Sunshine Village Ski & Snowboard Resort: Second Record Snowfall Year in Forecast for Banff

BANFF, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Aug. 20, 2011) - Weather forecasters say the enduring La Niña effect could deliver yet another season of relentless, deep powder to Sunshine Village and the Banff area.

Some experts predict this season will bring the same cold temperatures and, more importantly, lots of the white stuff to the ski and snowboard resort in Banff National Park.

"Last year gave us absolutely incredible conditions," said John Scurfield, Sunshine Village's Vice-President of Marketing. "And this year promises more of the same."

Long-range forecasts UK-based weather forecaster James Madden of Exacta Weather have proven more accurate than those of the Met (meteorological office) in the UK. Madden's forecasts are based on several natural factors including solar activity, ocean behaviour and atmospheric circulation.

"I fully expect many parts of the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada to experience a particularly harsh winter this year with copious amounts of snow."

David Phillips, Environment Canada climatologist and all-round weather guru, predicted normal winter conditions until the end of 2011. Looking into early 2012, however, "the atmospheric response to the water temperatures is showing a La Niña look, which would mean this winter will be more like last winter than two years ago," Phillips said.

"What the models are showing across the West is colder than normal situations to wetter than normal conditions. The season may be earlier coming on; you'll get snow sooner rather than rain."

While it is impossible to guarantee any trend, said Phillips, early models indicate more cold and more precipitation.