Summary
More powder turns will be found on Saturday across much of the south shore of Lake Superior and over in Lower Michigan where lake effect snow has been producing some impressive totals. A brief period of quieter weather is still expected to start next week before rain and snow likely return for the middle portion of the week.
Short Term Forecast
Closing Sunday, March 19:
Otsego, Cascade Mtn, Boyne Highlands, Sundown, Mt. La Crosse, Afton Alps, Mt. Brighton
Resorts Closed:
Swiss Valley, Timber Ridge, Mountain Top, Wilmot, Devil's Head, Coffee Mill, Chester Bowl
Snow Reports & Saturday's Forecast:
Lake effect snow showers continued Friday night and will continue on Saturday for the south shore of Lake Superior and portions of Lower Michigan. New snow between last chair on Friday and first chair Saturday will likely end up in the 4-10"+ range for the south shore of Lake Superior. This will result in some impressive 2-day totals for the UP, with a few resorts possibly exceeding 20".
I expect the winners to end up being the Ironwood resorts including Whitecap, Porkies, Ripley, Bohemia, and Marquette Mtn in the UP. There should be some fresh snow over at Searchmont, though not nearly as much the others since the winds will not be favorable for lake effect snow in that area. The nudge further north really decreased their snow totals. Loch Lomond should also have some impressive two-day totals as there were a few reports near 17" since Friday in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
To the east, as colder air has been pulled south, lake effect/enhanced snow has been ongoing for much of the lake effect snow belts in Lower Michigan with additional snow expected on Saturday, offering some free refills. The highest totals will likely be for resorts near Traverse City and Gaylord where totals from Friday into Saturday PM could sneak into double digits for a few resorts. The lake effect snow showers were very impressive on Friday night and so far Saturday morning on the webcams in Lower Michigan.
Forecast precipitation types from the HRRR model Saturday
Most of the snow will fall during the day on Saturday but lake effect snow showers could linger in lower Michigan, offering a few fresh inches for first chair on Sunday (depending on when lifts stop spinning Saturday night).
As I noted in Friday's forecast, models can struggle with lake effect snow and it can add up quickly with how light and fluffy it can be at times, so don't be surprised if the upper-end totals exceed expectations in a few spots.
Sunday:
Not much has changed for Sunday's forecast - expect a chilly start with lots of sunshine and a seasonable afternoon, with highs in the 30s and 40s for most locations. There could be some lingering lake effect snow showers off of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan Sunday AM, but any accumulations are expected to be minimal.
Extended Forecast
Monday, March 20:
At this time, Monday looks fairly quiet with just a few chances of rain and snow showers for the Midwest. Temperatures are expected to be seasonable for this time of year, with highs in the 30s and 40s for the resorts still spinning chairs.
Tuesday, March 21 - Friday, March 24:
The models continue to point to yet another system (or two?) arriving as early as Tuesday afternoon and lasting into Friday or so.
- About half of the models have 1 larger system while the other half have two systems that bring rain and snow
- Unclear how much cold air there will be around which could impact how much snow vs rain
Look for the next forecast on Monday AM unless something warrants a sooner update. In the meantime, enjoy the powder turns Saturday!
-Croix
Announcements
Road Conditions:
Regions:
North Shore Lake Superior/Northeast Minnesota
Giants Ridge, Spirit Mountain, Mont du Lac, Lutsen, Bearskin, Loch Lomond, Mount Baldy
UP/South Shore Lake Superior/Lake Effect Snow Belt
Birkie, Whitecap, Powderhorn, ABR, Porkies, Snowriver, Ripley, Bohemia, Marquette Mtn, Ski Brule, Pine Mtn, Searchmont
Twin Cities Region
Trollhaugen, Wild Mountain, Powder Ridge, Hyland Hills, Afton Alps, Buck Hill, Welch Village, Mount Kato, Coffee Mill
Central Wisconsin
Granite Peak, Paul Bunyan, Nordic Mtn, Christie
Southern Wisconsin Region
Mt La Crosse, Cascade, Devil's Head, Tyrol, Little Switz, Sunburst, Wilmot, Alpine Valley(WI), Sundown(Iowa), Chestnut(Illinois)
Northern Lower Michigan/Traverse City Region/Lake Effect Snow Belt
Boyne Highlands, Nub's Nob, Boyne Mtn, Shanty Crk, Crystal Mtn, Caberfae, Treetops, Otsego
Southwest Lower Michigan/Grand Rapids Region/Kalamazoo Region/Lake Effect Snow Belt
Cannonsburg, Bittersweet, Timber Ridge, Swiss Valley
Southeast Lower Michigan/Eastern Michigan/Detroit Region
Mt Holly, Pine Knob, Mt Brighton, Alpine Valley(MI)
What's New