Steamboat and Northern Colorado Enjoy Christmas Powder:

Much of the West has been dry in recent weeks with only light snowfall here and there. However, there have been some exceptions, including a storm that impacted Northern Colorado on Christmas Eve (Sunday). This storm produced 27 inches of snow at Steamboat, much to the delight of holiday skiers and riders. Beaver Creek also picked up 15 inches.

Forecast for Wed (Dec 27) to Thu (Dec 28):

A weak storm will bring rain and snow showers to the Sierra and the Cascades with high snow levels. The storm will produce heavier snowfall further north in BC's Coast Range, but snow levels will be relatively high here as well with rain up to mid-mountain at Whistler. 

The East will be in a wet pattern on Wednesday with widespread rain expected. On the backside of this storm, the Great Lakes region will see a mix of rain and snow showers.

Forecast for Fri (Dec 29) to Sat (Dec 30):

Another weak storm will make landfall in California with moderate snowfall expected in the Sierra Nevada Range along with lower snow levels. The Cascades will only see light rain/snow showers, while further north, a stronger storm will bring heavy snow to Southeast Alaska.

Colder air will filter into the East during this period with terrain-driven showers developing across the Appalachians. Some areas may start as rain, but a transition to snow will occur in the mountains as a colder airmass takes hold. 

Forecast for Sun (Dec 31) to Mon (Jan 1):

Confidence decreases in the pattern for the West as we ring into the New Year. A weak storm is possible but models are all over the place in terms of when and where snow may fall. Across the East, additional weak disturbances will contribute to terrain-driven snow showers. 

Outlook for Tue (Jan 2) to Sat (Jan 6):

The pattern should gradually turn more unsettled next week. Most storms are expected to be on the weaker side, but some areas that haven't seen any snow for a while out West will have a better chance of picking up something at least. 

The East looks to stay in a chilly pattern. There are no major storms expected at this time, but light snow showers are certainly possible at times across the Mid-Atlantic and New England along with favorable snowmaking conditions. 

Thanks so much for reading! Next update on Friday (Dec 29).

Alan Smith 

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