While the West stays dry, a cold airmass will take hold over the Midwest and the East, with below-average temperatures expected. Several storms will move through as well, and while there aren't any major coastal storms anticipated right now, nearly all ski areas will pick up some snow over the next 5 days.

Most ski resorts in the Eastern U.S. with see anywhere from 3-12 inches of snow over the next 5 days with locally higher amounts possible. Higher snow totals of 6-18 inches can be expected across Quebec, Ontario, and Northern Michigan.

Forecast for Wednesday (Jan 14):

A storm will arrive in the East with snow initially favoring the Central/Southern Appalachians from Pennsyvlania to North Carolina, as well as Western New York and Quebec. Lake effect snow will also develop in Michigan and Ontario, with locally heavy snowfall over Northern Michigan.

In the West, a weak storm will bring light snow showers to Northern BC, while the rest of the West will remain in a dry spell.

Forecast for Thursday (Jan 15):

A storm will continue to impact the East with the focus of moderate to heavy snow expected across Upstate New York, Northern New England, and Quebec. A storm will also reach the Upper Midwest and Canadian Prairie.

Forecast for Friday (Jan 16):

Lingering snow showers will taper off across New England and Quebec, while snow showers will pick up across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes as the next storm arrives. 

Forecast for Saturday (Jan 17):

Snow showers can be expected across the Upper Midwest, Southeast Canada, New England, and Mid-Atlantic as another storm arrives. This storm is projected to be on the weaker side for now, with light to moderate snowfall in most areas.

Forecast for Sunday (Jan 18):

More of the same can be expected with cold temperatures and snow showers across both the Midwest and the East, with the focus of snowfall coverage shifting a bit further east into the Mid-Atlantic and New England compared to Saturday.

Outlook for Mon (Jan 19) to Fri (Jan 23):

Overall, a cold airmass will remain in place across the Mid-Atlantic and the East, though the jet stream should lift northward later in the week with milder air eventually returning to the Southeast. Snow chances will remain possible across the Midwest and the Northeast, along with below-average temperatures.

In the West, high pressure should retrograde westward off the coast later in the week, potentially opening the door up to a storm or two. The storm track will likely favor the Northwest and the Rockies, with lower confidence for the Sierra and Tahoe. 

Thanks so much for reading! Next update on Friday (January 16).

Alan Smith