Surprise spring snowstorm extends ski season

By Velena Jones

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    TAHOE, California (KOVR) — A surprise spring snowstorm is underway in the Sierra, extending ski season for some.

“Everyone is stoked,” explained Joshua Mazzaiella.

Joshua is still hitting the slopes at a time when, typically, the season is coming to an end.

“You move here for snow and skiing and the environment and people,” he said. “Any extra day you can get is awesome.”

Fresh powder is expected overnight Wednesday, and it’s a surprise after below-average snowfall came during what was a mostly dry winter.

“We got tons of snow in December, and everybody was thinking it was going to be this tons of snow, one of the best years ever, and nothing, literally nothing,” Joshua said.

Vacationers in the area were thrilled they were in town at the right time and planned to hit the lifts through the weekend.

“Having new fresh snow, I’m from San Diego, so we flew all the way up to Reno, rented a car and drove here just for the weekend and week to hit the slopes,” said skier Boaz Ritbaltt.

The change in weather is prompting Palisades Tahoe to extend their season by two weeks to May 15.

“If the snow holds up, we will go as long as we can,” said Palisades Tahoe Public Relations Manager Alex Spychalsky. “This was a really rough season. We did not see a lot of snow this season. A couple weeks ago, we were really concerned we weren’t going to make it through the month of April.”

The Sierra is expecting to see a few feet of snow—adding to an already abundant April with 50 inches and counting.

“We have gotten more snow in the month of April so far than we got in January, February and March combined,” said Spychalsky.

This snowstorm celebration is keeping the slopes open through spring.

“Wow, this couldn’t be a better time,” said Ritbaltt.

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