Storm brings cooler temperatures to town

After a near record high temperature Sunday, a weak storm moved through the area Monday night and brought with it cooler weather. We’ll still see daytime highs in the 40s this week, but the good news is that overnight lows in the teens and 20s should be perfect for snowmaking. This time of year, man-made snow is what helps us open terrain and get a solid base across the mountain ahead of the holidays.

After an unseasonably warm fall, a change in the weather pattern is forecast in December, and the next storm should roll through the area around Dec. 3 to 6. Also good news is that this is a La Nina winter. While every season is different, La Nina has historically been good to Steamboat, with six of our deepest eight winters on record — including our all-time record 489 inches in 2007-08 — being La Nina winters. Last winter started off as a La Nina, and brought more than 100 inches of snow each in December and January before the weather pattern changed in late winter.

So while you choreograph your snow dances and make sacrifices to the snow gods (REI burns Twinkies), don’t forget to make some turns. Colder temperatures last night mean today’s groom set up nicely. If you head up the gondola, you can link Heavenly Daze, Vogue and Stampede to ski 2,180 uninterrupted vertical feet. This time of year, that’s easily enough to get your legs burning.