6-12 Inches of Snow Forecasted for New England Ski Resorts

A warm-start system rolls through the East Coast Wednesday night into Thursday, January 15, with snow levels mostly above the bases, so the best early accumulations stay on upper terrain.

Expect dense snow where it sticks, then a sharp cooldown Thursday night into Friday that drops snow levels to the valleys and improves quality quickly.

From Saturday night through Tuesday of next week, light snow returns in a colder, more persistent pattern. Totals add up slowly, with the White Mountains and northern Vermont ending up deepest. Cannon Mountain and Stowe lead the pack, and Jay Peak stays in the mix, while western Maine (Sunday River) looks lighter overall.

Winds turn westerly and stay active after the front, with the strongest ridge-top gusts Thursday night into Friday and again at times early next week. That wind will move snow around and keep some exposed zones firmer even as the colder snow quality improves.

Keep reading for more on the storm.

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Forecasted Snowfall Totals for Ski Resorts

• Sunday River, ME: 1–2 inches
• Sugarloaf, ME: 3–4 inches
• Loon Mountain, NH: 4–7 inches
• Bretton Woods, NH: 5–8 inches
• Wildcat, NH: 5–8 inches
• Sugarbush, VT: 5–8 inches
• Killington, VT: 5–8 inches
• Jay Peak, VT: 7–10 inches
• Cannon Mountain, NH: 8–11 inches
• Stowe, VT: 8–12 inches

Storm Timing and Discussion

Snow builds in two phases. The first arrives Wednesday night into Thursday with marginal temperatures and elevated snow levels, so the upper mountain does the best. Snow-to-liquid ratios stay in the single digits to low teens during the warm push, which points to heavy, dense snow wherever accumulation holds. By Friday afternoon, Stowe could be sitting at 5–6 inches from the midweek system, with Jay Peak around 4–5 inches and Sugarbush and Cannon Mountain near 4–5 inches as well.

Cold air and a westerly wind shift take over Thursday night into Friday. Snow levels crash to the valleys, and ratios jump into the mid to upper teens, so the next inch or two comes in lighter. Winds increase out of the west at higher elevations, and gusts around 50–60 mph will be enough to blow snow off ridges and load sheltered lines.

The second phase runs Saturday night through Tuesday with frequent light snow and the best consistency in northern Vermont and the White Mountains.

Cannon Mountain stands out late with a better shot of accumulation Sunday night into Monday, and it could tack on 3–4 inches in that window alone. Guidance spreads widen most on the late-weekend wave, with the GFS notably more aggressive than several other solutions in New Hampshire and western Maine, while the ECMWF and the ICON lean lighter and more incremental. The forecast keeps the steady-light idea, which still favors the higher, colder resorts for the best turns.

Daily Storm Chase Recommendations

• Fri (01/16): Stowe for 2–3 inches of fluffy/blower snow from Thursday night plus Friday, with gusts near 50 mph shifting snow into protected terrain and keeping exposed ridges scraped.
• Mon (01/19): Cannon Mountain for 3–4 inches of fluffy/blower snow from Sunday night plus Monday, stacking on the weekend refresh with more manageable winds for the best overall surface quality.

Extended Outlook

Late January trends colder than normal across northern New England with an active storm track that favors more frequent precipitation chances.

That supports continued opportunities for light snow and periodic refreshes, with the best odds for quality staying at higher elevations and on favored upslope aspects. Stay tuned for future forecasts!