Weather
Two main systems bring generally light to locally moderate, base-building snow to the Northern Rockies through Friday, with the heaviest accumulations focused on the northern Idaho and northwest Montana mountains and a colder, more wintry pattern developing as we head into early December. Most resorts remain closed or in pre-opening mode, so this stretch works quietly in the background to add several inches of new snow on upper elevations while snow levels fluctuate with each wave. Snow quality starts out fairly light and dry, becomes denser for a time midweek as warmer air noses in, then trends back toward colder, drier snow with the late-week front. Looking farther out, a series of colder outbreaks and additional disturbances favors continued opportunities for fresh snow and steadily improving early season coverage into the first week of December.
Early in the period, a modest midweek wave spreads generally light snow across the Northern Rockies from Tuesday night into Wednesday. Moisture increases from the west this evening, first reaching the Idaho Panhandle and northwest Montana where Schweitzer, Whitefish Mountain, RED Mountain, and nearby terrain see light snow developing overnight and continuing into Wednesday morning. Snow levels start low, around 2,000 to 3,000 feet, before lifting above 4,000 feet along and south of the main corridors on Wednesday, so accumulations are focused on the mid and upper mountains while lower valleys see a mix or lighter coatings. West central Idaho resorts such as Brundage and Tamarack pick up a few inches overnight into Wednesday morning as snow levels rise from roughly 3,700 to over 5,000 feet. Farther south and east, Grand Targhee, Jackson Hole, Big Sky, and Bridger Bowl see a quick shot of light snow late tonight into Wednesday with generally light accumulations but relatively high snow to liquid ratios, so the fresh snow is on the drier side despite modest amounts.
A second, somewhat warmer surge late Wednesday through Thursday focuses on the northern half of the region, followed by a colder late-week front on Friday that improves snow quality. For the Idaho Panhandle and northwest Montana, this midweek moisture plume keeps light snow going into Thursday, with snow levels rising toward 3,000 to 6,000 feet and periods of denser, midquality snow as ratios slip into the roughly 10 to 13 to 1 range. Whitefish Mountain and Schweitzer see the most benefit, with several inches building on upper elevations, while RED Mountain and Big White in interior British Columbia share similar moderate totals with temperatures mostly in the 20s. On the Montana side, Bridger Bowl and Big Sky transition from the lighter early snow to a more substantial Friday wave as a colder front drops snow levels back toward valley floors and temperatures fall into the teens, pushing snow to liquid ratios into the mid teens and higher for a drier finish. In northwest Wyoming, Grand Targhee and Jackson Hole also pick up additional light to moderate snow from the late-week disturbance, with snow levels dropping from around 5,500 feet toward 3,500 feet by Friday night and modestly gusty ridge top winds that may drift snow on the highest terrain but remain manageable overall.
Looking beyond Friday, the broader pattern favors colder than normal and generally active weather across the Northern Rockies into the first week of December. Guidance supports multiple intrusions of colder continental air dropping south from Canada, especially from roughly the end of November through the first full week of December, holding daytime temperatures below seasonal averages for Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. As this colder air settles in, snow levels increasingly favor the lower valleys and mountain snow quality should trend drier than what is seen with the midweek warm surge, especially with any stronger reinforcing fronts. Precipitation signals lean toward near to above normal for much of the region, suggesting additional light to occasionally moderate mountain snow events rather than a long dry stretch, though brief breaks are likely between waves. Overall this pattern should steadily deepen the early season snowpack at places like Bridger Bowl, Big Sky, Grand Targhee, Jackson Hole, and the Idaho and British Columbia resorts as they move through their late November and early December opening timelines.
Resort Forecast Totals
- Schweitzer – 6″–9″ total (2″–2″ Tue night (11/25) – Wed night (11/26) + 4″–6″ Wed night (11/26) – Fri night (11/28))
- Whitefish Mountain – 6″–8″ total (1″–1″ Tue night (11/25) – Wed night (11/26) + 5″–7″ Thu (11/27) – Fri night (11/28))
- Bridger Bowl – 5″–8″ total (1″–2″ Tue night (11/25) – Wed night (11/26) + 4″–7″ Thu night (11/27) – Fri night (11/28))
- Grand Targhee – 5″–7″ total (2″–2″ Tue night (11/25) – Wed night (11/26) + 1″–2″ Wed night (11/26) – Thu night (11/27) + 2″–4″ Fri (11/28) – Fri night (11/28))
- RED Mountain – 4″–6″ total (1″–2″ Tue night (11/25) – Wed (11/26) + 3″–4″ Wed night (11/26) – Fri (11/28))
- Brundage – 4″–5″ total (3″–4″ Tue night (11/25) – Wed night (11/26) + 1″–1″ Thu night (11/27) – Fri night (11/28))
- Big White – 3″–5″ total (1″–1″ Tue (11/25) – Wed (11/26) + 2″–4″ Wed night (11/26) – Fri (11/28))
- Big Sky – 3″–5″ total (1″–1″ Tue night (11/25) – Wed (11/26) + 2″–4″ Thu night (11/27) – Fri night (11/28))
- Jackson Hole – 3″–4″ total (1″–2″ Tue night (11/25) – Wed night (11/26) + 2″–2″ Fri (11/28) – Fri night (11/28))
- Tamarack – 1″–2″ Tue night (11/25) – Wed (11/26)
