Current Conditions:

View → Jackson Hole and Teton Area Snow Report

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View → 10-Day Snow and Weather Forecast

New snowfall as of Thursday morning includes 7 inches on the upper mountain, 5 inches at mid-mountain, and 2 inches at the base. Nearby snow totals include 5-7 inches at Grand Targhee, 2 inches at Snow King, and 2 inches at Togwotee Pass.

Forecast for Thursday - Friday:

A lull in the action is occurring early on Thursday morning, but the next storm will quickly arrive with snow picking back up by late Thursday morning. 

The next storm continues to look good with more energy than Wednesday's storm, favorable west/southwest flow, and cold air aloft which will result in high snow to liquid ratios. 

Snow will fall heavily on Thursday afternoon and evening, then will taper off to lighter rates but continue from late Thursday night into early Friday evening (longer duration than previously expected).

I'm upping my storm total snow forecast to 10-20 inches for mid to upper mountain. For the shorter-range breakdown, we'll see roughly 3-7 inches during the day on Thursday, 3-7 inches on Thursday night, and 3-6 inches from Friday morning through Friday evening. 

The lower mountain will see a storm total of 3-8 inches of snow during this time. I also expect similar totals at Grand Targhee though they may see a higher proportion of snowfall on Friday compared to Jackson Hole with winds aloft out of the west rather than west/southwest. 

Look for conditions to continue improving on the slopes throughout the day on Thursday as the new snow adds up, but be prepared for possible Sublette closures due to high winds (the summit weather station is seeing wind gusts of 60-70 mph early this morning).

Friday will offer the deepest conditions on the slopes and winds will be lighter as well compared to Thursday. Be patient during the morning hours as there may be delays due to avalanche control, and of course, holiday crowds will be a factor. 

Forecast for Saturday - Monday:

Cold and dry conditions can be expected to ring in the New Year following a shot of arctic air on Friday night in the wake of the Thursday-Friday storm.

New Year's Day on Saturday will be bitterly cold with lows starting out below zero and highs only reaching the low to mid-single digits above zero at all elevations.

On Sunday and Monday, an inversion will develop and strengthen with continued frigid temperatures in the valley and at the base of the resort, while temperatures will warm up above the base. Our OpenSnow forecast is predicting a high of 14 at mid-mountain on Sunday and 20 on Monday, so plan on hitting the slopes on both days to escape the valley cold. 

Teton Pass Highway 22 Travel Forecast:

Road surfaces are slick and snow-packed on Thursday morning with strong winds and blowing snow leading to reduced visibility. High impact travel conditions can be expected throughout Thursday and Friday with the worst of the conditions expected on Thursday afternoon and evening with heavy snowfall rates and strong winds resulting in areas of blowing snow with near whiteout conditions possible.

Snowfall rates and winds will be lighter on Friday compared to Thursday, but slick/snow-packed roads and blowing snow can still be expected with periods of poor visibility, and the storm now looks to persist into Friday evening as well. 

Dry conditions with clearing skies and lighter winds can be expected from Saturday through Monday, but very cold temperatures will continue to result in slick roads and patchy fog could reduce visibility at times, especially in the mornings. 

A more active pattern remains on track for January 4th-8th with three (back to back to back) storms possible during this timeframe. 

The first storm will be arriving from the northwest and the others should take somewhat similar paths from the west or west/northwest.

It's too early to get into the details of individual storms, but this pattern looks promising with the potential for significant snow totals to add up over this 5-day period. 

From January 9th-13th, confidence is increasing that a ridge of high pressure will build in from the south and southwest – although just how strong or persistent of a ridge is uncertain. We may continue to see weaker storms at times during this period, but strong storms are unlikely.

Thanks so much for reading! Next update on Saturday (1/1).

ALAN SMITH