I started the snow report this morning at 7am and then was side-tracked with a sales meeting, then numerous, back-to-back phone calls and then a business prospect came in. Soooo I am JUST getting around to posting your FirsTrax news for today. Hopefully you guys checked the snow report anyway as we always have that updated early.
It’s funny but we posted the Skier’s Forecast video this morning and before I could even comment on it, the views started hitting. That is because of our new “push notifications” service. The moment any kind of content is published you can be the first to see it if you JOIN our website for those notifications. They come right to your browser or desktop and that is a great way to know THE MOMENT that we post anything new.
As I toured the region by phone, email, websites, etc. this morning I was seeing temps close to 32° about everywhere. It was 26° early this morning at Canaan Valley but it doesn’t look like they made snow from their report, so my guess is that temps or wet-bulb was not conducive to making snow.
The exception to the near-32° ranges were Massanutten in Virginia which was showing a 37° reading. Omni Homestead was showing 35° at 9am. Beech and Sugar mountains were reporting 36.8°
The only resorts reporting temperatures above the 30s are Ober over in the Smoky Mountains at 41° and Cataloochee at 43°.
As I mentioned earlier, meteorologist Brad Panovich has shared HIS latest Skier’s Forecast video and it looks pretty great in terms of providing all of the cold air we need for snowmaking and opening more and more slopes.
Brad is forecasting SNOW into West Virginia, Virginia and PERHAPS the Beech Mountain and Sugar areas FOR TOMORROW – WEDNESDAY! We’re also seeing temps NOSEDIVE Wednesday night to around 15° and lower at some ski areas. Then on Thursday – a look at the forecast for Beech Mountain shows a HIGH of 15° and low around 5°. Friday will be frigid as well with highs around 20° and lows in the teens.
I’m not seeing this forecast anywhere ELSE, but our Brad Panovich is forecasting some snow even into Friday from Wisp Resort in Maryland, down through all of the West Virginia, Virginia and into North Carolina.
He is calling for a burst of 1-2″ of snow for the mountains of North Carolina and more like 4-7″ of snow for the West Virginia mountains and into Maryland. We could see some icy mix on Saturday but Brad is sure to be updating us as we get closer to the weekend.
Sunday and Monday look “springlike” with a good bit of rain which is never good, HOWEVER as we get into later on Monday and Tuesday of next week we’re looking at colder air hitting right in behind that wet front and we should see some snow again as we get into the week before Christmas.
The pattern looks good as we get TO Christmas and although the chances of a White Christmas look a little far-fetched – we should see plenty of cold between now and then and average cold temps as we head closer to Christmas and all of this bodes well for ALL OF US who are planning ski trips over the next weekend or two and into Christmas – really to ANY of the ski areas!
Watch Brad’s Skier’s Forecast Video Below!
In terms of conditions – Beech Mountain is probably reporting things most accurately this morning by reporting things as “wet packed and variable”. That is what you’ll find pretty much everywhere today.
How Many Slopes are Open and Where?
Winterplace Resort OPENS TODAY AND JUMPS TO THE LEAD IN TRAILS OPEN WITH 15! That makes 15 of 27 slopes on a groomed base of 24-48″. Talk about opening in style! That’s 56% of the resort open on day ONE of their season. This is a perfect example of a resort waiting to open with a top product on the slopes.
Canaan Valley Resort is open for day sessions with 10 of 47 of slopes open.
Snowshoe Mountain – They are reporting that they made snow overnight but we’re not sure. They MAY see some snow showers today and here’s some exciting news – Cupp Run is only one day away from opening and Silver Creek is added this Friday! Wednesday sees Snowmobile tours open as well! Progression Park has reopened! The Mountaineer Parks Crew have been hard at work rebuilding, and it has definitely paid off. The park now includes 14 features, with 4 jumps, and 10 boxes and rails. There are also 3 small features left on Powder Monkey.
Save $5 on a ticket to this Saturday’s Winter Brewfest by purchasing yours in advance at snowshoemtn.com, and come try out all our new terrain and some of the best brews in West Virginia!
Beech Mountain Resort is open with 6 slopes on a base of 8-28″, ice skating and more.
Wolf Ridge Resort – is open with 4 of 15 slopes PLUS Tubing. They performed some MAGIC though with the base as they were reporting 10-24″ the other day, then closed due to the rain on Monday – and then reopened TODAY reporting a base of 18-24″??? We’re guessing somebody goofed the other day…or today? Like Joe Stevens always says though – anything more than 6″ or so is just gravy and Wolf looks good today. They posted, “We have an accumulated snow base of 18 to 24 inches and will be working on getting our upper mountain runs open soon!!!”
Bryce Resort – Open with 4 slopes and trails (we think for day sessions only as they are not reporting night skiing. Just like riding a horse, ski season is back in full force. Everyone is out on the slopes and having fun! Snowmaking looks to resume this Wednesday.
Ober Gatlinburg is OPEN FOR TUBING. Ski and Snowboard ops will begin Friday, December 16.
We thought we’d share the resorts that are open by percentage of trails available:
75% – Appalachian Ski Mountain – 9 slopes
56% – Winterplace Resort – 15 slopes
50% – Bryce Resort – 4 slopes
50% – Cataloochee Ski Area – 9 slopes
40% – Beech Mountain Resort – 6 slopes
33% – Sugar Mountain – 7 slopes
27% – Wolf Ridge Resort – 4 slopes
21% – Canaan Valley Resort – 10 slopes
21% – Snowshoe Mountain – 12 slopes
0% – Massanutten Resort
0% – Ober Gatlinburg
0% – Omni Homestead Resort
0% – Sapphire Valley
0% – Timberline Resort
0% – Wintergreen Resort
0% – Wisp Resort
That’s it for me today. Email me if you like at [email protected]