Snow will continue for one more day across the Sierra on Friday as a strong multi-day storm begins to wind down. The Rockies have been dealing with unseasonably warm temperatures and rain in some areas this week, but a cold front will move through on Friday and Saturday with heavy snow and falling snow levels expected.

Utah ski resorts will pick up 10-20 inches of snow on Friday and Saturday, while most areas in Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, BC, and Alberta will see a general 6-14 inches.

Forecast for Fri (Dec 27) to Sat AM (Dec 28):

Snow will begin to taper off in the Sierra on Friday night, while moderate to heavy snow will fall from the Pacific Northwest to the Central Rockies as a cold front begins to sweep across the West.

In the East, a storm will bring heavy snow to Central/Southern New York and light snow to New England. Most of Pennsylvania and Western New York will see sleet and freezing rain mix in.

Forecast for Sat PM (Dec 27) to Sun AM (Dec 28):

Snow will continue across the Rockies, with Utah and Colorado seeing the highest accumulations on the back end of this system. The West Coast of the U.S. will see a drying trend, while a storm will impact Northern British Columbia.

The East will also dry out in between storms, while a warm storm in the Midwest will bring mixed precipitation to Northern Michigan and Ontario.

Forecast for Sun PM (Dec 28) to Mon AM (Dec 29):

Most areas of the West will dry out and warm up as high pressure builds, but Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico will see some lingering light snow on Sunday.

In the East, a warm storm will bring mixed precipitation to the Northeast and New England with many areas seeing a changeover to rain. On the colder backside of the storm, rain will change to snow across the Upper Midwest.

Forecast for Mon PM (Dec 29) to Tue AM (Dec 30):

Dry conditions will prevail across most of the West, while the storm track will continue to favor Northern British Columbia on the northern periphery of a high pressure ridge.

In the East, rain and mixed precipitation will give way to moderate to locally heavy snow showers across Quebec, New England, New York, and the western slopes of the Appalachians. 

Forecast for Tue PM (Dec 30) to Wed AM (Dec 31):

Most of the West will stay dry while storms continue to favor Northern BC. Some models are indicating that snow could progress southward into the major ski regions of Southern BC and Alberta, but confidence is low for now. 

In the East, lake effect snow showers will develop across the Upper Midwest and Northeast as a much colder airmass settles in.

Outlook for Wed (Dec 31) to Sun (Jan 4):

A more active pattern will set up across the West heading into the New Year, but the latest trends indicate a tricky split flow pattern with storms favoring the Sierra into the Rockies as well as Northern Washington into British Columbia and Alberta.

Unseasonably warm air is also projected to persist across the Central Rockies, while the West Coast and BC/Alberta will see more seasonal temperatures.

In the East, a cold airmass is expected to hold with a storm track favoring the Great Lakes to New England. Good skiing conditions will resume with favorable snowmaking conditions and natural snow opportunities.

Thanks so much for reading! Next update on Monday (December 29).

Alan Smith

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