Font ResizeUtah's ski season has opened on a limited basis at Brighton and Solitude, and more snow on the way Thursday and again on Saturday could open even more terrain.
The bonus of lower temperatures is that it should make snowmaking operations more effective.
Chris Young of the National Weather Service's Salt Lake City office said forecasters expect a cold front to hit the Wasatch Front between 8 and 9 a.m. Thursday with a mix of rain and snow predicted for the benches and snow in the mountains.
"Snow will probably not pile up in the mountains until Thursday afternoon or evening," he said. "We could get between 4 [and] 8 inches Thursday in the northern mountains, and the snow could continue Thursday night with an additional 2 to 4 inches by Friday morning."
The cold trend should continue through the weekend with another snow day likely Saturday, when even colder air should blow into Utah and bring a slight dusting of snow to the valley.
The prospect of snow and colder weather has ski resort officials excited.
"Hopefully, we'll get that snow," said Brighton's Jared Winkler, whose resort opened Wednesday. "We do have the Majestic and Explorer lifts open with man-made and some natural snow. Temperatures are going to get low in the next couple of nights. We are going to get busy and add more man-made terrain."
Brighton currently has two runs open on a 15-inch base. Winkler reported a decent crowd for Wednesday's
"We're getting a few hungry college kids skipping class so they can brag that they were here the first day," he said.
With increased snowmaking and natural snow, Brighton could end up opening its Crest and even Snake Creek chairlifts soon. But the current focus is using snowmaking operations to get the lowest elevations covered.
Solitude was Utah's first resort to open with two lifts and two runs operating on a 16-inch base of mostly man-made snow.
"We've had a great turnout so far," said the Big Cottonwood Canyon resort's Nick Como. "With snow in the forecast, I expect that to increase. We have been blowing snow at 95 percent of capacity the last four nights in hopes of opening additional terrain and an additional lift. But it would always help to get more snow."
Utah's other ski areas are gearing up for opening days in the near future. Alta is scheduled to open Nov. 20 while Brian Head, Park City Mountain Resort and Snowbird plan Nov. 21 openings. Snowbasin's scheduled opening is Nov. 26, with Wolf Mountain and the Canyons set to open Nov. 27. Other dates: Dec. 5 for Deer Valley, and Dec. 11 for Sundance. Beaver Mountain has yet to announce when it will begin lift operations.
