[Forecast courtesy of Powderchasers]
7 DAY POWDER FORECAST=SNOW SNOW SNOW -CASCADES-NORTH ROCKIES-SIERRA WILDARD
November is shaping up very nicely for areas of the Cascades, Montana, Tetons, interior Canada, Idaho, and some isolated areas in Colorado. A foot of new snow fell on Steamboat Resort in the past few days, 22″ at Mount Bachelor, and almost a foot at both Crystal and Stevens Pass. Bachelor may be leading the pack with 61 inches YTD.
Related:Â 2018 Winter Weather Forecast | Long Range Prediction From NOAA
The week ahead continues to show an unsettled pattern impacting the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia and extending into the northern Rockies. The Sierra will get some action late this week (North of Interstate 80) with better odds of a decent dump early next week! Central Idaho is on our short list for deep snow late this week which will migrate over the Tetons Friday/Saturday. The Alps also received significant snow with up to 90 CM being reported in many locations! Next week looks unsettled and perhaps deep for many areas of the West!
Short Term Forecast:
Colorado
Low pressure is filling back in over most of Colorado this evening with light to moderate snow falling over Loveland Pass, Steamboat, and areas from Vail south into the San Juans. Snow will continue to fall lightly into Tuesday morning. Some highlights may include the southern San Juans of Colorado (Purgatory, Wolf Creek, Northern New Mexico) Snow showers will linger into Tuesday over much of Colorado so expect a wide are of an additional 2-7 inches in many spots from north/central zones to some isolated pockets in the south. Below is a look at total snowfall over the past few days at Steamboat Ski area updated at 9PM tonight MST. Most snow will taper off Tuesday morning.
Cascades/Sierra
The Pacific Northwest will benefit with a new system moving ashore Wednesday-Friday . Currently light or moderate snow is likely over the entire Cascade range under Easterly flow midweek (Not ideal for most ski areas and could favor the E. Cascades like Mission Ridge) with a switch to westerly flow late week. Moderate or low end heavy amounts are possible especially southern zones of the Cascades late Thursday/Friday (Crystal, White Pass). Oregon may end up being chase worthy Friday/Saturday that should land decent dumps along the crest of the south Cascade Ranges from Timberline to Bachelor.
Models for Whistler Blackcomb are looking deep with slightly colder air and good orographics into into the weekend (12″ +). All areas of the Northwest will see snowfall with our best chase for deepness being BC and the mountain zones of Oregon. WA resorts will continue to see light to moderate snowfall. That system makes it into the northern Sierra range late Thursday and should put down moderate snow along or north of Interstate 80. Areas south of I-80 will see much lower amounts. It’s a wildcard at this point and will dependent on how far the system moves south. We expect Sugar Bowl to be a decent bet and spots north of the interstate will see the the highest amounts. Next week may land deeper Sierra snow so keep reading!
Northern Rockies:
Moisture from the Pacific streams west over most of Idaho and the Tetons late this week. Some spots in central Idaho may nab 10-15 inches by late Saturday. Brundage, Tamarack, and even Schweitzer will do very well in the next 5-10 days! The Tetons are another sure bet for Friday/Saturday with an additional 7-10 inches Friday through Saturday. Amounts may be upgraded as we get closer to the weekend. With southwest or westerly wind directions its possible that Jackson Hole edges out Targhee this weekend?
EXTENDED POWDER CAST:
A strong low pressure system with colder temperatures will slam into the Pacific Northwest late this weekend into early next week! Current model date takes decent moisture through the Cascades into a good portion of the Sierra early next week! Moisture will then stream east over the north/central Rockies with perhaps the Wasatch getting onboard as well as better odds of a return to snowfall for Colorado (early next week). The northern Rockies (Tetons, Idaho) are also in good position. Models that far out will change! I’m only giving you a peak at the future for your powder dreams.
Another system moves in to the PNW on the heals of the late weekend system so continued moisture in the west is possible next week. We may see several feet of total snowfall over the next 7-10 days in some spots of the west! My chase picks will be focussed in the PNW and perhaps the Northern Rockies. Please sign up for Powder Alerts at www.powderchasers.com . Visit our Facebook and Instagram pages!
– Powderchaser Steve 10PM MST November 6, 17
*Please feed our hungry forecast bank here to keep our Pow Cast going. See you on the slopes soon.
NEW donation program where we have partnered with Point 6 socks (Top of the line merino) for ski socks for all donations $50 or more. These socks are sweet and Powderchasers top pick ($25 value).
Donate here: Powderchasers Fund
7 DAY POWDER FORECAST=SNOW SNOW SNOW -CASCADES-NORTH ROCKIES-SIERRA WILDARD, 10.0 out of 10 based on 1 rating