44 Inches of Snow Forecasted for Alta Ski Area, Utah This Week

Summary

A powerful storm cycle targets Utah, Colorado, and the Northern Rockies from Monday night through Thursday afternoon (February 16-19, 2026). Strong south to southwest winds arrive first, then two main snow pushes follow with the best coverage on Tuesday and the coldest, highest-quality snow on Wednesday into early Thursday.

Expect wind-affected snow on exposed ridgelines Tuesday, then steadily improving powder quality as temperatures fall and snow ratios climb.

Utah’s Cottonwoods will lead in total accumulation, with Alta and Snowbird tracking around 31-44 inches by Thursday afternoon, and Solitude and Brighton close behind.

Southwest Colorado also stacks up, with Wolf Creek in the 28-40 inch range, while northern Idaho and the Tetons do well with Brundage and Grand Targhee building into the mid-teens to low 20s. The pattern stays active after Thursday, but the next organized wave shows a wider spread on timing and where the bullseye lands.

Resort Snowfall Totals February 16-19

Note: these forecasted totals are on the conservative side; expect reported totals to end up on the higher end of these ranges.

• Crested Butte, Colorado: 19-27 inches
• Eagle Point, Utah: 20-27 inches
• Beaver Mountain, Utah: 20-27 inches
• Park City, Utah: 22-31 inches
• Powder Mountain, Utah: 24-34 inches
• Wolf Creek, Colorado: 28-40 inches
• Brighton, Utah: 29-40 inches
• Solitude, Utah: 30-42 inches
• Alta, Utah: 31-44 inches
• Snowbird, Utah: 32-44 inches

Storm Timing and Discussion

Snow starts first in the Northern Rockies Monday afternoon and evening, then spreads into Utah Monday night and into Colorado before daybreak Tuesday.

The individual models converge on the timing of this first push and on a windy setup, with sustained ridge-top winds around 30-50 mph and gusts commonly 60-80 mph in Utah and parts of Colorado. The models also agree that the wind will move snow around through Tuesday, so sheltered terrain will hold the best snow while exposed ridges take a beating.

Colorado Ski Forecast Map

Colorado and much of the Northern Rockies get their most organized burst with the Tuesday front, and the individual models stay tightly clustered on that timing, even though they vary on exact intensity.

Snow levels run higher on the warm side early Tuesday, roughly 6500-7500 feet for parts of Colorado, then drop into the 3500-5500 foot range by Wednesday as colder air takes over. Brundage could land around 17-24 inches by Thursday afternoon, and Grand Targhee and Bogus Basin sit in the 14-20 inch range with steadily improving snow quality as temperatures fall.

Utah Ski Forecast Map

Utah’s biggest production favors the colder Wednesday reload, and the individual models converge on that timing while diverging on how much Wednesday outperforms Tuesday.

The ECMWF, the GFS, and the ICON lean harder on the Wednesday peak in Utah, while the GDPS keeps more of the storm weight on the Tuesday pulse. Snow levels drop into the 2500-3500 foot range, and snow ratios push into the mid-teens, setting up a much drier feel than the early part of the cycle.

Alta and Snowbird track around 31-44 inches by Thursday afternoon, with Solitude and Brighton around 29-42 inches, while Wolf Creek sits near 28-40 inches with plenty of blower periods once the colder air settles in.

Daily Chase Recommendations

Each day's snowfall range combines the previous night (4 pm-8 am) and that day (8 am-4 pm). These picks focus on Tuesday through Thursday when model agreement is strongest and the storm structure is well defined. Snow chances continue after that, but timing and placement vary enough that you will want to stay flexible.

• Tuesday: Brundage gets 9-12 inches of moderate snow with light winds, and Alta or Snowbird stacks 10-13 inches of moderate snow with ridge gusts 60-70 mph that will rough up exposed terrain and harm snow quality.
• Wednesday: Alta or Snowbird posts 15-22 inches of fluffy snow, and Wolf Creek adds 13-19 inches of blower snow with steady ridgeline winds that will drift the light snow above treeline.
• Thursday: Powder Mountain grabs 7-10 inches of blower snow with lighter winds, and Steamboat picks up 6-10 inches of blower snow with calmer ridges and excellent preservation.

Extended Outlook

Snow showers linger beyond Thursday and a trailing wave looks possible Friday into the weekend, though the individual models spread out on timing and which sub-regions cash in the most. Farther out, the larger-scale pattern keeps the western storm track active enough to support additional reloads, including another stronger-looking window early next week. Expect periods of colder air to keep snow quality high in the Northern Rockies, while Utah and Colorado show a higher chance for occasional warmer pulses that could nudge snow levels up at lower bases.