Want to feel like a Sunday River local? Read this quick overview about the resort’s local geography and weather patterns and you’ll be on your way.
Sunday River is located in western Maine only five miles from the New Hampshire border. This location puts it at the northeastern edge of the White Mountains. The highest point in New England is in the White Mountains and lies only 23 miles to the southeast. This mountain is called Mt. Washington and it tops out at 6,288 feet. The summit of Sunday River is much lower at 3,140 feet, though this still provides a vertical drop of 2,340 feet to its lowest point at the base of White Cap mountain. This single ski area is actually divided into nine interconnected mountains that provide 743 acres of trails. However the mountain skis much bigger as Sunday River has a “Boundary-to-Boundary” policy that allows guests to ski any off-trail area within the ski area boundary.
Two main storm tracks bring snow to this part of Maine. The most difficult storms to forecast are called Nor’ Easters and track from south to north along the east coast of the United States. While the weather forecasting computer models are often able to predict that these storms will develop, the exact track of the low pressure is usually uncertain until the last minute. If the center of the storm tracks close to the coast and heads inland, then warm air can be drawn into the storm from the Atlantic Ocean and this can bring rain to many areas. However if the storm stays just far enough offshore, it’ll create deep snow with the perfect mix of moist air from the ocean and cold air from the north.
