Powder Finder
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How the Powder Finder ranks resorts
The Powder Finder answers one question: where is the most snow? At the top, Fresh in the last 24 hours shows who got the most new snow: each resort’s own report when it filed one, otherwise the 24-hour change at its matched SNOTEL station. Below it are two boards. Forecast ranks resorts by the snow forecast to fall, for the region you pick. Reported Snow ranks resorts by the new snow they reported themselves, so you can see where it actually piled up.
The forecast board
Forecasts come from the National Weather Service for US resorts and from Environment Canada’s GEM model for Canadian resorts, the same sources each resort’s page uses. Pick a window: Today is the rest of today, 48h is today and tomorrow, 72h is today plus the next two days, and 7-Day is today plus the next seven days. Each forecast day runs from 6am to 6am the next morning. Days are rounded to the whole inch, and a total never reads higher than the true total or the days added up as shown.
The reported board
Reported snow is each resort’s own snow report, delivered to us by SnoCountry. We show the new snow, the last 48 hours and the base depth exactly as the resort reported them. Only reports filed today or yesterday count, so an old report can’t top the board.
Why don’t the two boards match?
They measure different things. The forecast board is snow that is expected to fall. The reported board is snow that already fell, measured by the resort, usually in the past 24 hours.
Why is the reported board empty?
Resorts start filing daily snow reports as they open, from mid-October on. Until a resort reports fresh snow, it won’t show here. The forecast board works all year.
The map shows snow but this page says none. Why?
Check the window. This page opens on 72 hours, and snow later in the week only shows in the 7-Day view. When that happens, the page tells you how many resorts have snow within 7 days and links to that view.
Can I get an email when my mountain is about to get snow?
Yes. Powder alerts are free for up to 3 resorts.
Guides: How to read a ski snow forecast · What SNOTEL stations are · Snow and weather glossary