Sunriver Weather – Mountain Resort Properties

The Ever-Changing Weather of Central Oregon (It’s the Best!)

This time a year ago, Central Oregon was covered in a blanket of snow. Parking lots looked like they had mountains, roads looked like frozen rivers, and homes looked like the gingerbread house’s kids decorate during Christmas time. This year, however, is a whole different story.

Since the winter season began back in late December, Central Oregon has only received about 18 inches of total snowfall. Last year, in a span of just 5 days, the area received 16 inches! The two scenes are quite different.

Even though it hasn’t been the Winter most locals are used to, it doesn’t mean that one can’t enjoy everything Winter has to offer. Drive 30 minutes from Sunriver to Mt. bachelor, and you will see more snow than you can probably handle. It is the best part about the area. Spend the morning shredding down the mountain on what is said to be “the best snow in the world,” then head down to Sunriver and enjoy a nice bike ride on the paved paths, and lunch on the patio.

There aren’t too many places in Oregon, let alone the U.S., where one can experience snow on the mountain, then drive 30 minutes to town to walk on clear paths and enjoy the bright sunshine. It is one of the many reasons Central Oregon is a must-see area.

If you have yet to visit the area, put it on your bucket list. And now is the best time to come! Winter is fading to spring, the birds are starting to chirp in the morning, the sun is warm and bright, and the flowers are beginning to bloom. With events and different activities happening every day, it is the perfect place to spend a nice vacation! We can’t wait to see you here!

Featured March Events:

March 6th: First Friday Art Walk Downtown Bend
March 6th: Night Light at The High Desert Museum
March 7th: Bachelor Butte Dog Derby at Winoga Snow Park
March 9th: Discover the Wild Owyhee at The Tower Theatre
March 13th: Jazz at The Oxford Downtown Bend
March 14th: St Patrick’s Day 5k Dash Downtown Bend
March 27th: High Desert Stampede at The Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center

Where’s The Snow?

At this time last year, Sunriver was covered in knee-deep snow. The region was in the midst of a historic winter in which heavy snowfall caused roofs to collapse, made travel treacherous and left stores out of shovels and ice melt.

It was also Mt. Bachelor’s third-snowiest winter on record, a dream for skiers and snowboarders. This winter has been the complete opposite. The ski area averages 457 inches of snowfall in a season, from October to April. So far this year, Mt. Bachelor has only received a total of 221 inches and is currently reporting a depth of 55 inches. For more details read sport blog.

While snow has been scarce this year, there is still plenty to do with the Spring like weather conditions we are experiencing this winter in Sunriver (Central Oregon). Activities range from skiing in the morning to golfing in the afternoon and everything in between. So, take advantage of one of our many Sunriver lodging specials and bring your family, bring your bikes, bring your clubs and we will see you in Sunriver!

Sunriver Snow Already Passes Average For Whole Season

A series of snowstorms over the past month and a half have dropped more snow in the unincorporated community south of Bend than it sees in an average winter season, said Brooke Snavely, communications director for the Sunriver Owners Association. An average winter season, measured from the first to last snowfall , brings about 60 inches of snow to Sunriver, he said. With the first measurable snowfall this season on Nov. 15, Sunriver has received about 70 inches as of Wednesday.

“That’s a pretty significant amount of snow on the ground in a short time,” he said this week.

This December broke a record for the most snow in the month, said Mark Smith, public works director for the Sunriver Owners Association. So far, 52.6 inches of snow has fallen in Sunriver in December, he said Wednesday . The old record, set in winter 1992-93, was 50.9 inches.

That winter saw 144 inches — 12 feet — of snow stack up in Sunriver.

The snow this December has kept public works crews for the homeowners association, tasked with clearing about 70 miles of roads and 30 miles of pathways, busy. “It has definitely made for some long days,” Smith said.

Snow does not come as much of a surprise this time of year in Sunriver. Compared with other cities and towns in Central Oregon, the community has the highest chances of a white Christmas, defined by a Christmas Day with at least an inch of snow on the ground. Historical data from the National Weather Service show Sunriver has an 87 percent chance, while Bend and Sisters have just over 30 percent chances, and Redmond, Madras and Prineville have lower odds.

What is surprising this year is how much snow has fallen already. Whether all the snow on the ground now becomes a problem when it melts remains to be seen.

“There is always a thought in the back of the mind of, ‘Where does this water go?’” Snavely said.

Sunriver neighborhoods do not have storm drains, and the roads are not flanked by sidewalks. The pathways run separate, away from the roads, leaving room for natural drainage. Snowmelt flows off the roads and pathways and soaks into the porous volcanic soil .

In 2014, a hard freeze of the ground put a hitch in this system, when the snow melted amid rainstorms. The frozen ground did not take in the water and resulted in flooding, with water creeping onto decks and into garages and crawlspaces of 30 to 40 homes, according to Bulletin archives.

Whether there is a danger of flooding all depends on how fast the snow melts and how quickly the ground can absorb it, said Jeremy Giffin, Deschutes Basin watermaster for the Oregon Water Resources Department. A warm, wet storm during winter can cause problems if it rapidly melts snow.

“If we had a big event like that come through that would definitely be a concern for flooding,” he said.