If you're looking to chase powder, the decision Is easy between Montana, Wyoming, and northern Colorado. Light snow is already falling over the Madison Range in Montana near Big Sky. Snow will increase late Thursday night or early Friday morning over the central panhandle of Idaho (Ski Lookout), and areas east of Missoula (MT Snowbowl) extending down into most of southern Montana and northern Wyoming. Areas in northern Montana (Whitefish) will see lighter amounts as well as northern Idaho. Some spots in the Washington Cascades will score 4-8 inches (Stevens or Baker are favored). 

Heavier snowfall is likely in the Rockies from Missoula through the Madison Ranges near Bridger and Big Sky during the day Friday at snowfall rates of 2 inches per hour. Expect double digits in many of these areas by 11 AM Friday. Missoula area mountains (Snowbowl) might see double digits by 9 AM Friday. The Tetons won't be far behind with most snow falling from 3 AM Friday to 5 PM, then continuing at a slower pace. Areas toward Teton Pass or JHMR might be favored over GT due to SW winds but both areas should do well. There will likely be as much snow at Snow King or in the town of Jackson as in the lower elevations of the ski area. The Wasatch range is too far south Friday with the exception of the Logan area mountains near Beaver Mountain (A good chance to check out a family-run ski area) that might squeak out 4-8 inches (Wildcard).

Further south in Utah, the Ogden areas mountains might see 3-5 inches. A few models show an outside chance of 4-9 inches for the Cottonwoods by Saturday morning (Wildcard) as snow picks up in the central Wasatch range Friday night with Saturday morning likely decent. That system hits Colorado mid-morning Friday and peaks through Friday evening. In Colorado, there is a strong emphasis on areas north of I-70, especially Rabbit Ears Pass, and Steamboat, with RMNP and WP solid wildcards. Ride deepish pow for Friday morning and deeper on Saturday. 

Bottom Line: Decent totals for Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and northern Colorado. Timing is not perfect for huge overnight totals Thursday-Friday but areas will catch up during the day. Northern Montana near Missoula or the Central Idaho Panhandle stands the chance of the deepest Thursday night dump. Temps are moderating with the moisture (-8C at 10K) and will skyrocket down for Saturday or Sunday (-25C). It is still not 100% certain on who wins this match between southern Montana and the Tetons with some models suggesting lower totals. This could be a Thursday overnight and Friday day period of 4-8 and 4-8 (Day) with slower timing but hopefully, both end up with 12-15 inches by 3 PM Friday. Higher confidence for central Montana where higher totals fall Thursday night. It will be bitter cold by Saturday PM and certainly Sunday in Wyoming and Montana. Utah could sneak up Friday night to Saturday. Some resorts in Central or southern Montana might exceed 18-24 inches by late Saturday. The Tetons will also do well with slighter lower amounts. 

Snow continues with another wave of moisture hitting the northern areas of Idaho (Schweitzer) by Friday night which will continue snowfall for most of Montana (Northern areas might do better on this one) and trickle into southern zones and most of Wyoming. Light snow continues for the Tetons into Saturday adding another 5-9 inches of pow. The Wasatch range might do better for Saturday morning's 4-8 inch totals from Friday night. Storm totals through Saturday afternoon will likely exceed 3 feet in some areas in the Northern Rockies with the steady slow chug of moisture that begins Thursday night, peaks Friday and continues somewhat into Saturday. 

Below: OpenSnow ensembles at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort , comparing the Euro and GFS with the mean in black. Total moisture is on the right with dates and time at the bottom. Generally 1.5 inches of moisture is likely through Saturday with timing a bit stubborn until early Friday versus late Thursday night onset (.5 inches of moisture noted by 2PM Friday). Slow build up likely peaking Friday versus a big overnight dump. Expect 3-6 inches for Friday wake up calls and higher totals by late Friday and early Saturday. The peak blue lines noted below are during the day Friday. 

The additional snow that falls this weekend in the northern PNW will trickle south into the Sierra for Sunday (Moderate system) and likely weaken with its eastward progression over the Rockies. This will increase snowfall for the central Wasatch range from Sunday night into Monday. Decaying moisture will also drop south into the 4 corners but it's likely amounts won't be significant in these regions. 

Below: Storm #2 drops south over the Sierra and eventually over the 4 corners Sunday-Tuesday which could bring a shot of snowfall to areas in California (Moderate event) late this weekend and the Wasatch Range (Monday) This system weakens as it moves south and east so might not produce big numbers, especially in the 4 corners as it seems moisture starved. 

Below: That system drops south into Mexico by mid-next week with some high pressure noted in the far west. 

Below: Total snowfall through Monday for the west. You can see the strong northerly influence that mainly occurs by Friday night, with the next storm skirting south over the Sierra and 4 corners Sunday/Monday. 

Beyond that period there are signals of some weak storms for the PNW towards the end of next week that might continue at times into the first week of February. Nothing looks that strong, and the Rockies might end up taking a bit of a reprieve from deep pow. 

Please follow my travel adventure on Instagram @powderchasersteve for the latest updates in chasing powder and international street photos. 

See you on first chair Friday. 

PCS