After last weekend's epic powder dump at several Washington ski resorts, many skiers and snowboarders in the Puget Sound region are undoubtedly itching to hit the slopes. The snow gods won't be quite as generous this weekend, but the steady snowfall expected Friday-Sunday should make for some decent early-season turns.
Here's how the snow forecast is shaping up for this weekend:
Summit at Snoqualmie: Summit Central is scheduled to open Friday; Summit West opened last week. Light snowfall is expected Thursday and Friday, with little accumulation. Things should pick up a bit this weekend, with a total of 1 to 3 inches expected Saturday and 2 to 4 inches predicted for Sunday. High temperatures will hover right around freezing. Depth is 35 inches at the base of Summit West. (Complete forecast here.)
Crystal Mountain: Similar forecast to Snoqualmie. Little or no snow accumulation expected until Saturday (1 inch) and Sunday (2-4 inches). On Saturday, a south-southwest wind of 10 to 15 mph, with gusts up to 25 mph, is expected. High temperatures will be in the mid to upper 20s. Depth is 35 inches at base and 62 inches at the summit. (Complete forecast here.)
Stevens Pass: Night operations start Friday and will continue through the weekend. Forecast calls for light snowfall Thursday and Friday, before things pick up on Saturday. Accumulations of 1-2 inches expected during the day Saturday, followed by another 2 to 4 inches overnight and 1 to 3 inches on Sunday. High temperatures around 30 degrees, with light winds of 3 to 5 mph on Saturday. Snow depth is 66 inches at the base and 73 inches at the top. (Complete forecast here.)
Mt. Baker Ski Area: The forecast calls for 1 to 3 inches Thursday night and another inch or so on Friday. Into the weekend, 1 to 3 inches are expected on Saturday, 3 to 5 inches Saturday night, and an additional 3 to 5 inches on Sunday. High temperatures in the upper 20s with wind of 7 to 14 mph on Saturday. Base snow depth is 92 inches at Heather Meadows and a whopping 115 inches at Pan Dome. (Complete forecast here.)
White Pass Ski Area: Snow showers expected Friday to Sunday. Little to no accumulation until Saturday (1 inch) and Sunday (1 to 3 inches). High temperatures around 30 degrees with winds of 3 to 6 mph Friday and 10 to 14 mph Saturday. Depth is 32 inches at the base and 60 inches at the summit. (Complete forecast here.)
Mission Ridge: Seven-day-a-week operations begin Friday. Snow likely all weekend, but accumulations will top out around 1-2 inches. High temperatures in the low 20s. Depth is 31 inches midway up the mountain and 43 inches at the summit. (Complete forecast here.)
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Are you heading up to the mountain this weekend? What's your plan? Tell us in the comments section.
