California’s mountains are preparing for a prolonged and active stretch of winter weather, with the most significant snowfall expected from midweek through Christmas and additional storms lining up afterward.
Through the weekend and into Monday, the pattern looks wet and windy. Snow levels will remain relatively high, particularly around Lake Tahoe, allowing lower elevations to see heavy, dense snow or even mixed precipitation. Higher elevations will still collect snow, but this phase focuses more on building overall coverage rather than ideal powder conditions. Gusty winds are also likely to impact exposed ridgelines and lift operations.
A major shift arrives late Tuesday as cooler air moves into the Sierra. Snow levels will drop into the mid-mountain range just ahead of Christmas, improving snow quality and allowing for more consistent accumulation across resorts. This period is expected to be the most productive of the week, with stronger snowfall rates and noticeably better conditions as temperatures fall.
Some resorts could receive impressive totals if forecasts hold. Kirkwood is currently projected to see about 56 to 100 inches of snow by Saturday night. Mammoth Mountain could receive 44 to 81 inches, with most of that falling after Tuesday night. Around the Tahoe area, Palisades Tahoe may collect 38 to 69 inches, while Sugar Bowl is forecast to receive 40 to 72 inches during the same time frame. Even resorts with lower totals, such as Heavenly and Northstar, could still see 20 to 45 inches.
After Christmas, the storm track is expected to remain active. Forecasts continue to indicate above-average precipitation across the state, increasing the likelihood of additional rounds of mountain snow into next weekend. While snow quality will depend on storm timing and snow levels, the overall trend points to a much stronger winter outlook for California’s high elevations.
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