Open Snow Headlines

Mountain snow ahead

Finally, lower snow levels

But snow level bounces up briefly tonight

The Open Snow Inside Story

A weather system moving in late today will bring snow to the mountains with an initial brief exposure of warm air from the subtropics. That warmth will not last long. Then, expect cooler air moving in overnight and Wednesday. Most of the precipitation from this first storm will be snowfall as the snow level drops to 2500ft, tonight. I think 4-9” could fall by Wednesday evening. Whistler and Mt Baker will be heavily favored, being farther north and in the bull's-eye of the storm. The Washington Cascades will do well, also Hood & Bachelor will get 3-7” Another system, even colder, will move in late Friday and Saturday with a SL of 2000- 3000ft. This one could produce another 6-13" . A bonus with this system is the snow level will be low for much of the storm, so medium and lower slopes will get respectable dumpage. More NW ski areas will open and the ones marginally open right now will expand terrain, hours and operations.

Open Snow Look Ahead

The extended forecast for next week, shows some inconsistencies in the weather computer model runs. At this point, I would lean toward the drier end of the spectrum with blocking higher pressure moving into the east Pacific.

LJS

Open Snow - NW Meteorologist