As of this past Monday, it's officially spring, but winter-vibes are going strong across many U.S. and Canadian ski areas. Prolonging this "winter-to-remember", this week's forecast features more storminess and big snow to keep ski season going, particularly out West but also the East at times.
A strong spring storm will churn through the Great Lakes, Northeast, and eastern Canada this weekend, while the Western U.S. and Canada peaks capture multiple waves of Pacific moisture right into next week.
Let's step through the forecast details in SnoCast for March 23-29, 2023.
East
While spring is certainly in the air across the East, there's still plenty of winter hanging on at ski areas. With sunshine and softening, buttery turns, this is a great time to get out and enjoy the remaining days of the season. The image at the top of this article highlights the beauty earlier this week at Bretton Woods in New Hampshire, who will host its spring luau beach party on Saturday the 25th.
In the forecast, Thursday features wet weather, but eyes are already on the weekend when a new storm system is set to move through, delivering all forms of precipitation.
The storm center travels northward through eastern Michigan, delivering 3-6" of snow to northern Michigan Saturday. "Ahead"/East of the storm center, we'll see a burst of snow across upstate New York and New England, followed by a changeover sleet or wet mix Saturday evening. Northern Maine and norther New Hampshire will stay coldest, longest, with the best shot for more than 4" of snow--good news around Bretton Woods, Sunday River, Saddleback, and Sugarloaf. Here's a snap shot of what to expect on Saturday night.
On the backside of the system, colder air filters in once again, which may allow a quick 1-3" of snow to fall on the western "upslope"/windward mountain sides. Watch around the tallest New England points, like Killington, Jay Peak, Whiteface, and Stowe for snow by Sunday. Here's a look at the snow forecast through early Sunday, March 26.
West
A quick perspective and stat check before we delve into the forecast. There are now several ski areas with 700" of snow on the season (shout out Alta, Brighton, and Sugar Bowl). This is 150% to nearly 200% compared to an average season. Not to overshadow, there are also several resorts throughout California and Utah that have blown past their season averages, many over 400-500"+ on the season.
And it ain't over yet.
This week, general "troughiness" persists across the Western U.S. with more mountain snow on the way. While lingering snow hangs at the highest peaks of CA, UT, CO, and WY Thursday before a new cold front marches in from the Pacific Thursday night, triggering renewed snow up and down the Cascades and B.C.'s Coast Range. Snow spreads inland Friday through the weekend for the Northwest, northern Sierra, and northern Rockies.
Highest snow amounts will fall in the southern Washington and Oregon Cascades with 1-2+ feet at the higher passes, and 6-12" down lower. Great news for places like Willamette Pass, Mt. Bachelor, northward to Timberline.
Elsewhere around the West, a general 3-8" will add up through the weekend, with higher amounts near a foot at the peaks of the high Sierra, Utah, and Western Wyoming.
A bit of a lull comes Monday before the next storm plows into the West Coast Tuesday-Wednesday of next week.
Looking Ahead
The temperature and precipitation outlook from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center showed a continued colder and stormier than average pattern for nearly the entire country, particularly (you guessed it) for the Southwest, including California.
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