Winter makes a tentative return

FORECAST UPDATE 12/14

The forecast for Friday has improved to say 100% chance of snow, and no mention of the "r" word. No estimate of total accumulation so far, but if we pick up even a fraction of what the Midwest is seeing, we should have good skiing on many trails for the coming weekend and beyond. 

Very light snow fell for much of the day on Sunday. Most areas only picked up an inch or so, but there is about 3" in Newcomb,  4" in Paul Smiths, and about 2" on the Whiteface Highway at the Toll House.  The Highway is just barely skiable from the Toll House, and the Newcomb forest ranger reports that the road to Newcomb Lake could be skied. Paul Smith's VIC has yet to declare any of their trails open. Take your chances on the nearby Hays Brook Truck Trail.

The next few days will remain cold with a chance of a bit more snow. What we are watching is a developing system that will affect the area on Friday and Saturday. So far, the forecast is for temperatures in the mid-30s and "rain or snow" coming down. We are certainly hoping for snow. Any snow will likely be fairly wet and dense, but that is what we need right now. Meantime, we will have three days of consistent cold to put frost in the ground, freeze up many of the small water sources, and maybe form enough ice on the smaller lakes so that the ice on those lakes can better support the snow without cracking and thereby allowing slush to form under the snow.

​Stay tuned....