Weather
An active, multi-wave pattern will keep the Northern Rockies in on-and-off snow through Tuesday night, with the best totals focused on Idaho and the Idaho Panhandle plus parts of interior British Columbia. The first push is relatively mild with higher snow levels at times, so several areas see denser, more supportive snow early, then a colder transition Sunday night into Monday drops snow levels and improves quality. Standouts by the end of the window include Brundage at 13″–20″ and a cluster of resorts (RED Mountain, Schweitzer, Jackson Hole) near or above 10″–15″. Expect periodic ridge wind, especially around and after the colder changeover.
Friday night through Sunday will feature a milder, moisture-rich push that favors higher terrain while flirting with elevated snow levels at times. Snow levels run relatively high for parts of Idaho and the inland Northwest during the core of this wave, so the early snow can come in dense, especially where SLRs hover in the 7–11:1 range. That points to heavier turns at times at places like Schweitzer and Bogus Basin, and similarly “right-side-up” snow across the interior BC resorts early in the window. Even so, steady accumulation adds up with the best production centered on Saturday night and Sunday night, with Brundage already separating itself as the regional leader and several other mountains building meaningful coverage by the end of the weekend.
Sunday night into Monday marks the cleaner quality upgrade as colder air lowers snow levels and boosts SLRs across much of the region. Snow levels trend downward into the 2,000–4,000 feet range in many zones, with pockets dropping even lower by Monday night, and that lines up with improving ratios, commonly 12–15:1, for a drier feel on top. Big White is a notable beneficiary late, with very strong SLRs in the mid-teens during the colder follow-on, and the Canadian Rockies (Lake Louise, Banff Sunshine, Mount Norquay) maintain consistently high-quality snow signals with SLRs generally in the mid-teens to upper-teens. Temperatures also cool notably, supporting better preservation and softer skiing where wind does not scour exposed ridgelines.
Tuesday keeps light-to-moderate snow going in many areas with generally low snow levels and the best snow quality of the period. While totals are not explosive everywhere on Tuesday, the combination of colder temperatures and SLRs mostly in the low-to-mid teens favors more buoyant snow for open terrain and glades, especially where earlier dense layers provide a supportive base. Wind is the main wild card for comfort and lift-exposed zones, with several mountains showing sustained ridge flow and gusts that can be noticeable at upper elevations. Looking past this window, the broader signal favors a less active stretch across much of the West, with precipitation trends leaning drier overall and temperatures trending milder later in the extended period, so this run of storms may be the better window for fresh coverage before a potential lull.
Resort Forecast Totals
- Brundage – 13″–20″ Sat night (01/03) – Tue night (01/06)
- RED Mountain – 10″–15″ Fri night (01/02) – Tue night (01/06)
- Schweitzer – 10″–14″ Sat night (01/03) – Tue night (01/06)
- Jackson Hole – 10″–14″ Sat night (01/03) – Tue night (01/06)
- Grand Targhee – 9″–13″ Sat night (01/03) – Tue night (01/06)
- Revelstoke – 9″–13″ Fri night (01/02) – Tue night (01/06)
- Tamarack – 8″–12″ Sat night (01/03) – Tue night (01/06)
- Big White – 8″–10″ total (6″–8″ Fri night (01/02) – Mon night (01/05) + 2″ Mon night (01/05) – Tue night (01/06))
- Sun Valley – 6″–9″ Sat night (01/03) – Tue (01/06)
- Whitefish Mountain – 6″–8″ Sat night (01/03) – Tue night (01/06)
- Bogus Basin – 4″–6″ Sat night (01/03) – Tue night (01/06)
- Lake Louise – 3″–5″ Sat (01/03) – Tue night (01/06)
- Banff Sunshine – 3″–5″ Sat (01/03) – Mon night (01/05)
- Big Sky – 2″–3″ Sun night (01/04) – Tue night (01/06)
- Bridger Bowl – 2″ Mon (01/05) – Tue night (01/06)
- Mount Norquay – 1″ Sun night (01/04) – Mon night (01/05)
