The Weather and Conditions at the Ski Resorts are Looking GREAT! Cold and Snow is in the forecast for the next couple of weeks! Woohoo!
There’s a bunch of cold air in the northern part of the U.S. but it isn’t going to make it into our region at least until Wednesday says Meteorologist Brad Panovich. He adds that we seem to be in a trend cycle of sorts where the beginning of each week starts out wet and a bit warm followed by cold and snowy conditions. That wouldn’t be a bad thing for the majority of skiers and riders that have to work for a living and can’t hit the snow until the weekend anyway!
Brad is forecasting temperatures cold enough to MAKE SNOW Wednesday and Thursday (perhaps around the clock) and then each night from Thursday night through Sunday night. After a mild Monday and Tuesday Brad expects highs in the 20s and 30s with lows in the teens and twenties. That sounds great to us and on top of that it looks like there’s some natural snow in the forecast for the weekend.
Several weather sources are forecasting VERY COLD air and snow showers continuing into Monday and Tuesday of NEXT week and that is GREAT news as that will take us right up to a couple of days prior to Christmas and with numerous days of snowmaking AND some natural snow showers in the mix, we should see some very nice conditions and a lot more terrain open for our Holiday skiing.
Dr. Ray Russell of Ray’s Weather even rates our chances of a White Chistmas as “above average” for this season! He reports, “Our definition of a White Christmas is either A) some snow on the ground Christmas Day, B) snowflakes in the air Christmas Day, or both A & B. Cold air will remain over the Eastern US next week. We’ll have to wait and see if/when/where moisture gets involved.”
So stay tuned and we’ll keep you informed but things are looking GREAT for the next couple of weeks according to Brad Panovich, the National Weather Service, Ray Russell and others!
So if you have not booked a getaway at your favorite ski resort, DO IT TODAY and many people will begin hearing this great forecast and accommodations will be limited.
Check the snow report for temperatures and other details. Here’s the Cliff Notes…
Wisp Resort is open for day skiing today with lifties priced at only $7 to celebrate their birthday and they have seven trails open and their mountain coaster as well.
Timberline Resort’s Kim Falls emailed us to notify that Timberline Resort will be closed Monday – Thursday 12/14-12/17 to make snow. They will reopen 12/18 at 9:00am. Timbers Pub and Fireside Grill will still be open.
Canaan Valley’s David Vance wrote to say that they would be open for day sessions with 4 trails. They will be working to open more terrain by Christmas. They also shared, “We have HOLIDAY PACKAGES AVAILABLE WITH THE BEST RATES AROUND!”
We think that’s an invitation to check out those specials at www.CanaanResort.com!
Snowshoe Mountain – I am kindred spirits with Laura Parquette who always puts a “glass half full” slant on things. I enjoyed their post this morning that reads, “After a long period of sustained, very cold weather that lasted through Saturday, Mother Nature has taken a little break from the winter weather. Today and tomorrow will have temps above freezing, but that means the snow will soften up nicely and you can shed that extra layer while taking advantage of great mid-week conditions.”
As a part of this preseason operations, Snowshoe has closed up the Silvercreek side of the mountain until Friday, so they are open for day sessions on 15 trails today.
If you haven’t made plans to take advantage of the region’s MOST open terrain, call 877-441-4FUN today! Some Holiday availability stills exists, so if you don’t have plans, why not start a new family tradition and spend the Holidays enjoying the region’s best on-snow conditions, Snowshoe festive mountaintop Village and more NYE parties than we can list! Visit www.snowshoemtn.com for complete holiday details!
Massanutten Resort in Virginia is open for day sessions and with 5 trails and snow tubing as well. They write, “Ski and snowboard 9am-4:30 pm. Tube 9am-5pm. Night sessions start Fri. Dec. 18th.”
Bryce Resort is open with 4 trails for day sessions today.
Wintergreen Resort in Virginia had a great weekend of skiing according to three different emails that we received. They are closed now from Monday through Thursday and will reopen for day and night sessions on Friday. Anne Marie Jones writes, “Snowmaking efforts will resume as soon as temperatures permit. When we crank back up, we will be working on improving slopes that opened this past weekend and be pounding new terrain in anticipation of adding more fun this coming weekend. We are making great progress on Upper Cliffhanger, Lower Wild Turkey, Hydraulic, Tequila, The Plunge, Ridgely’s Fun Park, Potato Patch, Upper and Lower Sunrise. The weather forecast looks good for this week and next. Next weekend we are planning to open The Plunge, Ridgely’s Fun Park, Potato Patch and additional slopes. Keep checking this report regularly for updates and cross your fingers and toes for cold weather.”
Anne Marie also reminds us that SUPER SAVER RATES ARE IN EFFECT THIS WEEKEND – adult 4hr $37, adult 8hr $46, youth 4hr $28, youth 8hr $36.
Ober Gatlinburg is open noon to 10pm on Monday with 5 trails including Mogul Ridge (which is not groomed).
Appalachian Ski Mountain is reporting 7 trails open and ice skating and two of three terrain parks for day and night sessions as well.
Cataloochee is skiing and riding on 90% of their terrain with 14 out of 16 trails available for day session only on Monday. They begin their regular season operating schedule on Tuesday. Tammy Brown writes, “will start on our regular operating schedule of day, twilight and night skiing beginning Tuesday, December 15 at 9am. Holiday rates will begin Saturday, December 19 and continue each day through Friday, January 1.”
Ski Beech is open for day and night skiing and snowboarding with 5 trails open and groomed conditions. Ice skating is open as well.
Wolf Ridge Resort is open with 5 trails for day and night sessions and snow tubing as well.
Sugar Mountain is reporting 9 trails open for day and night sessions and ice skating is open as well.
You can check the snow reports for all of the ski resorts of West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee and North Carolina via https://www.skisoutheast.com/skireports.php as well as videos, photos and more.
Send your comments, videos, photos, trip reports and questions to: [email protected]
SSAA: 0 for 18 Appwrg/bchwrg/self 17/18