SUMMARY
A series of storms is rolling through the West, dishing out hefty snowfall and decent-to-fluffy snow quality in many mountain ranges. Tahoe wins big on Monday with a foot-plus of new snow, and the Pacific Northwest sees deep turns as early as Sunday. Utah and Colorado get in on the action midweek with lighter but still tasty freshies. Bottom line: it’s a week loaded with opportunities to score quality pow if you time your chases right.
TOTALS UPDATE
Let's first take a look at some of the more impressive totals from around the west over the last five days:
- China Peak (CA): 55"
- Sugar Bowl: 50"
- Mount Baker: 49"
- Arizona Snowbowl: 48"
- Brighton: 47"
- Palisades Tahoe: 45"
- Kirkwood: 44"
- Snowbird: 40"
CHASE FORECAST (BY DAY)
MONDAY (3/17)
- Tahoe Goes Off: Resorts like Kirkwood, Palisades, Sugar Bowl, and more are in line for around 14–19 inchesfrom Sunday night into Monday, with generally heavy to moderate-density fluff (SLR around 8–12, trending fluffier later). Expect strong southerly winds early in the day, but once things settle, it’s pure surfy fun minus the super-blower factor. This earns top chase honors for Monday.
- PNW: Lighter snow continues in parts of Oregon and Washington on Monday, but accumulations are more modest (roughly 3–10 inches total from Sunday night into Monday across many Cascade spots). Enough to refresh and stack on top of already-impressive totals, but overshadowed by Tahoe’s dumping.
TUESDAY (3/18)
- Utah: The Wasatch picks up overnight fresh Monday into Tuesday—places like Alta/Snowbird could see about 8–11+ inches combined (Mon night + Tue). SLR looks high (well into the teens), so look for cold, fluffy pow on upper mountain terrain. Winds may kick up in exposed areas, but overall it’s a classic mid-March refresh.
- Colorado: Storms arrive, but Tuesday’s best initial push targets southern and southwestern mountains later in the day. If you’re itching for first tracks in CO, you might see moderate accumulations by Tuesday afternoon, but many areas won’t peak until Tuesday night or Wednesday.
WEDNESDAY (3/19)
- Colorado: Some zones, especially around Telluride & the San Juans, stand out. They’ll stack up around 7–11 inches Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, with super-high SLRs (mid-to-high teens) = borderline blower. Winds remain breezy but not insane. If you can score the first few hours of Wednesday, it’s prime, deep-lung fun.
- PNW & Northern Rockies: A new trough lines up more showers, though totals aren’t massive for a one-day smash-and-grab. Generally a few fresh inches can keep surfaces nice, especially in higher elevations with cooler temps.
THURSDAY (3/20) & FRIDAY (3/21)
- Most regions see on-and-off systems, but totals look modest—generally single-digit daily adds. Enough for a top-off, but not the epic face-shots we love.
- PNW: A series of impulses could drop several inches each round, with occasionally heavy pockets in the Oregon Cascades. Keep an eye on areas like Timberline, which might see steady refreshes.
- Northern Rockies: Continued unsettled conditions could mean 3–6 inches in spots. Not a full-blown snorkel scenario, but new snow plus leftover fluff can be tasty.
- Colorado: Light accumulations each day, focusing on central and northern mountains. If it stays cold and relatively calm wind-wise, surfaces should stay decent.
KEY POINTS
-
Good:
- Several back-to-back storms, especially in CA early week, UT midweek, and parts of CO.
- Cold temps in many areas leading to fluffy or at least moderately dense snow.
-
Bad:
- Strong winds, especially in the Sierra on Sunday night into Monday, and in parts of the PNW. Could cause lift holds, wind crust, or drifting.
- Higher snow levels at times in Oregon’s Cascades early Sunday, so watch for variable conditions below ~4500–5000 feet.
-
Wildcards:
- Convergence zones and unstable pockets (like in WA or ID) could bump up localized totals.
- Model discrepancies on how each wave tracks late in the week, so keep an eye on last-minute shifts in storm paths.
REGION-BY-REGION DETAILS
Pacific Northwest
Oregon Cascades will see a healthy pulse of snow through Sunday, especially above 4500–5000 feet, with storm rates up to an inch per hour at times. Temps drop Sunday night, driving snow levels below 3000 feet and ensuring better-quality snow for Monday morning. Winds look gusty, so expect some swirling and drifting. Bachelor stands out Sunday-Monday with over another foot possible in the first 24 hours, dropping to lighter accumulations Monday and beyond. Timberline and Mount Hood resorts should also see refreshes, though lesser totals than Bachelor’s Sunday slam.
Washington’s Cascades keep the party going with on-and-off snowfall. Snow levels hover around 2000–3000 feet, so ski areas from Snoqualmie up through Stevens Pass and Crystal Mountain remain mostly all-snow. Amounts are smaller each day (a few inches to maybe half a foot) but can build up from repeated waves. By mid to late week, more impulses roll in, delivering several more inches. Watch for breezy conditions, especially around the passes.
California
The Sierra steals the show Monday. A strong winter storm blasts the region, favoring higher elevations from around Lassen County through Tahoe and down to Mammoth. Moderate to high snow totals in the 1–1.5+ foot range are likely at the top of major Tahoe resorts by Monday evening, with some spots (Kirkwood, Palisades, Sugar Bowl) pushing close to 18–19 inches. Expect dense snow at first with strong moisture flow and higher initial snow levels (around 5000–6000 feet), then cooling air overnight Sunday into Monday helps fluff things up on top. Winds will be extremely gusty—some ridgelines see 60+ mph—so check lift statuses. Mammoth also gets a solid shot, though totals look a bit lower (up to around a foot). After a drier Tuesday, smaller systems return Wednesday/Thursday but only produce light to moderate accumulations. Northern areas (like Mt. Shasta region) also get hammered Sunday/Monday with up to 2 feet in the highest peaks.
Utah
Early Sunday is relatively quiet. Monday night into Tuesday brings a stronger cold front and widespread mountain snow. Northern Utah mountains (e.g., the Cottonwoods) could see around 8–11 inches total by Tuesday afternoon, with super-high SLR (often mid-to-high teens), making for deep-feeling, lighter powder. Winds from the southwest pick up Monday, potentially affecting some lifts. Another system late Wednesday into Thursday might deposit a few additional inches, especially in northern Utah, but it won’t match Tuesday’s event. Timpanogos/Tushar range gets good coverage too (e.g., Eagle Point sees half a foot+). Overall, it’s a nice midweek refresh that should preserve well with cooler temperatures.
Northern Rockies (ID/MT/WY)
Waves of mountain snow spread across Idaho, western Montana, and northwestern Wyoming, starting with moderate hits Sunday into Monday. Idaho’s west-central mountains (Brundage, Bogus Basin) see multi-day accumulations, but no single day is huge—some storms add up to double-digit totals over two or three days. Montana’s Big Sky region and Bridger can pick up a few inches each day, but the biggest lulls you into chasing might be late in the week if the next trough intensifies. Jackson Hole and Grand Targhee see several modest refreshes Sunday–Wednesday, with 2–6 inches each day in bursts. By Thursday, another system could drop a bit more. Conditions remain generally good thanks to consistently cold temps and moderate winds (though some gusty periods hit the higher ridges).
Colorado
Winds and warmish weather hold Sunday into Monday, then things shift to winter mode on Tuesday. Southern mountains (like Telluride) quickly get hammered Tuesday night into Wednesday, picking up as much as 7–11 inches of high-ratio fluff. Central/northern mountains (e.g., Winter Park, Steamboat) also see Tuesday/Wednesday accumulations, though totals may be a bit lower (often in the 4–8 inch range). Post-storm, orographics could keep extra snow showers going in spots like the northern Front Range. Another weaker wave Thursday into Friday sprinkles a few inches more. Expect continued cold temperatures, so this fresh snow should remain in decent shape for a few days. High mountain winds may still play a role, but not as severe as the early-week blasts in California.
EXTENDED OUTLOOK
High pressure doesn’t look rock-solid, so many western mountains stay in a periodic storm cycle into next weekend. The biggest action might again focus on the northern tier (PNW, Northern Rockies), with lighter systems brushing California and the Intermountain West. Keep your eyes on updates for another potential wave in Colorado and Utah late next weekend—still some uncertainty in how it shapes up, but the active pattern continues.
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