NNE Cold Season Thread 2025-2026

[#NoPoles]

Currently temp is-15

[J.Spin]

As of this morning we’d picked up 6-7” of snow in the valley from our most recent Clipper, and Bolton Valley was reporting 10” of new snow in the last 48 hours. Based on my tour up at Bolton yesterday afternoon/evening, I knew that all the additional snow that fell overnight was going to create some excellent conditions.

Temperatures were in the single digits F this morning, so I considered touring at Timberline with its lower elevations and typically warmer conditions, as long as the snowpack looked like it was ready. Indeed the base depths and powder seemed fine even down at 1,500’. In terms of powder depths, I was finding 8-12” around 1,500’ at the Timberline Base and roughly 12-16” up near 2,500’. The snow was quite dry (liquid analyses for the storm revealed an average of 4-5% H2O), and that was helpful, because it was deep enough that you needed to be on moderate to steep pitches for good speed. The cold temperatures made the snow even a bit slower, so low-angle areas weren’t enough if you were in untracked powder.

With bright sun and no wind, the temperatures were actually quite comfortable for touring, and the feel was much different than what single digits F feel like with clouds, snowfall, and wind.

[#NoPoles]

-20

[mreaves]

 

Winter Weather Advisory up.

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM WEDNESDAY TO 1 AM EST 
THURSDAY...

* WHAT...Snow expected. Total snow accumulations between 3 and 7 
  inches.

* WHERE...Portions of central, northwest, and southern Vermont.

* WHEN...From 7 AM Wednesday to 1 AM EST Thursday.

* IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous 
  conditions will impact the Wednesday morning and evening commutes.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Heaviest snow is expected to occur between 10 
  AM and 3 PM Wednesday.

 

 

 

 

 

[backedgeapproaching]

I think SVT should be reasonably well with this. It's a poor man's bread and butter here with the SW flow upsloping into the Taconic's and Greens from the Hudson Valley. Well see I guess.  

[AstronomyEnjoyer]

River out back is about as frozen as it's ever been this early in the season.

[NW_of_GYX]

Posting this here because the main thread is a dumpster fire. I’m going to be right on the mix line with tomorrow’s system in the foothills of Maine. Quick look at the NAM temp profiles and it seems more of a surface level issue than mid level warmth look so I’m leaning a slightly colder solution than modeled for my area. Tough forecast here. 

[TheMainer]

30 minutes ago, NW_of_GYX said:

Posting this here because the main thread is a dumpster fire. I’m going to be right on the mix line with tomorrow’s system in the foothills of Maine. Quick look at the NAM temp profiles and it seems more of a surface level issue than mid level warmth look so I’m leaning a slightly colder solution than modeled for my area. Tough forecast here. 

I think we're riding the razors edge at the house, groomer garage should do 2-3 inches better I think based on what I've seen, there is a change 6 miles north of here where they split the county for the NWS purposes and it's almost spot on overall as there is a few hundred feet gain in elevation between here and there. 

[J.Spin]

It looks like the Winter Weather Advisories in this area start up at 7:00 A.M. tomorrow, and the forecast here in the valley suggests accumulations in the 3-6” range. That seems to line up well with the BTV NWS Event Total Snow Accumulation map through Thursday morning. The forecast also calls for a few inches of snow beyond that period, which is probably covered in the longer period map that mreaves posted.

[das]

Light WAA snow has commenced in the Champlain Valley. Looks like the LLJ is here too with strong southerly channeled winds of S24G36. 22.7°F / 12°F. Incoming returns look a little stronger than I expected so maybe we’ll squeeze out 0.5” of windy snow before the clipper arrives around 7am. 

[mreaves]

The first 10 days of December have been pretty chilly.

 

[Lava Rock]

Expecting 1" or so then some glop. Won't matter in a couple weeks anyways if models are right. 

[tamarack]

Coldest start to December since 1989, which was 14° BN for Dec 1-9 (in Gardiner).   First flakes at 10:25 this morning, not including the 0.1" dusting last night.
(Had to use the decimal as T mucks up my formulas.)

DECEM	2025
Date	High	Low	Mean	HDDs	Rain	Snow	Snowpak	Departure
1	34	16	25	40			1	-2.4	-2.4
2	21	10	15.5	49.5	0.43	5.2	6	-11.2	-6.8
3	33	19	26	39	0.06	1.7	7	-0.2	-4.6
4	30	6	18	47	0.00005	0.00005	6	-7.8	-5.4
5	16	-9	3.5	61.5			6	-21.8	-8.7
6	18	-4	7	58	0.00005	0.00005	5	-17.8	-10.2
7	26	3	14.5	50.5	0.04	0.5	6	-9.9	-10.1
8	20	-3	8.5	56.5	0.05	0.9	6	-15.5	-10.8
9	18	-18	0	65			6	-23.3	-12.2

[WxWatcher007]

Underperforming a bit here. Right around an inch so far. An inch yesterday too in unrelated upslope. 

[dryslot]

-SN, 30/25°F

[backedgeapproaching]

2 hours ago, WxWatcher007 said:

Underperforming a bit here. Right around an inch so far. An inch yesterday too in unrelated upslope. 

I don't know where you are exactly, but you maybe be downsloping a bit on S/SW wind. Or maybe its just not enough lift into your area, not sure. 

[NW_of_GYX]

Quick 2” in the last 2 hours and temp has dropped to 27. We’ll see how long we can hold onto the CAD. 

[WxWatcher007]

7 minutes ago, backedgeapproaching said:

I don't know where you are exactly, but you maybe be downsloping a bit on S/SW wind. Or maybe its just not enough lift into your area, not sure. 

I’m in Saranac Lake. You may be right about the downsloping. 

[backedgeapproaching]

Just now, WxWatcher007 said:

I’m in Saranac Lake. You may be right about the downsloping. 

Yea I know your in SLK, meant more that that there are probably nuances within short distances there like many terrain influenced areas of NNE. 

[powderfreak]

3” so far at all elevations from town to upper mountain.  Really no change with elevation it seems.

[backedgeapproaching]

6.2" as of 330.  Zero wind, just stacking up nicely.  Think the heaviest of it is over, but maybe still squeeze out a few inches more. Still coming down at maybe 1/2" hour clip. 

[Zeppy]

Over performer..or..under forecasted 

[powderfreak]

4” at base snow plot.