Looks like we've got a whopper of a storm coming in this weekend with widespread light to moderate snow on Saturday and then a moderate to strong coastal storm is being modeled presently to impact the Northeast on Sunday into Monday with potential of over a foot of snow on a widespread basis but also extensive mixing depending on the track. This storm has potential for causing wide-ranging impacts for both travel and ski operations during an important and busy holiday period.

Models are in good rough agreement on how this storm forms and tracks however the the exact track and intensity are still an open question and that will have notable implications on who stays snow, especially on Sunday. Shown here are modeled precipitation intensity maps from all three major medium range models at both the 4PM Saturday and 7PM Sunday timeframes from the latest model runs.

If the storm does come in strong there could be up to 4 days where wind could impact lift operations in parts of the Northeast starting on Sunday. On Monday the wind impacts are likely to peak and there is potential for widespread wind holds on Monday, possibly severe in nature. A stronger storm is also likely to continue to cause wind impacts into Tuesday and Wednesday in a more isolated and less severe manner. Essentially, the stronger the storm the more wind issues we are likely to see and Monday could be widely problematic.

We do not like to be alarmist and we don't hype what isn't likely to occur, and there will be great opportunities in the Northeast to hunt this storm on at least a limited basis, but you will need to carefully make your plans for both travel and destination including backup plans for wind in order to make the most out of this storm and the holiday weekend. This is of course what Snowology specializes in and why Northeast skiers and riders value our coverage.

FOLLOW US TO THE POW! (and away from the wind)