While the states of California and Arizona declared states of emergency due to a second round of storms on the west coast, ski resorts are breathing a sigh of relief as the winds have calmed, leaving behind five to six feet of snow throughout slopes in the West. As the El Nino phenomenon is being blamed for wild weather throughout the west, some deper inland are finding that Los Angeles' loss is the southwest's gain.

The state of California got little relief from the flooding and severe weather that continued from last week, but the damage was far less severe than many experts predicted. Many in California feared a return of the mudslides seen in January 2005, when ten people died in that state’s infamous La Conchita mudslide.

Further inland, as far afield as New Mexico and southern Idaho, heavy snow, power outages and wind gusts as high as 60 mph kept many ski slopes closed.  Now, as the winds are beginning to subside,  skiers are rejoicing in the new fresh snow that has more than made up for what until now, has been a shortfall of ski-friendly, powdery snow.
 

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