More snow needed before Mount Lemmon ski area can open

While other Arizona ski resorts are open, it looks like those who want to hit the slopes in southern Arizona will have to wait a little bit longer.

Mount Lemmon, near Tucson, is the southern-most ski area in the United States, and already there’s snow on the ground.

“Out of that last storm about a week ago, there’s probably about a foot,” said Mount Lemmon General Manager Graham Davies.

He said some of that has melted off, but this week’s upcoming storm is expected to drop at least eight inches, but skiers still shouldn’t dust off their equipment just yet.

“Eight inches probably still won’t be enough to get open for skiing yet,” Davies said.

Davies said that Mount Lemmon needs to have about 24 inches on the ground, before it can open to skiers. The average opening day is Dec. 20, and Davies hopes to get enough snow to open by then.