SAM Magazine—Seattle, Wash., Dec. 16, 2025—A series of severe atmospheric rivers beginning on Dec. 9 brought the Pacific Northwest ski season to a grinding halt, forcing the closure of virtually every ski area in Washington and Oregon. Mission RidgeHeavy rains and unseasonably high freezing levels have washed away early-season snowpack and triggered widespread flooding, prompting a federal emergency declaration on Dec. 12.

"A federal emergency has been declared," Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association (PNSAA) president Jordan Elliott confirmed. PNSAA is in active communication with the Washington Governor’s Office and local partners as conditions evolve. "We appreciate the work happening around the clock to restore travel corridors as quickly and responsibly as possible,” he said.

The "Pineapple Express" weather pattern has decimated early-season snow, drawing comparisons to the historic low-snow Decembers of 2001 and 2015. Snowpack levels across Washington currently sit at just 24 percent of normal. In Oregon, Mt. Bachelor is reporting minimal snow accumulation, with officials noting this is one of the slowest starts in recent memory, drawing comparisons to the drought years of 1976 and 2005.

Stevens Pass, Wash., saw 17 inches of water over a five-day period, according to a recent social media post. Elliot confirmed that Highway 2, the lifeline to Stevens Pass, Wash., remains closed due to slides and washouts. 

Mission Ridge announced it would remain closed through the weekend after enduring what management called the “wildest December weather in our recorded history.” The resort, which had managed a limited early opening, is now focused on digging out debris from trails scoured by wind and rain.

The closures have triggered a wave of cancellations during the critical pre-holiday booking window, with resorts like Stevens Pass and Summit at Snoqualmie, Wash., automatically refunding tickets and rentals through mid-week.

“This timing matters,” Elliot told SAM. “The holiday period is critical for ski areas, mountain communities, and the thousands of seasonal workers who depend on Christmas and New Year visits.” He emphasized that resorts are technically ready—staff are trained and equipment is prepped—but “limiting factors right now are snow and safe access.”

Most major resorts, including Stevens Pass and Crystal Mountain, Wash., and Mt. Bachelor and Mt. Hood Meadows, Ore., are targeting a Christmas holiday opening. Schweitzer and Sun Valley in Idaho are the only regional areas spinning lifts, though with significantly limited terrain (1 percent and 7 percent open, respectively).

Despite the current hold, Elliott expressed “cautious optimism,” that a pattern change is imminent. “Forecasts show that after Monday’s return of heavy rain, a colder system is moving in,” Elliott said. “If adequate snow arrives in time, there will be skiing for Christmas.”

Larry Schick, a meteorologist of 50 years known to PNW skiers and riders as the “Powder Poobah,” (powderpoobah.com) puts the current situation into historical focus. Despite the closures, Schick shares Elliott’s optimism. “This isn’t a great start, but I think it will turn around. Sometimes it does kick off just before Christmas, the week of or week before. It’s much more variable than people think,” he said. 

He suggests the current flooding is a volatile "false start" rather than a season-long verdict: “One month does not telegraph what the next month will do. The core of winter is coming up between now and March.”

Reported by Dave Tragethon.