A pair of warm, sunny days and some nice snowpack could lead to some great Midwest turns this weekend ahead of a cold snap. Get ’em while you can!

Chasing sun

In the Midwest, we often chase the sun more than the snow. The terrain out here scratches our itch, but at a whopping 250 vertical feet, comfort in the warm sun is paramount.

Last night, I found some really nice soft turns at Welch Village. It was a nice evening and my way to pay tribute to Warren Miller by getting in the alpine for a few hours.

Tonight (Friday), we are looking at a high of 43 degrees in the Upper Midwest and some late afternoon sun as well. Tomorrow (Saturday), temps will be closer to 30 degrees, but sun is expected as well.

With the surprising amount of snow left out there Thursday night, I’d anticipate some soft, sunny runs for Friday night and Saturday.

Sunday, temperatures will begin to slide into the teens and, eventually, single digits, where it looks like it will stay through Super Bowl Sunday.

PNW Chase Update

Well, as is typical of the Pacific Northwest, the Mt. Baker storm I highlighted earlier this week has dissipated as temperatures climb. However, OpenSnow now says similar monster totals at Whistler instead.

As of Friday morning, 17-23″ are expected to fall Sunday with another 14-24″ expected Monday at Whistler.

Whistler, of course, is only a short drive from Seattle (passport required) if you’ve already booked your flights.

These west coast chases, including California ones, are tricky from the Midwest. For one, it requires a flight, which always puts a wrench in things. Also, the temperatures fluctuate quickly and the storms hit hard, so lift closures and snow quality can be variable.