New terrain is opening, including the Thunderhead Express lift on Friday and the Storm Peak Express lift on Saturday. Despite the lack of natural snow so far this season, Steamboat is working hard to make snow and now has 28 trails open.

Now on Saturday morning, the temperature at the base is in the teens but readings higher up on the hill are in the 20s to low 30s. This temperature inversion (colder temperatures at a lower elevation) is normal when we have a few calm and clear nights because the denser (heavier) cold air sinks into the valley.

Coming up, the weather will be mostly dry through Wednesday. A storm will move close to Colorado this weekend, but unfortunately, it will split as it approaches our state and we will likely only see a few flurries or light snow showers on Sunday and Monday.

The next chance for more significant snow will be on Thursday, December 21st. As long as that storm does not split, it should provide at least a few inches of natural snow. Then there is a chance for a bit more snow as we head toward Christmas Day, though we will need some luck for a southern system and a northern system to come together at just the right time.

Thanks for reading and I'll keep you posted with daily updates!

JOEL GRATZ, Meteorologist at OpenSnow.com