The snowguns should start firing this Saturday at West Virginia’s Snowshoe Mountain Resort, as the resort gets a head start on its projected November 19 opening date. According to Snowshoe’s Joe Stevens, the guns are in place and awaiting an expected drop in temperature on Saturday. Snowmaking should continue through Monday.

In addition, Mother Nature may bring 4-6 inches of natural snowfall this weekend to Snowshoe’s 4,848 foot summit. Nighttime temperatures at the resort have already dipped into the 20’s. Snowshoe receives an average annual snowfall of 180 inches.

Further north, Vermont’s Killington Resort has been busy making snow in an effort to claim the east coast’s earliest opening date. Killington has been the first resort to open for the past 39 years, and may open limited terrain as early as this weekend. Don’t toss the skis on the roof rack just yet, though - Killington’s traditional opening of a single trail usually lasts a day, with a more tangible opening following in November after sustained snowmaking. Nonetheless, the sound of snowguns in October - locally and further north - can only mean one thing: the ski season is just around the corner.