A warm, wet pattern will dominate Thursday into Friday, with rain, fog, and highs in the 60s to lower 70s from the population centers into the mountains. That will be unfavorable for natural snow and could hurt any existing coverage. Drier weather arrives Friday night into the weekend, but Saturday brings another round of rain chances across much of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
The highest elevations offer the only hint of winter weather: Snowshoe and Timberline could see rain changing to rain/snow Friday night, with additional rain/snow chances Saturday as temperatures fall into the upper 30s and lower 40s. Elsewhere, weekend lows generally reach the 30s, creating occasional borderline snowmaking temperatures, but daytime warmth and limited precipitation make this an unimpressive snowmaking setup. Conditions turn drier and seasonably cool Sunday into Monday.
Fresh ski and snowboard stories from around the web, selected daily for DCSki readers.
Mammoth Mountain moved its opening to Thursday, November 5, one day ahead of Mt. Rose, after more than a foot of snow and favorable snowmaking weather. Initial operations will include the Lower Panorama Gondola and Broadway Express, with limited terrain expanding as conditions allow.
Read at POWDERVail Resorts and activist shareholder Oasis Management exchanged letters outlining competing visions for the company and its nine-member board. The increasingly public fight could influence strategy at one of the industry's largest resort operators.
Read at POWDERThe WMO and FIS released guidance on using short-term forecasts, seasonal outlooks, and long-range climate projections for resort operations and investment planning. The report arrives as weather-related cancellations and narrower snowmaking windows create growing challenges for ski areas and competition organizers.
Read at World Meteorological Organization / FISA forecast storm train could bring several feet to British Columbia through November 12, with the highest elevations at Whistler Blackcomb potentially approaching 100 inches. High freezing levels may mean a sharp contrast between snowy upper terrain and rainier resort bases.
Read at Unofficial NetworksA PeakRankings analysis examines whether weaker advance pass sales, high ticket prices, poor recent snow, and slowing lift construction signal a shift in the North American ski market. The discussion could have implications for future pricing, infrastructure spending, and skier flexibility.
Read at Unofficial NetworksMammoth Mountain and Mt. Rose are opening earlier than planned after a major Sierra storm and several cold snowmaking nights. The two resorts will provide the first lift-served skiing of the season in the region, though initial terrain will be limited.
Read at KQEDJake Webster succeeds Dan Torsell as president and general manager of Colorado's Ski Cooper after Torsell's 14 years leading the independent area. Webster says he plans to preserve Cooper's affordable, community-focused identity while pursuing operational and master-plan improvements.
Read at Unofficial NetworksA new AccuWeather map projects the strongest prospects for snow in parts of the Southwest and Intermountain West, while warning of warmer or more variable conditions in portions of the Midwest and East. The outlook remains a broad seasonal guide rather than a guarantee for individual resorts.
Read at POWDER
Exploring off-the-beaten-path, unusual, independent, and mom-and-pop ski areas beyond the Mid-Atlantic.
