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Conditions

• New Snow (Mid Mountain snow stake)
  • 0” Wednesday 500am to Thursday 500am (24 hours)
  • 0” Wednesday 500pm to Thursday 500am (12 hours)

• New Snow (Summit snow stake)
  • 0” Wednesday 500am to Thursday 500am (24 hours)
  • 0” Wednesday 500pm to Thursday 500am (12 hours)

• Last Snowfall
  • 23” Monday Night to Wednesday (November 25-27)

• Snowpack
  • 98% of the 30-year median

• Terrain
  • 11 of 23 lifts
  • 48 of 181 trails

Thursday

Thursday will be yet another day with a morning temperature inversion.

On Thursday morning, temperatures at the base will be colder (0-10°F) with warmer air at the summit (20-25°F).

For the rest of Thursday, expect sunshine and warmer temperatures with a high in the low-to-mid-30s.

Regarding terrain availability early this season, there are good reason reasons to keep some terrain closed, like this avalanche that occurred in closed terrain during the previous storm cycle. The video is excellent and worth a quick watch.

Friday to Sunday

The forecast is unchanged throughout the week.

Friday and Saturday will be dry and mostly sunny, and temperatures will be comfortable with daytime highs in the low-to-mid-30s.

Sunday will also be dry, with more clouds during the afternoon, and a cooler high temperature in the 20s.

Monday and Tuesday

Unfortunately, the latest forecast models show that the storm on Monday will split, and this should keep our snow totals on the lower end.

On Monday, I expect 1-3 inches of snow during the morning and midday, along with cold temperatures which will stay around 10°F. There is a low but not zero probability that this snow tracks just south of Steamboat, leaving us with less accumulation.

On Monday night and Tuesday, clouds and snow showers will continue, and temperatures will be very cold, mostly in the single digits during this time. The very cold temperatures mean that there will be little moisture in the air, and little moisture in the air will limit snow totals to just a dusting to maybe an inch. 

Longer Range

From Wednesday, December 11, to Friday, December 13, expect dry weather with temperatures warming back into the teens, 20s, and 30s during these three days.

Then from Saturday, December 14, to Monday, December 16, we'll likely have another chance for snow as a piece of storminess along the West Coast moves east toward Colorado.

In the meantime, we have a solid base, the low sun angle of early December will help to preserve our snowpack, and more terrain should open over the coming days and weeks, so we're in an okay spot for early December, despite the ten days of dry weather that is following Thanksgiving.

Tap below to see our forecasts:

• Steamboat Resort (9,500 ft)
• Buffalo Pass (10,200 ft)
• Rabbit Ears Pass (9,500 ft)
• Town of Hayden (6,400 ft)

My next update will be on Friday morning.

Thanks for reading!

JOEL GRATZ
Meteorologist at OpenSnow.com