A little terrain park action at Schweitzer on Tuesday. (Courtesy Schweitzer Mountain Resort)

Light snow is forecast at Lookout and Silver on Wednesday morning, with 2-3" expected. A cold front will bring a new round of moisture to the Panhandle Mountains on Thursday, hitting Schweitzer first with 4" forecast on Thursday, another 2-4" Thursday night, and then a second wave of snow is forecast to occur on the backside of the cold front, delivering 3-6" Friday and Friday night. Silver and Lookout are not forecast to get as much snow quantity with the storm cycle, but 3-5" are possible, maybe more. There's an 80 percent chance of continued snow through Saturday, so the snow is going to pile up each day, little by little. Temperatures stay cold, with highs in the 20s and lows in the low teens.

Canadian ensemble snow forecast through Sunday, Dec. 11

In Central and Southern Idaho, sunshine or partly cloudy skies will prevail through Thursday during the day, with some inversion fog in the morning. A cold front will bring snowfall on Thursday night, packing potentially a significant powder punch by Friday morning at Bogus Basin, Brundage Mountain and Tamarack (opening on Saturday). 7-15" are forecast at Brundage and Tamarack, and 6-11" at Bogus Basin. And then it keeps snowing on Saturday. Temperatures remain cold and winter-like, with highs in the 20s and lows in the teens. 

Soldier and Sun Valley also should get in on the fun with upwards of 20" forecast Thursday night through Sunday. Models are in disagreement on the snow amounts, but that's the upside. South of the Snake River, the storms should hit Magic, Pomerelle, Pebble Creek and Kelly Canyon over the weekend, with more than 12" possible.

 
European ensemble forecast is stronger for Kelly Canyon and E. Idaho than the Canadian. 

Anyway you look at it, it's going to be a snowy end of the week through the weekend, with new snow every day. That should make for excellent skiing/riding everywhere! 

Continued unstable weather is forecast moving into next week. 

European ensemble weather model is showing a deep low pressure trough digging deep into California, extending north into Idaho, Nevada and Utah. That bodes well for more storms and cold weather to continue next week. 

Thanks for reading! 

My next forecast will be on Thursday, Dec. 8. 

Steve Stuebner, Idaho Daily Snow 

Lookout Pass reopens Friday this weekend through Monday. Three lifts will be in operation. 32 trails open, 19 groomed. 18" base at the bottom, 28" on top. New Eagle quad is expected to open in mid-December.  

Schweitzer Mountain is open 7 days a week. 5 lifts in operation, 43 trails and 2 parks. 37-44" base. Lakeview Triple opened Friday, Dec. 2, and the Great Escape quad opened Saturday, Dec. 3.   

Silver Mountain is operating on Friday-Sunday for now. Chairs 1, 2, 3, 5 and Prospector are in operation. 43 trails open, 14 of them are groomed. 28" base at the lodge, 39" at the summit.     

Sun Valley is operating daily. 65 trails open, 31 groomed, 7 lifts operating on the River Run side of the mountain. 34" base at the bottom, 40" on top. Wood River xc trails are open! See more details here. Dollar Mountain opens on Dec. 9. 

Sawtooth Avalanche Center has the latest backcountry conditions for the greater Sun Valley and Sawtooth areas. 

Bogus Basin is operating 7 days a week. The backside lifts, Superior and Pine Creek opened on Saturday for the season. 10 of 10 lifts operating; 79 of 90 runs are open. Base depth 30." Night skiing begins on Dec. 9. Nordic trails are open.    

Brundage Mountain is operating 7 days a week. 34 of 70 trails open. Three of six lifts operating. Easy Street chair is open, but Bear Chair is closed while electric motor is in the shop. Snow base is 27" at the bottom and 43-45" at the summit.   

Tamarack Resort is opening for skiing/riding on Friday, Dec. 9. Tamarack Express, Summit Express and Discovery lifts will be running. Wildwood lift is not open yet. The main terrain park will be open on Lower Showtime and beginner terrain park on the Discovery lift. Tam Nordic trails are open and groomed for xc skiing.  

Little Ski Hill plans to open Dec. 17. Bear Basin xc ski area is half-groomed and open for Nordic skiing and snowshoeing. See McCall Nordic for conditions at all the xc ski areas in Valley County. 

Payette Avalanche Center begins avalanche forecasts on Dec. 9. 

Pomerelle is open for weekend operations. Night skiing begins on Dec. 27. 3 lifts in operation. Most ski trails are open and one park is open. 

Soldier Mountain is operating on Thursday-Sunday leading up to the Christmas holiday. 20" base. Two lifts in operation plus magic carpet. 7 of 36 trails open.  

Kelly Canyon is open Wednesday-Sunday. Check hours of operation on the web site. 

Magic Mountain plans to open on Dec. 10. 

Pebble Creek plans to open Dec. 16.