Is it possible there will be no snow of concern on Mt. Whitney as late as December 7, 2015 ?
Will the drought continue long enough so that little snow falls ?
Will it, as predicted be a heavy snowfall winter, albeit late in coming?
Curious to anyone's observation.
WADE

Hate to admit how many times I've done Whitney, but sure to include December climbs. I've seen considerable amount of snow starting low, and have seen very little all the way to the top on other times, in December on normal rainfall years. This year, however, all bets are off. This El Nino year, 99% certainty to happen, it's very unpredictable when to start.

Thanks. This year's El Nino is for real. Ocean temps don't lie. Still 83 degree water here on Kauai.
I'm hoping to sneak into Whitney around December 5 or 6. Standard trail OK for this. Just don't want to haul crampons, ax, etc. if not needed.
I'll wait and see how this next month goes up there. It could be the perfect conditions before the perfect storm !
Aloha, WADE

What I heard from a person who attempted Main Trail a week ago, there was supposed to be up to 8 feet of snow already. Due to the snow amount no one was able to get to the ridge, I was told.

I’m going there in a couple of weeks so will see. (I was told before about 8 feet of snow which in my practical estimate was just 2 feet.)

Bring snowshoes or skis, not crampons...

I read that the Sierras got 10-12" of new snow this past weekend.

Did the East Buttress on the 11th after the 2 day storm; there was about 12" of snow at Iceberg, maybe 30"+ on MRoute coming down. There will be quite a bit more by now. +1 on the snowshoes & axe comment by December

I just called the ranger station today. Snow starting above 10.5k. I'd say as a general rule chances are very low you will make it to the summit over dry trail in December. Big parts of the trail and especially the switchbacks don't get much sun; even on a dry year, you are almost guaranteed to run into ice or hard pack icy snow. Pretty much from now on, very little will melt at high elevation.

I was just in the palisades last weekend, about 40 mi. north of Whitney. Above 11,400 ft. there was knee deep snow. We camped at 11,200 ft. and there were brief snow and hail showers. Temperatures up there peaked in the low 40s and were below freezing at night.