Lake Tahoe · Waiting for opening dayNOT YETMost snow so far: Kirkwood, 9" at the Carson Pass station.
Dates in ink are announced by the resort. A ~ date is the usual one from twenty winters.
Updated 7:10 AM.
How much new snow a typical week brings at each of the eight mountains, in inches at the station (the middle of twenty winters). Blue bars inside are this winter so far.
The share of each week's days with fresh snow at each mountain over twenty winters. Blue bars inside are this winter so far.
The share of each week's days with clear skies (under 30% cloud, 9 AM to 4 PM) over twenty winters. Weeks the lifts rarely run are greyed.
Twenty winters of federal SNOTEL station readings. A pattern, not a forecast.
Dec 22–31The region's best week for fresh snow
34 daysof fresh snow a season at Mt. Rose, the most
56"Biggest storm in 48 hours: Mt. Rose, Jan 2008
Nov 11First lifts usually turn, at Mt. Rose
A whole winter at each mountain, over twenty winters. Each dot is one winter's fresh-snow days while the lifts ran; the dark tick is the average.
Mt. RoseNorth Lake Tahoe & Truckee
34fresh-snow days a winter
34 fresh-snow days a winter (22 to 55) · 20 big days · 5.1 Bluebird · lifts ~Nov 11 to Apr 22
Palisades TahoeNorth Lake Tahoe & Truckee
34fresh-snow days a winter
34 fresh-snow days a winter (17 to 59) · 19.6 big days · 5.3 Bluebird · lifts ~Nov 22 to May 26
NorthstarNorth Lake Tahoe & Truckee
34fresh-snow days a winter
34 fresh-snow days a winter (18 to 49) · 20.5 big days · 5 Bluebird · lifts ~Nov 23 to Apr 19
Sugar BowlNorth Lake Tahoe & Truckee
30fresh-snow days a winter
30 fresh-snow days a winter (11 to 47) · 21.6 big days · 4.4 Bluebird · lifts ~Nov 25 to Apr 23
KirkwoodSouth Lake Tahoe
29fresh-snow days a winter
29 fresh-snow days a winter (15 to 45) · 17.2 big days · 4.4 Bluebird · lifts ~Nov 25 to Apr 23
HeavenlySouth Lake Tahoe
29fresh-snow days a winter
29 fresh-snow days a winter (13 to 46) · 14.8 big days · 5.1 Bluebird · lifts ~Nov 21 to Apr 25
Sierra-at-TahoeSouth Lake Tahoe
28fresh-snow days a winter
28 fresh-snow days a winter (0 to 44) · 19.3 big days · 4.5 Bluebird · lifts ~Dec 2 to Apr 20
Diamond PeakNorth Lake Tahoe & Truckee
22fresh-snow days a winter
22 fresh-snow days a winter (11 to 42) · 11.6 big days · 2.9 Bluebird · lifts ~Dec 13 to Apr 15
Snow data: USDA NRCS SNOTEL. Rule v3.3.
Map: contour lines from USGS 3DEP elevation data, every 1,000 ft.
Sky history: contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026. Neither the European Commission nor ECMWF is responsible for any use that may be made of the Copernicus information or data it contains.
Once a mountain opens, Snowcall gives it one word every morning, so you know what kind of day it is before you drive up. The one to watch for is Bluebird: fresh snow and a clear sky.
Every mountain is measured the same way, from federal snow stations and the National Weather Service, not resort snow reports.
Until opening day, the weeks above come from twenty winters of those same stations.
See how Snowcall decides →Snow from USDA NRCS SNOTEL; forecasts from the National Weather Service. Ski area names are trademarks of their respective owners. Snowcall is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by them.