> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.sandystandard.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Low Snowfall Season Impacts Sandy Businesses Differently - URL: https://www.sandystandard.com/low-snowfall-season-impacts-sandy-businesses-differently/ - Published: 2026-03-01T22:49:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-07-20T21:49:19.000Z - Author: The Sandy Standard *By Abby Haney, for The Sandy Standard* Locals and visitors alike look forward to the winter season on Mt. Hood every year. The thrill of skiing, snowboarding, inner tubing, and any other snow activity is the most highly anticipated part of the winter season. This year, however, people have witnessed very little snowfall. Normally, Sandy citizens in particular are enjoying the fresh snow in their backyards. The current situation at Mt. Hood poses the question: how is Sandy as a town affected? Snowpack is a vital resource in Oregon; mountains collect snow in the winter and, as temperatures increase, water is released. Snowwater equivalence (SWE) is relative in tracking how much water is stored within the snow. To record this, Mt. Hood has its own Snow Telemetry site (SNOTEL), which uses snow pillows to automatically record SWE. Historic records of SWE can be found on USDA’s site, where Oregon Live has created a graph. ([https://projects.oregonlive.com/weather/hood-snowpack/](https://projects.oregonlive.com/weather/hood-snowpack/?ref=sandystandard.com)) In the past decades, snowfall has increased from the previous year. Last year in February, Mt. Hood experienced about 42 SWE inches of snow. This is 31% of the median snow level. Sandy citizens remember last year's white, snowy scenery during this time. This year, by February, Mt. Hood has reached a peak of 11.2 SWE inches, and Sandy hasn’t yet seen their white, snowy, winter weather. With this in mind, locals look at the businesses of Sandy. The town’s mountain activity-based businesses are facing a severe and negative impact due to the low snow levels. Joe’s Donuts, a popular spot for mountain goers, has witnessed this firsthand. “I know that it has impacted us because my feet don’t hurt as bad. I’m not working as hard,” employee Donna said. Joe’s usually experiences heavy traffic but has seen significant reduction in numbers, as not many people are venturing up to Mt. Hood. “Usually by this time, we have mid-shifts all week long; we haven’t had that yet because there’s no snow,” Donna said. While some Sandy businesses are witnessing reduced traffic in town from mountain goers, they aren’t all impacted economically. The people passing through the town of Sandy en route to Mt. Hood aren’t the only source of business. “Snow in Sandy can help businesses, but Sandy businesses, especially those associated with outdoor recreation, specifically winter sports, they’re not going to rely on just the snowfall coming to Sandy for business,” Meadowlark Ski and Sports owner Darren Curammeng said. Demand for Sandy products is evident as businesses continue to thrive during this winter season. Limited snowfall in Sandy doesn’t impact their ability to survive, as Sandy gets limited snow and isn’t dependent upon the usual winter weather. “Point being, people are excited to go ski, regardless of whether or not there is snow down here in town. In fact, it usually only snows maybe two or three times a season down in town,” Curammeng said. A positive: the Sandy Area Metro (SAM) buses continue to have the ability to travel upwards. The routes, with little snow in Sandy and farther up the mountain, have been easier to manage for travel to Timberline. The last time Mt. Hood experienced this little snowfall was in 1981, with about 12 SWE inches in 2005, and about 14 SWE inches in 2015\. Citizens and others alike are concerned with the impacts of so little snow on the summer season. The majority of river and lake water supply comes from snowmelt — about 60 to 70%. With less snow, this translates to not only less water, but to an earlier melting season. Water will enter rivers and streams earlier in the season, so during the summer months, less water will be available. With the increased danger of fire season, citizens are rightly concerned. While Sandy is enjoying the clear roads and easy commutes for now, the lack of snowpack remains a serious "wait and see" for local rivers and fire season. Sandy has always been a mountain town, and our resilience is as steady as the climb up Highway 26\. As Donna from Joe’s Donuts puts it, the local spirit hasn't melted away just yet: “We’re putting our energy into having a big spring ski season.” Information in the article about SWE and SNOTEL found on USDA website [https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/northwest/topic/snow-water-equivalent-swe-its-importance-northwest](https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/northwest/topic/snow-water-equivalent-swe-its-importance-northwest?ref=sandystandard.com).