Buenos dìas my friends,
Cup'O'Joe in hand, refueling after a road-trippin' adventure between Dodge Ridge and Bear Valley for a few days of pure Cali Pass fun. You know, it's all about the Vibe, and let me tell you, the vibe in the mountains right now is electric! China Peak, Bear Valley, and Dodge Ridge Mountain Ops teams have been working their tails off to keep up with Mother Nature's mood swings over the past 15 days. Yep, a little bit of everything – rain, a touch of snain, and a dusting of snow, then those warm temps. But hey, it's not their first rodeo, and they've done an amazing job of opening up more terrain.
As the snow falls and the MaNatural settles, our mountain teams will be out and about on the mountain to assess the conditions and get as much terrain open as they can, as safely as they can, to set up for a perfect Christmas PowDay at our NorCal Cali Pass resorts!
Christmas Eve: The Storm We've Been Waiting For
Tuesday brings a colder, faster-moving system—a true Sierra classic. Snow starts rolling into the region early, likely between 0500-0800. Once it hits, it's game on: heavy snow is locked in for the day.
Timing: Snow ramps up quickly Tuesday morning and hammers through the day but could taper off by evening.
Temps: Highs stay in the 30s—definitely bundling weather. Time to break out that festive holiday sweater!
Winds: Strong SW ridge gusts of 50-70+ mph before sunrise could mean some challenging upper mountain conditions, but winds should drop down to 30-50mph by the afternoon.
Snow Totals:
Up to 1.5 inches of precipitation near the Crest, translating to solid snow accumulations. To be clear, these are precipitation totals, not the final snow depth on the ground. Snow levels drop quickly—starting out around 6k early and then crashing below 5k by Tuesday evening.
Think cold, #ColdSmokePow, setting up a White Christmas across the West Slope and down to China Peak!
Here are the NAM 3km and 12km models for your perusal:
Get Ready to Ride!
This is the storm we've all been waiting for to really kick off the holiday season! It's time to get those skis waxed, your board tuned, and your #StokeLevelsPinned because it's going to be a White Christmas! And, If you were lucky enough to get a set of fresh new sticks or a frosty new deck under the tree, you might want to tear into that wrapping paper on Christmas Eve! We're talking about a #FreshSet of POWHunt'n gear to get you ready to slay the gnar and shrederate the mountain as Mother Nature brings a Holiday #Refresh to our favorite resorts. Get ready, my friends. It's PowHunt'n Season Cali Pass Style. But Wait, There's More!
Wednesday morning, it's all about crisp bluebird skies, light winds, and fresh turns. Temps will rise just above freezing at lower elevations. A picture-perfect day to soak in the holiday Cali Pass Vibes on the mountain.
Thursday: We're not done yet. Thursday delivers another fast-moving system, brushing the region with light snow during the day.
Winds: Ridge gusts crank back up, hitting 70-90+ mph early before easing into the 30-50 mph range by evening. Expect potential lift delays again.
Snow Levels: Staying around 5,000-6,000 ft.
Snow Totals: Precipitation forecasts are a mixed bag, ranging from 0.15 to 0.7 inches near the Crest. We'll fine-tune this forecast as it shapes up.
Looking Ahead: Friday through Sunday, we ride the southern edge of the storm track. That means hit-or-miss precipitation and high snow levels (8,000 ft+) mixed with strong ridge winds gusting 50-80+ mph. It's shaping up to be a wet and windy weekend, so plan accordingly.
New Year's Outlook: High pressure could bring drier weather for the tail end of December and New Year's celebrations. It might not be a #PowFest, but blue skies aren't the worst way to kick off 2025.
Stay safe, and have an amazing holiday!
Stay'n Thirsty for POW Coop
