The SnoCal Weekend Outlook
What's in it
- The weekend snow picture: where it's snowing, how much, and whether it lands Friday night or Sunday afternoon.
- The drive: the chain control outlook for I-80, US-50, SR-88 and US-395, and the best window to leave.
- Our call: the resort we'd pick this weekend, and the one we'd skip.
- A little help from the SnoCal crew, our cartoon characters, because forecasts should be fun.
What an issue looks like
Sample issue: an illustration of the format, not a real forecast.
Subject: Powder Saturday, but leave by 6
The short version: a cold storm drops 10 to 16 inches on the Tahoe crest Friday night, then clears out by Saturday morning. Saturday is the day. Sunday is sunny, firm, and crowded.
The drive: expect R2 chain controls on I-80 and US-50 Friday evening into early Saturday. If you're coming from the Bay Area, either leave Friday before 2pm or Saturday by 6am. The middle is a parking lot.
Our pick: Sugar Bowl, closest to the Bay and first in line for the snow. Skip: anywhere on US-50 Saturday morning. Echo Summit tends to stay in controls longer.
Mammoth and SoCal: dry and sunny. Mammoth is skiing well on groomers; Big Bear is all snowmaking.
See you up there. The SnoCal family
Who writes it
SnoCal is run by a California family that spends many a winter weekend driving up to their cabin and know how important it is to check the forecast before we leave. We pull from the same sources the pros use, including the National Weather Service, Caltrans and UC Berkeley's Central Sierra Snow Lab, and we tell you what it means for your weekend so you can stay informed of the conditions.
Questions
Is it really free?
Yes. The Weekend Outlook is free, every week.
When does it start?
The first issues go out in November, ahead of opening weekends, and run every Thursday through the end of the season.
Will you sell my email or spam me?
No. We never sell or share your address. You'll get the Thursday Outlook and, occasionally, news from SnoCal. Every email has a one-click unsubscribe.
Why do you ask where I ski?
So we can put the region you care about first. We never share it.
While you wait for Thursday: snow forecast for every resort · I-80 road conditions · opening dates