Ski Conditions, Weather and Safety Resources
Mountain weather can change fast, and it shapes every ski day. Here's the conditions information Where2Ski shows, where it comes from, and where to find official avalanche, road and safety information.
Forecasts on Where2Ski
National Weather Service forecasts and alerts
Each ski area page can show the National Weather Service (NWS) forecast and any active NWS alerts for that place. The NWS is part of NOAA, and its forecasts reach us through its free public API web service.
What the forecast covers:
- It's for one point: the ski area's mapped base or entrance. Weather at the summit, on a mountain pass or along the drive can be very different.
- It's a weather forecast. New snow, base depth, grooming, and open lifts and trails come from the ski area's own report, and a sunny forecast doesn't tell you whether the area is open.
- Only a current forecast is shown. Forecasts refresh regularly, and if a fresh one isn't available, the page says "forecast unavailable" and links straight to the NWS.
- An alert is worth acting on, but a quiet alert panel isn't a safety guarantee. Follow official instructions on the ground.
Snow reports and today's status
For most ski areas, today's status reads "Not reported," which means no daily report has reached us from an authorized source (it doesn't mean open or closed). The ski area's own website has today's lifts, trails, grooming and snow conditions.
Avalanche information
Avalanche danger matters most beyond ski area boundaries, in terrain that isn't patrolled or controlled. Inside a ski area's open terrain, follow its signs, closures and ski patrol.
In the United States, regional avalanche centers publish forecasts for the areas they cover. Avalanche.org, a partnership of the American Avalanche Association and the USDA Forest Service National Avalanche Center, links to every U.S. avalanche center and a national danger map.
Many areas have no avalanche center, and centers may not forecast every day or all season, so a missing bulletin tells you nothing about the hazard.
Route, terrain and snowpack decisions are beyond what any website can make for you. A "backcountry resource" in our directory has no lifts, patrol or avalanche control. Anyone heading into avalanche terrain should take accredited avalanche education, carry rescue gear and practice with it, and consider hiring a qualified guide.
Roads and travel
Mountain roads can close, or require chains or traction devices, during storms.
- Check your state's 511 traveler information or transportation department website before you leave and again before you head home. New York's, for example, is 511NY, run by the state Department of Transportation. Each state has its own.
- Distances on Where2Ski are straight-line miles. Use a routing app for travel time, and leave extra time in winter.
- Ready.gov's winter weather guidance suggests keeping an emergency kit in your car and a full tank of gas.
Cold and winter weather
The NWS explains winter weather safety and cold weather safety, including how frostbite and hypothermia develop and what wind chill means. Learn the warning signs before your trip.
On the slopes
- Know the National Ski Areas Association Responsibility Code, which every skier and rider at a lift-served area is expected to follow.
- Take lessons from a qualified instructor, especially when you're starting out or trying new terrain or a new discipline. PSIA-AASI certifies snowsports instructors in the United States.
- Respect ski area boundaries, closed trails and patrol instructions.
Map pins and emergencies
A ski area's location on Where2Ski is a reference point on a map. For directions, use the operator's official trail map and directions. In an emergency, call 911, or contact ski patrol at a ski area.
Report a problem
If a forecast point or ski area location looks wrong, use suggest a correction. For anything else, use our contact page.