Chase Powder Daily Snow

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By Powderchaser Steve, Forecaster Posted 1 year ago February 3, 2023

15-22 inches for the Sierra with 6-12 in some spots of the Rockies

Summary

A strong storm will bring high-confidence powder to the Sierra from late Saturday through Sunday. That moisture moves east over Idaho and the Rockies from Sunday to Monday. The PNW grabs decent totals up north as well as Whistler.

Update

Several options in the next 3-4 days with the focus being the Sierra ranges from Saturday evening to Sunday afternoon. The models have trended higher since my forecast on Thursday with 2 feet possible above 7,000 feet for many ski areas. The entire Sierra Range will score for freshies on Sunday and terrain openings on Monday. Winds are high risk on Saturday (Upper lifts will shut down) as a strong SW flow cranks gusts into the 90s. Winds remain strong late Saturday night during peak snowfall that could impact snow quality in exposed areas before decreasing a bit Sunday at daybreak (Continued gusts in the 70s at the upper peaks as snow continues). Wind shift to the NW will decrease winds even further late AM or early PM Sunday so it's likely some lifts open in the afternoon that were closed in the AM.  Bottom Line: Good storm totals. Comes in warm with denser snow, finishing colder on Sunday in late AM or early PM. Timing is decent with overnight snow into Sunday morning however peak snowfall might come from 5 AM Sunday to noon so you might not be riding the storm total until midday Sunday or Monday as lifts open. Wind holds are a definite risk Saturday PM and Sunday AM. Choose resorts that have less exposed terrain or are sheltered from S, and SW winds. It's a bit of a gamble on what and when things open. 

Below: Good moisture totals for the Sierra (2 inches) should translate to 2 feet of snow for the higher peaks with 9-13 at the bases (Starts out warm and finishes cold). 

The PNW is back on my radar with a decent storm Friday/Saturday that should bring 9-12 inches to Mt Baker and areas north into Whistler (Storm ski Friday and ride fresh on Saturday). Further south towards the central Cascades (Stevens Pass) in the 3-7 inch range with similar or lower amounts for the southern areas including Oregon. Saturday morning will offer fresh powder and the timing is good. 

In the Rockies and Idaho, the emphasis is on the panhandle near Ski Lookout (Montana border) with decent amounts falling Sunday. Elsewhere moderate snow is likely for the central and southern mountains from Brundage to Sun Valley (Ride Sunday). The Tetons start to tease on Sunday (2-4) and continue into late Sunday night. Storm totals by early Monday in the Tetons appear to be in the 5-11 inch range with less over Big Sky. 

Below: Monday morning precip totals from 1/2 to 3/4 inch of liquid for areas of Idaho and Wyoming. Similar amounts might be found in isolated areas of Utah with a bit of a wildcard on how far south the highest totals land with some models pinpointing central regions near Price. 

If you want to chase to Utah, the Wasatch models show around 3/4 inch of moisture from late Sunday to early Monday. This might bring 6-11 inches of snow to the Cottonwoods, 3-6 elsewhere, and a hint of a band setting up further south over Provo (Sundance). Some models take the deepest totals over central Utah which might decrease the totals for the core ski areas outside SLC. Confidence is high on some snow late Sunday to early Monday with a bit of a wildcard on amounts with areas around Soldier Summit (Near Price) possibly scoring the highest amounts. 

Colorado grabs leftovers from Sunday late PM to Monday. SW flow will push most of the bigger totals west towards Aspen or CB, with light or moderate amounts for the core of the I-70 corridor into Summit and Grand Counties. Wind shift to the NW or West might keep snow showers going in Colorado into Monday night along I-70. Some resorts especially from Glenwood and south (Powderhorn is a wildcard) could see 5-11 inches with less further east. 

In the extended outlook, the PNW grabs another storm that pushes further south into WA and Oregon on Monday. There are several periods of snow next week in the PNW and Canada.  A warm front will hit mid-next week (Rain and snow) followed by a good cold front by Thursday and a return to snow (Chase the cold fronts). The interior of BC will slowly add to its lower snowpack while coastal areas continue to score. 

Below: Total 7-day moisture for the west through Friday, February 10th. You can see a strong emphasis on the PNW and Canada with the Sierra and Rockies powder primarily this weekend into early next week. 

Please follow my Instagram feed if you love POW and travel. @powderchasersteve

About Our Forecaster

Powderchaser Steve

Forecaster

Powderchaser Steve has over 45 years of experience chasing storms based on his weather and local knowledge of resorts on both the East and West Coasts. His snow intel will likely land him at the deepest resort and almost never missing "First Chair" in the process. Follow "The Chase" on OpenSnow to find out where the deepest snow may be falling.

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