and a lot flows to the Colorado River and eventually to Lake Mead and Lake Powell.
However, that won't happen for another month or two.
"A lot of the time, we start to see that decrease towards the end of May," Mensch said.
Back here in Southern Nevada, Lee Canyon is also receiving lots of snow.
As of Friday, they've gotten more than 260 inches, which broke the previous record that was set in 2005.
Lee Canyon said thanks to more snow, they'll host skiing and snowboarding weekends throughout April.
They'll wrap up their daily winter operations on April 9.
