Good storm for the Central Appalachians

A powerful storm in the East resulted in the first significant snow of the season across the Central Appalachians along with cold temperatures (good for snowmaking), following weeks of above-average warmth. The mountains of Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Western North Carolina received heavy snow, and things are looking up for ski resorts in this region as they prepare to open for the season. Here is a snowy scene from Seven Springs, Pennsylvania on Tuesday afternoon.

Forecast for Wed, Dec 2 – Thu, Dec 3

Snow will linger across portions of the East into Wednesday, mainly in the lake effect regions of Western New York and Northwest Pennsylvania. Light snow will fall across portions of Colorado and New Mexico early on Wednesday as well. Northwest BC and Alaska will be hit with more heavy snow on Wednesday and Thursday, courtesy of an Atmospheric River. 

Forecast for Fri, Dec 4 – Sun, Dec 6

Over the weekend, a storm will impact the East from Friday night through Sunday, though question marks remain regarding the track of the storm and who will be favored the most as models are in poor agreement at this time. Most areas in the Appalachians will see snowflakes fall at some point over the weekend, and some areas in the Northeast could see heavy snow. Out west, the pattern will continue to favor Alaska and Northwest British Columbia.

Forecast for Mon, Dec 7

Light snow could linger into Monday across the Northeast on the tail end of the weekend system. Out West, the storm track will begin to shift southward with precipitation reaching Southwest British Columbia, but high snow levels will result in rain for most ski areas. Fortunately, that should change in the days to follow.

Outlook for Tue, Dec 8 – Sat, Dec 12

The East will continue to be favored for additional snow chances along with favorable snowmaking conditions during this period. Out west, British Columbia will see more favorable temperatures (lower snow levels) and frequent storms as well. By later in this period (December 10th-12th), a storm is also likely across the Western U.S. favoring the Pacific Northwest and the Rockies.

Thanks so much for reading! Check back for my next post on Friday, December 4th.

ALAN SMITH

Sign up for our new Group Subscription through December 31st and you'll be automatically entered to win a pair of Black Crows Atris or Atris Birdie Skis.

Once you sign up, you can invite 3 friends or family members. Each group member will have their own list of favorite mountains and snow alerts, along with 15+ other All-Access features.

Sign Up & Enter To Win