Mild Early in the Week and Cold and Snowy Toward the Weekend!

This week still appears to be a "tale of two halves" as the first part will be mild with temps in the mid 50s and lows in the mid to upper 40s. (Well above normal.) Wednesday looks to begin with some rain and maybe even a thunderstorm with an early afternoon high of 55° or so and then things turn sharply colder with snowmaking temps reentering the picture as it should drop to 22° or so.

Thursday looks normal with sunny skies and highs slightly below normal at 42° and overnight lows near 25°.

Then the weekend is looking snowy and cold with scattered snow Friday evening, and Saturday with highs in the mid 30s Saturday and only a degree or two warmer on Sunday.

TRANSLATION: Things look PERFECT for another great weekend ahead…and as far as today through Wednesday is concerned…if you’re here and have a chance to hit the slopes go ahead head out…you just may have to dodge a drop or two here and there.

GREAT CONDITIONS TO GOOD CONDITIONS…

GREAT BASES TO DECENT BASES…

Let’s take a tour around the state this morning and show you some details here and there. 

Appalachian – The temp got down to 38° overnight so there was no snowmaking, but they don’t need any. Conditions will be near PERFECT at App particularly this morning. They have a GREAT BASE and are 100% open with ice skating and terrain parks to boot. Scale of one to ten – (9.5-10.0)

Cataloochee – They too are at 39° or so and no snowmaking took place. Like App, they don’t need it! They have a great base and are reporting loose granular conditions with 11 trails open today. They are open for DAY SKIING ONLY on Mondays and the Tubing Parks is closed until Thursday. SkiSoutheast.com Base Rating: (9.0-9.5) 

Hawksnest – They did not make snow as temps dropped to 36°. They could use a little snowmaking as they are beginning to show some thin coverage. They have not updated their website slope conditions since Friday evening and we called up there this morning at 8:30am but got no answer as yet. They have done some great grooming, but they do have some thin coverage showing. Overall conditions will be VERY NICE and they have plenty of side-to-side coverage…just a few thin areas at the bottom. As far as we can tell they have 10 slopes open, and tubing.
SkiSoutheast.com Base Rating: (8.5-9.0)

Sapphire Valley – The NCSAA is reporting that they are closed. The SSAA is reporting them as open with 2 slopes and tubing. We spoke with Tom Rupert over there and he said that they are TRYING to get open today and will know at noon. He said that they were moving some snow around and IF they got open today, they would probably NOT be open Tuesday and from the look of things right now…they would not be open this weekend either. They have really had it tough down that way, except for a brief period of cold over the last couple of weeks. No need for a base rating here.

Ski Beech could also use some snowmaking as they are already showing some thin coverage. They still have plenty of good terrain and side to side coverage on all 15 trails and the terrain park…but they are beginning to show wear. SkiSoutheast.com Base Rating: 8.5

Sugar Mountain – They are still 100% open and look great this morning. Tubing and Ice Skating is open as well. SkiSoutheast.com Base Rating: (9.0-9.5)

Wolf Ridge – They are open with 16 trails, terrain park and tubing…and looking quite nice. They DO have a thin coverage spot or two…but have great side-to-side coverage with only a rare thin area. SkiSoutheast.com Base Depth Rating: (8.5-9.0)

Enjoy your day…

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