…at least for a few days as cold temps look to be entering the region from Tuesday night into Friday morning. There’s even some light snow chances for Tuesday morning around the region. Read on to find out where and when…
It’s 5am and 7° here in Vail this morning. 12″ of snow is in the forecast for this afternoon and into Monday and locally higher amounts of snow could fall. Winter storm Frona needs to pass the word to her friends in high places to press eastward and south to allow some of those colder temps and snow into the Southeast and mid Atlantic as this prolonged pattern that we’re in has gone on way too long.
The good news is that it seems that our ski mountain communities have just one more day or so to exhibit some patience and colder temps are on the way. Those cold temps should bring around-the-clock snowmaking from tonight through Thursday night (January 1st) and those snowmaking ops will make for much improved conditions and more trail openings.
Get out and enjoy the slopes Monday-Friday…and we’ll update you as we get a bit closer to the weekend.
CROWDS LOOKED GOOD ON SATURDAY
We looked around at the webcams yesterday and from what we saw around the region there were pretty good crowds at most of the resorts. Those with very few trails open were hurting to say the least. We saw brisk crowds at most of the resorts so while no attendance records are going to be broken…it appears that the weekend crowds were decent.
There are some CRAZY-MILD temps happening around the region this morning. Cold air is on the way – but check out some of these morning temps.
Sugar Mountain this morning…
Sugar Mountain – 48° at their summit and 54° at the base. I’m posting Sugar’s report first because frankly they’ve been doing the best job of reporting conditions lately. While most resorts have shown NO base depth drops and while some have even been reporting “packed powder” conditions – Sugar has more accurately been showing some drops in base coverage and reported the conditions as wet, loose, etc. TODAY they are reporting a 20-60″ base with Loose and Frozen Granular conditions and 11 slopes open as well as ice skating and tubing for day and night sessions.
Wintergreen – They too have been reflecting some base drops and they are still looking good with a base of 14-24″ and 12 of 26 trails open. Snow tubing and terrain parks are all open for day and night sessions. Wintergreen posted, “Next snowmaking opportunity arrives Monday night along with an extended period of normal cold and the possibility of some natural snow.”
Snowshoe Mountain – 38° – Groomed conditions and 37 trails open with Upper and Lower Cupp Run OPEN.
I’m REALLY liking the new Silvercreek webcam and as you can see to the right, conditions look pretty nice there this morning!
28-48″ of base and they offer their usual good terrain park features as well. The have some rain in the forecast for today but then from tomorrow through Thursday night things look good for around the clock snowmaking and that will only make things even better for the region’s largest ski resort.
Winterplace – 43° with on and off showers today. They are looking pretty good as far as conditions are concerned with 21 of 27 trails open for day and night sessions. Snowmaking ops from Tuesday night through Friday morning and maybe some natural snow Tuesday AM.
Wisp Resort – 39° – 10 slopes open along with tubing, ice skating and mountain coaster for day and night sessions.
Beech Mountain – 48° – 10 slopes open for day & night sessions and ice skating is open as well. Beech is looking at some rain today and into Monday, but then around the clock snowmaking and even some chances of light snow on Tuesday.
Canaan Valley – 44° with the same 12 trails open as well as ice skating and snow tubing fun for day and night sessions. After some rain showers today things look good for snowmaking Tuesday night through Thursday night with clear skies through the period.
Timberline – 44° – Ditto the forecast for great snowmaking temps Tuesday night into Friday morning. Timberline is reporting wet granular conditions on 13 of 41 trails and they are open for day and night sessions.
Massanutten – 49° and some rain showers are in the forecast, but SNOW my enter the picture on Tuesday along with lows in the low 20s Tuesdat night into Thursday night. Snowmaking will be in full force. Right now Massanutten is operating with 6 slopes and snow tubing for both day and night sessions.
Bryce Resort – 45° – 6 slopes open, snow tubing and they are open for day and night sessions. Cold temps appear in their forecast Tuesday evening and that should allow for some snowmaking into Thursday night.
Appalachian – 55° – They look pretty good with lots of snow base and 9 trails open for day and night sessions as well as ice skating.
Cataloochee – 50° – Still operating with 11 trails and plenty of base depth. Tubing is open and they are open for skiing, snowboarding and tubing for day and night sessions. Looking at the forecast Cat may get 2-3 days of snowmaking temps and mostly at night to make snow.
Sapphire Valley – 48° – Sapphire is closed for skiing and somehow still open for tubing although it’s looking pretty rough with rain in the forecast today through Monday. They MAY get two nights of snowmaking in Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
Wolf Ridge – 49° and rain – They are open with 2 slopes and tubing today and tonight. Looks like Wolf should be able to make some snow Tuesday night into Thursday and that will be great for the Mars Hill ski area as they’ve just not had the weather.
Ober Gatlinburg – 50° – The good news here is that it doesn’t appear that the Smokies resort will see much in the way of rain in the forecast; but they may also not get in any snowmaking with the exception of Wednesday evening. They are operating 2 slopes with an 8-10″ base and ice skating and tubing are open as well.
The Homestead – 48° – We’re assuming they’ll operate the same 2 slopes today.
Check out the FULL SNOW REPORT HERE and check out ALL OF THE SKI WEB CAMS feel free to drop me an email with your thoughts and reactions at: [email protected]