A milder and stronger storm with close to 1" of precipitable water and 1/2 to 1 foot of snow for 49N, Mt Spokane, and Schweitzer today and tonight, is moving into the Northwest US. Roughly 1/2 foot of snow is expected to Lookout Pass, then more snow there into tomorrow/ Monday. Snow levels are expected to be near 4,000 feet (resort base elevations) under a southwest wind flow across the mountains, and a moisture tap from the subtropics.

Monday looks like we should see some sunshine as we are mostly between storms, but snow lingers for Lookout Pass. Monday night, we are seeing snow again. This storm moves in more from the west, with a strong pressure gradient and very strong winds expected on Tuesday and Tuesday night, under strong jet stream dynamics, when 1 to 2 feet of snow are expected across the regions resorts. Snow levels will be a close call, up above resort bases at times near 5,000+ feet, so some rain is expected at times at base elevations. If the jet stream ends up a bit more south, snow levels will be lower.

Wednesday we see clouds clearing and cool temperatures from 49N to Schweitzer, and lingering snow for Lookout Pass, with fresh new snow to ski and board on Wednesday under now building high pressure ridging aloft and exiting low pressure/ moisture/ dynamics, and decreasing winds... By Thursday we are squarely under high pressure ridging aloft, with milder temperatures and less wind expected, though a quick shot of snow moves through Thursday afternoon through overnight.

LONGER RANGE: Friday and through the weekend (21st - 23rd) we expect a couple of low pressure systems to move through with potential snowfall, looking light to moderate at this point, but MORE snow nonetheless. Right now probably 2-5" of snow from each storm is the best bet, but of course we will monitor and update. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day a stronger and possibly juicier storm moves through the area with a better shot of heavier snow just in time for these days off. A couple of days later around the 27th-29th, another couple of storms may move through with a last blast of snow before a potential 2 week down time under high pressure ridging and dry/ milder conditions. By the 10th-15th of January we should be back into a regular storm cycle... CM

It has been a while since we updated this outlook. When paying full attention to any area we forecast for, which I have been watching weather patterns for (the western US also) since the 1970's, I put my forecasts of weather events/ timing/ snow totals up against any, especially in the long range. We gained quite a reputation for our Tahoe and Utah forecasts over a span of almost 15 years, gaining the attention of TV stations who used the forecasts with no mention of source, a movie financier who wanted me to be a part of a "think tank" group of professionals, radio stations, etc. Even major growers/ ag interests were using these free forecasts (for the longer range accuracy of weather event timing and significance), as an accurate long range forecaster is the equivalent of a "fortune teller", as told to me by the movie financier. There are competitors who charge for their info, and we do not, even though our information is a paid service in other formats we continue to deliver to agriculture customers to this day (Circa 1995). As I stated, I put my forecasts up against anyone else's in the area.

We gave out over $50,000 in SWAG (lodging, tickets, passes, gear, even Nativa Naturals food) from 2009-2011, stuff we couldn't even afford to buy ourselves, to many people from SFO and SAC, TVL area. If you check my bio you will see my story, there is a LOT more to it than what I am typing here.

I have received many emails due to the missing updates. The answer is, we have not had any support from advertisers, resorts, anyone in this region since around 2013. I continued on with the forecasting hoping for some support in the form of advertising or sponsorship, but it didn't happen, and I do not know anyone else who works for free.

That said, I would like to get these forecast outlooks going again-->

I never charged the site user for this service. The skier/ snowboarder has enough to pay for with fuel, lift tickets and passes, gear, life, etc., and I feel it is a service that should be provided by the host, the resort, to its visitors, even if in the form of advertising on the site. I have the same awesome, nice traffic as the rest of the snow sports niche sites, but am not going to run Google ads so they can charge $20/ cpm and give us less than a dollar cpm.

That said... I watch Colorado as that is where the business is for me. Recently, Bogus Basin joined the client list and now we work up a complete custom forecast for them as well, with a long range outlook. I will be drawing from that already completed work to deliver you a broad-brush longer range outlook for the western US, for now. I hope it is useful for you:

LONGER RANGE: The 9th-10th of January another low pressure system moves in with good potential snowfall, significant snow for the west coast mainly, less as we move inland, southern areas favored like southwest US areas,The 11-12th (roughly) and then the 13th-20th of January, we expect unsettled conditions to continue dominating the western US (had this forecast for over a month, early Dec forecast for this mid-late Jan time frame), and we expect a prominent moisture tap from the tropics, as El Nino starts to show itself more... So basically, between the 9th and 20th, we expect many more storms to move through with snow for most western US resort areas, down south to including Southern California and even favoring the southwest US as a more southerly track seems more likely... This unsettled period should last into around the 18th-20th of January, then in the last part of Jan and early February (through the 8th of Feb maybe), we start off with a snow down time under more dominant high pressure ridging. More to come. CM