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7-Day Snow Forecast:

Just when it seemed as if spring had really taken hold, a significant storm has entered the picture for the Rockies later this week, in the Wednesday to Saturday timeframe.

The storm will slow down as it moves from north to south with ski resorts near/east of the Continental Divide and across Colorado and Southern Utah favored for the deepest snow totals. The Canadian Rockies (Banff and Lake Louise) will also see a couple of rounds of snow this week. 

Forecast for Mon (Apr 14) to Tue (Apr 15):

A weaker storm will move across Northern BC and Alberta with light snow expected, while heavier snow will fall to the north in Alaska. The Western U.S. will see a warmer and drier pattern overall. However, an area of low pressure off the West Coast will help to generate scattered light afternoon showers and thunderstorms over the Sierra and Southern Rockies with high snow levels expected. 

In the Midwest, a stronger storm will bring heavy snow to parts of Ontario with light to moderate snow for northern portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.

In the East, rain will fall across the Northeast and New England initially, but a changeover to snow will occur across the higher terrain on Tuesday night. Ahead of the cold front, severe thunderstorms are possible across the Mid-Atlantic (West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland) on Monday. 

Forecast for Wed (Apr 16) to Thu (Apr 17):

A stronger storm will develop over the Northern and Central Rockies with areas near and east of the Divide in Montana and Wyoming favored for heavy snow. By Thursday night, snowfall will begin to pick up over Northern Colorado and a band of heavy snow is also projected to set up over Central/Southern Utah. 

As a trough moves into California and phases together with the Rockies storm, moisture will also increase over the Southern Sierra Nevada Range with moderate to heavy snow possible at Mammoth, while Tahoe is only expected to see light snow on the northern fringe.

In the East, snow showers will linger across Northern New England on Wednesday with dry conditions expected on Thursday. 

Forecast for Fri (Apr 18) to Sat (Apr 19):

The storm will stall over the Southern Rockies with heavy snow expected across Colorado, while light to moderate snow will remain possible in surrounding states. To the north, a storm will bring light snow to the Canadian Rockies with heavier snow over Southeast Alaska.

The East will see a warmer and wetter pattern with rain expected on both Friday and Saturday. 

Outlook for Sun (Apr 20) to Thu (Apr 24):

Next week looks fairly active across the West with a cooler airmass taking hold, while storms will generally track in a northwest-to-southeast trajectory, favoring the Northwest and the Rockies. The Canadian Rockies may see some of the deepest snow totals in this pattern. 

In the East, temperatures are expected to warm up significantly compared to the past couple of weeks as a ridge builds over the region. However, frequent rounds of rain and thunderstorms are also expected. 

Thanks so much for reading! Next update on Wednesday (April 16).

Alan Smith 

NEW: Forecast Range Graphs

You can now view individual forecasts from global and regional high-resolution weather models in OpenSnow. This includes forecasts from the GFS, ECMWF, HRRR, and ICON models, as well as the OpenSnow blend.

The graphs give you a behind-the-scenes look at the forecast and make it easier to see if the forecast models are in tight agreement or if there is a wide range of potential outcomes over the next 10 days.

Note: This is currently only available in the OpenSnow iOS app and website (OpenSnow.com). Android will be available soon.

Getting Started

1. Go to any location screen.
2. Scroll down under "Weather" or "Snow Summary".
3. Tap "View Interactive Chart" in the app.
4. Adjust the model, timeframe, or data view.

Why is the Forecast Range helpful?

Understand if there is high or low confidence in the forecast. If all models show a similar forecast, there is higher confidence in the forecast, and vice versa.

Dig into the details. If you have experience looking at weather model data and trust certain models or higher-resolution models, you'll be able to isolate your favorite data.

View → Forecast Range Graphs