For this weekend, a powerful storm will move in off the Pacific bringing heavy amounts of snow to California and to the inter-mountain West. Abundant Pacific moisture will accompany this system providing the necessary ingredients to unload multiple feet of snow across the West. This storm will do wonders for the drought strickened areas of California as it will not only unload heavy rains on Southern California but locally heavy snow in the high country. It's all smiles here at OpenSnow as we are able to provide the good news of fantastic powder skiing throughout the entire weekend.  

Total accumulated snowfall, according to the American GFS, through Sunday. Source: WeatherBell.com

California

The drought strickened state of California will see copious amounts of precipitation this weekend. Multiple feet of snow will occupy the high country while heavy rains soak the lower elevations across the entire state. 2-3 feet of snow is likely through Sunday with Friday morning into Saturday afternoon as the main time frame for heavy accumulations. Mammoth Mountain will look to be the clear winner this weekend but we can't hold out on the resorts in Southern California as locally heavy amounts could exceed three feet. Brian will have all the details throughout the weekend in The Tahoe Daily Snow. 

Inner West

As the large Pacific storm pushes east, the inter-mountain West will see moderate to heavy accumulations through Saturday night. A strong southwesterly flow will greatly favor the San Juans of Southern Colorado due to orographic lift early in the storm until upper level jet stream support begins. This will create a time of heavy snowfall throughout the West on Saturday but the exact timing and placement of this snow band is very difficult to nail down. Central and possibly Northern Colorado could do very well off of this snow band but we will have to wait and see. Temperatures throughout Utah and Colorado will be on the warmer side but this will not be the case in Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. The swath of Pacific moisture will hit the Arctic airmass in place over the north-central US creating heavy accumulations through Saturday. This is just the tip of the iceberg so click over to the Utah and Colorado Daily Snow for the nitty-gritty details. 

This weekend's storm track, according to the American GFS, will push east through California on Friday and into the inner West on Saturday. Source: Meteostar, analysis by OpenSnow. 

Upper Midwest

COLD, that is once again the main headline for the Upper Midwest as we look into the weekend. Temperatures will struggle to get out of the negatives this weekend behind a massive Arctic airmass that is currently parked over south-central Canada. A clipper system will move through the region on Saturday which could ignite a very weak lake effect snow but the totals will be light at best. Andrew Murray will have all the details in The Upper Midwest Daily Snow. 

Departure from normal temperatures on Sunday. Source: WeatherBell.com

Northeast

Beginning on Saturday, a weak clipper system will make it's way into the Northeast providing light snowfall throughout much of the region. Totals will be light with the higher elevated resorts likely coming away with the best accumulations. Below average temperatures will persist throughout the weekend. Brian and Justin will break it all down in the New England and Mid-Atlantic Daily Snow. 

When you're up on the hill this weekend post pictures and updates using "LiveSnow", one of the features of our FREE iPhone and Android app.

Always check our Powder Finder and the forecasts for each mountain throughout the weekend for more details.

Sam Collentine | OpenSnow

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