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New Study Examines the Future of Mid-Atlantic Snowmaking

New Study Examines the Future of Mid-Atlantic Snowmaking

A graduate research project by Nicholas Scott Prentice examines how changing winter conditions could affect snowmaking at six Mid-Atlantic ski areas. Analyzing 2005-2025 weather records and projecting conditions through 2040, the study found declines in estimated snowmaking hours, with results varying significantly by location and important limitations in the data.
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Mountain Weather

Mid-Atlantic Skiers' Forecast

Updated an hour ago

A quiet, dry stretch is ahead across the Mid-Atlantic, with sunshine dominating through the weekend and no natural snow or mixed-precipitation threat in the forecast. Lower-elevation areas near Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia reach the mid-60s Wednesday and Thursday, while Friday turns somewhat cooler before another modest weekend warmup. The Pocono region follows a similar pattern, though temperatures there dip into the lower 30s overnight.

The higher mountains will be noticeably cooler, especially Snowshoe, where highs remain in the lower to mid-50s through Saturday, and Timberline, Canaan Valley Resort and Wisp, which trend several degrees cooler than eastern areas. Overnight lows generally fall into the 30s, with some upper 20s or lower 30s in Pennsylvania, but daytime temperatures are far too mild for a sustained snowmaking window. For now, this is favorable weather for fall mountain visits, not skiing operations.

Weather Fact of the Day
Snowflakes can change their shape after landing. In a cold, dry snowpack, water vapor may leave exposed grains and redeposit in sheltered spots, gradually sharpening some crystals while hollowing others. This “vapor transport” can create weak, sugary layers deep in the snow -- even without melting or warm temperatures.
DCSki regional outlook based on National Weather Service forecasts for Mid-Atlantic ski areas.
Around the Ski World

Elsewhere on the Web

Fresh ski and snowboard stories from around the web, selected daily for DCSki readers.

Updated 10 hours ago
POWDER Oct 19

New Maps Forecast Winter 26/27 as El Niño Strengthens

A new long-range forecast expects El Niño to favor colder and snowier conditions across much of the southern United States, while the northern Rockies and Pacific Northwest may see warmer, drier conditions. The outlook remains highly uncertain as the season approaches.

Read at POWDER
AccuWeather Oct 19

Could saving summer snow change the future of skiing?

Aspen Snowmass preserved roughly 85% of stored snow through Colorado’s hottest summer on record using insulated blankets, then used it for October skiing and terrain-park preparation. The resort is expanding the experiment as a possible way to reduce early-season snowmaking demands.

Read at AccuWeather
96.3 KKOB Oct 19

NM Ski resorts announce expected opening dates

New Mexico ski areas have published tentative 2026-27 opening dates, led by Sipapu on November 20 and followed by Taos, Ski Santa Fe, and Red River on November 26. All dates remain weather-dependent, with resorts citing expectations for a snowy El Niño winter.

Read at 96.3 KKOB
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What Happened to Night Skiing?

What Happened to Night Skiing?

Night skiing has long been a Mid-Atlantic tradition, but DCSki looks at why the hours available for skiing under the lights have gradually decreased in recent years.
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DCSki Spotlight

Explore DCSki's Lost Ski Areas

Discover ski areas that once operated across the Mid-Atlantic through DCSki's growing historical archive.

Explore Lost Ski Areas →
Black Moshannon State Park
Philipsburg, Pennsylvania

Black Moshannon State Park

Near Philipsburg and Penn State, Black Moshannon’s modest ski area offered inexpensive skiing on two surface lifts and quiet, beginner-friendly slopes. The operation reportedly lasted about 15 years before closing, but its lodge survives as a park rental cabin and the old runs remain mowed hiking trails.
6 reader comments
Swann Ridge Ski Slope
Between Staunton, Waynesboro, and Charlottesville, Virginia

Swann Ridge Ski Slope

Swann Ridge Ski Slope was a former ski area in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, between Staunton, Waynesboro, and Charlottesville. Its history is largely undocumented, surviving chiefly through two postcards that confirm the slope’s existence while leaving its operating years, facilities, and ultimate fate unknown.
Mill Ridge
Near Boone, North Carolina

Mill Ridge

Mill Ridge, near Boone, North Carolina, was a small, family-oriented ski area remembered for uncrowded beginner terrain, night skiing, and the steep “Go for It” run. Operating dates vary in recollections, but the area closed after poor winters and its former slopes are now community trails.
23 reader comments
Henryville House Retreat
Henryville, Pennsylvania

Henryville House Retreat

Henryville House Retreat in Henryville, Pennsylvania, paired a modest beginner rope tow with a lively Pocono resort known for family vacations, farm-fresh meals, pools, hayrides, and evening entertainment. The hotel later became associated with local ghost stories before its demolition around 2002-04, while rope-tow remnants survived near the post office.
27 reader comments
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