Welcome to the 2015/2016 edition of the New Hampshire & Maine Daily Snow! This is my 4th season here on OpenSnow, and I'm thrilled to be back again.

First, about the weather...

It's no secret that it's been a warm fall with temperatures generally well above average. Yeah, it sucks, but I have some good news...it doesn't necessarily mean that the upcoming winter is going to be equally warm. It's easy to let current and recent weather affect our outlook of how the weather is going to be in the coming weeks and months, but the truth is that there is not necessarily any correlation. Could there be? Absolutely. But again, there is not necessarily a definitive correlation. Take for example last year. We got off to a good start in 2014 with a cold November and early December, but then the rest of December and a good portion of January proved to be relatively warm. I distinctively remember that by the middle of January, a lot of folks were convinced that the winter was turning out to be a dud. Of course, we all know that's not how things turned out, with snow conditions for February and March being some of the best I've ever skied anywhere in my entire life.

With that said, the next 7 to 10 days do not look too promising. Although temperatures won't be crazy warm like they were for the last half of October and into early November, only the most northern resorts and those that have an elevation advantage will be able to make any snow. Even at those resorts, snowmaking windows will only be at night and will be relatively short. Some long range models are indicating that we could start seeing some more sustained cold about a week before Thanksgiving, so there is definitely hope for some skiing over the Turkey Day weekend. Keep in mind that most major resorts only need day or two of sustained snowmaking in order to get opened up, even if it is just a couple of runs.

Now for some non-weather related stuff...

Joel and I chatted back in September about the direction that we both see the New England Daily Snows going. The New Hampshire & Maine Daily Snow and the Vermont & Northern New York Daily Snow both have very different audiences when compared to the Daily Snows that cover westward resorts. There's a number of reasons that this is the case, not the least of which involves the major differences in snowfall amounts and general weather. So when there isn't a whole lot to talk about as far as upcoming snowfall is concerned, Joel and I thought that there might be some other topics that could be posted about here. In addition to being a meteorologist, I have extensive experience working in the ski industry. I am a long time ski coach, currently teaching at Attitash and also working as a member of the education staff of the eastern division of Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA-E). I also work in one of the most reputable ski shops in New England, Stan and Dan Sports, as a boot fitter and hard goods salesperson. With this experience in the ski industry, I could potentially write about some topics related to ski technique, boot fitting, gear reviews, trends in ski gear and technology, etc. So the question for you as a reader is...would you be interested in reading about those sort of topics on an irregular and relatively infrequent basis? If not, no big deal. I have no interest in writing about things that people don't want to read about, so if you come here for the weather and that's all you want to hear about, let me know. If you would like to hear about those sorts of topics, feel free to suggest any specific topics you might be interested in. Leave your thoughts in the comment section, or shoot me an email at [email protected].

A couple more bits of housekeeping. While I will be posting weekly updates at a minimum over the next couple of weeks, I will not be posting frequent updates until around Thanksgiving, sooner if the weather turns much more favorable, resorts start to open up, and there's more to talk about. Once that happens, you can expect regular updates through the season, just like I have done for the last few years. I do try to update as frequently as possible, especially when there is a storm coming in. Please know though that this is not my full time job, so daily updates are a bit difficult for me to promise. Yes, I do get compensated for my work with OpenSnow. It is a relatively small amount of money, although it is very fair given the amount of revenue that the New England Daily Snows contribute to OpenSnow. Of course, I'm not doing this for the money. I do this because I love the sport of skiing, I love talking about the weather and forecasting the weather, and I love the service that OpenSnow provides to skiers and snowboarders. I have many other things that I do, especially during the winter, that pull me in many different directions both literally and figuratively. First and foremost, I co-own a small technology business that keeps me very busy for at least 40 to 60 hours a week year round. Then in the winter, I add on my ski coaching work at Attitash, my work with PSIA-E, and throw in a about 10 hours a week at Stan and Dan Sports slinging skis and boots. Then there's OpenSnow. Oh, and my wife Laura likes to see me every once in a while too :-) Anyway, my point is that although I try my best to update as frequently as possible through the winter, sometimes life gets in the way and it may be a few days until you see an update. I try to only let this happen when there isn't much going on with the weather because, of course, I want you to be able to depend on me and OpenSnow to be able to get the latest updates on an approaching storm. 

So anyway, keep you head up and stay optimistic about the upcoming winter. I know we're all itching to get out there and make some turns, but it is only the middle part of November after all. Check back around the middle of next week when I'll provide an update on the short term outlook and also talk a bit about what we might be able to expect for the upcoming season with regards to the weather and snowfall.