Now is a great time to dial in your safety gear including putting fresh new batteries in your beacons! Local shops across the state will be handing out free Batteries for Beacons now until February 1, 2025. All you need to do is fill out a quick survey and grab the AAA or AA batteries you need to keep your beacon fresh this season. Find participating shops and more info here.

Nuthin' but severe clear skies with current temperatures clocking in right around freezing at most ridgetop locations and few low lying trailheads starting their day in the upper 20's. Southerly winds got side-tracked with an office party for a short time late last night, took a few hours off and barely clocked back in at o'dark thirty with average speeds blowing just 5-10 mph... unheard of in the range that invented wind. Winds came back to work early this morning, yet the eggnog took a bit of the edge off as they deliver underachieving results, producing wind speeds in the low teens near the high peaks. It's a mixed bag out there and it's been a slow start to winter with settled snow depths averaging just about 2' across the range. Riding and turning conditions are acceptable, but tread lightly, there's no shortage of buried treasures lurking just below the snow surface.

As the days gain 127 extra seconds of daylight, high pressure overhead slides east today, allowing for a warm, dry southerly flow. A few high clouds drift into the Uinta zone, but in general skies remain mostly sunny. Temperatures cool slightly, yet still run 10 to 15 degrees above normal, registering in the mid 40's. Overnight lows dip into the upper 20's.

Clear skies, warming temperatures, and light winds are on tap through midday Sunday. A couple of weak weather systems cross the area later Sunday through Monday. The greatest shot for accumulating snow arrives late Tuesday into Christmas morning... though we can expect just a couple inches of low density snow. The pattern remains active beyond Christmas, with some legit storminess on tap for late in the week. We'll keep ya posted as the deets begin to align but I'm cautiously optimistic a change in the stagnant storm pattern is materializing. Fingers, toes, and eyes crossed.... but not for too long... especially in the crossed eye department :)

Andy snapped this scenic image from the Mirror Lake Highway zone midweek, clearly showing a beautiful day, though illustrating the lack of overall snow and coverage for the eastern front.

Ted was on the east side visiting Mill Creek Wednesday and reports... "Early season conditions with only about 20" or so once I got into the Mill Creek drainage. Much of the south facing terrain is very thin to no snow at all."