Heavy Snow for Parts of the West on Wednesday and Thursday:

A storm is moving across the Northwest and into the Central Rockies with temperatures and snow levels on the decrease behind a cold front. Ski resorts across the Central Rockies will see moderate to heavy snow, while areas above 6,000 feet in the Cascades and Southern BC Coast Range will receive snow as well. 

Check out our 5-Day Powder Finder which highlights ski areas favored to see the deepest snow totals.

Forecast for Wed (Oct 11) to Thu (Oct 12):

The Western storm will favor the Cascades of Washington and Oregon during the day on Wednesday before giving way to lighter showers on Wednesday night. Areas above 6,000 feet will see heavy snowfall.

As the storm moves east, snow will pick up across the Central Rockies, favoring the Tetons and Utah initially on Wednesday and Wednesday night, while Northern & Central Colorado resorts will be favored for heavy snow on Wednesday night and Thursday.

Southern Montana and Central Wyoming mountain ranges will also receive heavy snow on Wednesday night and Thursday, as will the Black Hills in South Dakota. 

A drier pattern is expected across most of the East, except for light rain showers in Northern New England and the Northern Adirondacks.

Forecast for Fri (Oct 13) to Sat (Oct 14):

Snow will taper off across the Central Rockies early on Friday morning. The next Pacific storm will impact Southeast Alaska first on Friday with heavy snow expected across the Coast Range. The storm will reach BC and the Northwest U.S. on Friday night and Saturday, but warmer air will result in rising snow levels and rain for most areas. 

A storm will also move into the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic with moderate to heavy rain expected, while New England and the Southern Appalachians will see fewer and lighter showers.

Forecast for Sun (Oct 15) to Mon (Oct 16):

Another storm is expected to impact the Pacific Northwest during this period, with mild air likely keeping snow levels above the summits of most ski areas.

Across the East, moisture arriving from the northwest on the backside of Saturday's system will result in chilly rain showers for the Mid-Atlantic, favoring the western slopes of the Appalachians.

Outlook for Tue (Oct 17) to Sat (Oct 21):

Temperatures are expected to be on the warmer side of average across the West, but the pattern will remain unsettled. An active storm track will favor the Pacific Northwest and Southern BC with significant rainfall possible, while snow levels are likely to remain high due to the warm airmass.

A weaker storm may also sneak across the Central Rockies during this period with another round of snow possible. 

Across the East, a cooler and drier pattern is expected with below-average temperatures along with the possibility of occasional light showers. 

Thanks so much for reading! Next update on Monday (October 16).

Alan Smith