A Powerful Northwest Flow Is Set To Bury Western Ski Resorts in Feet of Snow

A potent storm cycle driven by a classic northwest flow pattern is set to deliver significant snowfall across the Western US through the weekend.

The energy kicks off in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies Thursday night, delivering heavy totals to the Tetons by Friday morning. The moisture plume shifts south and east, setting up a major powder event for Utah’s Wasatch Range and Northern Colorado (specifically Steamboat) Friday night into Saturday.

While wind issues and fluctuating snow levels present challenges in the PNW and Idaho, the interior Rockies are looking at high-quality, deep powder days. This is a classic "chase the moisture" scenario where the epicenter of the storm moves progressively southeast over 72 hours.

Key Points

The Good

A persistent northwest flow is ideal for specific orographically favored resorts. The Tetons (WY), Wasatch (UT), and Park Range (Steamboat, CO) are positioned perfectly to squeeze out maximum moisture. Snow-to-liquid ratios (SLRs) will improve throughout the storm, starting dense (base-building) and finishing light and fluffy (blower powder) as colder air arrives Saturday, offering excellent surfy turns.

The Bad

Wind will be a major operational factor. The Pacific Northwest and exposed ridges in the Northern Rockies are forecasting extreme gusts (some exceeding 80 mph in Oregon), making lift holds highly likely on Friday. Additionally, a warm nose of air on Friday will push snow levels up in Idaho and Washington, creating potential rain/snow mix issues at lower base elevations before colder air returns.

The Wildcards

The exact timing of the cold front passage in Utah on Saturday will determine just how deep the "daytime" refills get. If the front stalls, the Cottonwoods could exceed the high end of forecast models. Conversely, in Colorado, the gradient between the northern mountains (Steamboat) and the central mountains (Vail/Breck) is sharp; a slight shift in wind direction could either spread the wealth south or lock the deepest snow exclusively up north.

Daily Forecast

Friday Chase: The Tetons and Northern Montana

The bullseye for Friday morning is squarely on the Tetons. Grand Targhee (opening Dec 5) is the top pick, stacking up 8–10 inches Thursday night with another 2–3 inches falling during the day Friday. Expect nice, supportable snow (SLR ~15:1 dropping to ~12:1) that covers terrain well. Jackson Hole is a close runner-up, offering 5–7 inches overnight and moderate refills during the day. In Montana, Whitefish remains a solid option with consistent moderate snowfall, though winds may impact upper mountain operations.

Saturday Chase: The Wasatch and Steamboat

This is the main event for Utah and Northern Colorado. The moisture hose aims directly at the Wasatch on Friday night. Alta and Snowbird are the prime targets, expecting 9–13 inches of fresh snow on Friday night alone, with another 3–5 inches of decent-quality powder (SLR 11:1) falling during the ski day. For those in Colorado, Steamboat is the place to be. Steamboat is forecast to receive 8–11 inches on Friday night, with an additional 4–7 inches piling up during the day Saturday. Conditions will be deep, stormy, and excellent.

Sunday Chase: Colorado Leftovers and Clearing Skies

While the storm winds down, cold air and orographics will keep the snow machine running in favorable spots. Steamboat remains the best bet for Sunday morning turns, having accumulated an additional 4–6 inches Saturday night with lighter, fluffier densities (SLR 15:1). The I-70 resorts (Vail/Winter Park) will offer soft conditions with 3–5 inches of fresh snow from Saturday night, but the deepest totals will remain north. Utah will see clearing skies and cold temps, preserving the deep snow from Saturday for a great groomer and leftovers day.

Region-by-Region Details

Northern Rockies (ID, MT, WY)

This region takes the first punch of the storm. A moisture-rich flow slams into Idaho and Western Wyoming Thursday night. Grand Targhee is the clear winner here, capitalizing on perfect orographics to potentially reach storm totals of 12–16 inches by Friday afternoon. Jackson Hole will also see significant accumulation, though slightly less than the west side of the Tetons. In Montana, Big Sky and Whitefish will see consistent, moderate accumulations rather than a single massive dump, with Big Sky looking at 5–7 inches Thursday night. The concern for Idaho (Schweitzer/Brundage) is rising snow levels on Friday afternoon, which could introduce heavy, wet snow or mixed precipitation at base areas before turning back to snow. Winds will be howling, particularly on exposed ridgelines in Montana, with gusts hitting 40–50 mph.

Utah

The flow turns favorable for the Wasatch starting Friday afternoon. We expect a period of warm advection snow (denser, great for base building) followed by a cold frontal passage Friday night that will deliver the goods. The Cottonwood Canyons (Alta/Snowbird/Brighton/Solitude) are favored in this northwest flow pattern. Expect storm totals by Saturday afternoon to range from 12–18 inches in the upper Cottonwoods. Park City and Deer Valley will see respectable totals of 5–8 inches, but the dynamics favor the precipitous terrain of Little Cottonwood Canyon. Winds will be strong Friday night (gusts 45–55 mph) but should decrease during the day Saturday, allowing for better lift operations.

Colorado

This is a classic "Steamboat Special." The northwest flow vector is ideally aligned for the Park Range. Steamboat is forecast to receive continuous heavy snowfall from Friday afternoon through Sunday morning, with total storm accumulations likely exceeding 18–24 inches. The central mountains (Vail, Breckenridge, Winter Park) will do well but not as well, generally seeing 5–9 inches primarily Friday night and Saturday. The San Juans (Telluride) and southern mountains are largely shadowed in this flow regime, picking up only light accumulations (1–3 inches). Expect cold temperatures to arrive Saturday night, making Sunday morning turns lighter and faster.

Pacific Northwest (WA, OR)

The PNW is a tale of deep snow and high wind. Mt. Baker and Stevens Pass are looking at significant moisture, with Baker potentially seeing 12–16 inches of storm snow by Saturday morning. However, wind is a major red flag. Timberline and Mt. Bachelor are forecasting gusts in the 60–80 mph range on Friday. Additionally, snow levels will fluctuate, starting around 3,500–4,000 feet, spiking on Friday, and crashing on Saturday.

Extended Outlook

Following this storm cycle, a ridge of high pressure will build across the West early next week, bringing a drying trend and a return to seasonal or slightly above-average temperatures. We expect a few days of sun and groomers Monday through Wednesday. Long-range models suggest a potential pattern shift toward the end of next week, with another trough possibly impacting the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies, though details remain uncertain.