POWDER ALERT-SIERRA-ROCKIES
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The Sierra was off the hook today with double digit rewards at most resorts. The winners were Squaw Valley and Kirkwood with 20 and 18 inches in the past 24 hours. Kirkwood was deep as I nabbed 1st chair this morning on lift 6. Heavy snow will break out again Monday evening through Tuesday AM The next storm will be very cold (3,000 foot snow levels), dry density and not quite as deep as the previous. The good news is that it will be all overnight snow so face shots guaranteed. Epic Alert potential will be close! This might be the coldest storm of the the 2014 season? Expect 9-12 inches for opening.
Mount Baker gets the gold metal with over 24 inches in 24 hours! Crystal reported double digits over a 72 hour period. Snow was deep but dense at lower elevations in the Cascades.
The Tetons nabbed over 20 inches in the past 2-3 days with dense deep snow, best at the upper elevations. They continue to break records on snowfall and mystify even the best of us forecasters on “sneak up powder days”. Locals enjoyed good turns for sure up high.
The Wasatch is getting nuked on by cold air NW flow that started around 2PM today. That snow has put down up to 7 inches in the Cottonwoods (As of 8PM), and shows some lake enhancement through this evening. Snow will decrease late tonight. That system is moving into Colorado favoring resorts from I-70 and north. Aspen can sometimes reap rewards with NW flow but my picks would be Steamboat or Vail Most snow will be overnight so get out there Monday AM (3-7 or more).
My Wasatch picks for Monday are Alta, Snowbird, Powder Mountain and The Canyons who reap rewards with NW flow.
Extended: The Sierra storm on Monday night splits into several pieces of energy that will favor areas from the northern Wasatch through to southern Wyoming and perhaps Steamboat. Several waves of energy will bring light to moderate snowfall Tuesday-Thursday. No single deep event but repeated 2-5′s will add up! ) Colorado looks deepest on Thursday and early Friday. The models show target spots as Winter Park, Eldora, and areas along and north of I-70. I am optimistic for some good pow days Thursday or perhaps Friday. The Cascades could see a moderate storm by next weekend?
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Powderchaser Steve