Seattle skiing conditions

On the far side of the mountains, it might not spring immediately to mind for Seattle-area skiers and snowboarders and the locals may well like it that way. Three hours from the city may be far for a day trip, but it would make a great part of a winter weekend visit to Leavenworth. Wenatchee is another good choice for nearby lodging and dining. Summit at Snoqualmie. Map View. Highlights Easy freeway access and only an hour from Seattle Plenty of parking for day trippers Nearby Alpental accessible with the same ticket and a shuttle bus Low elevation can mean heavy snow or even rain.

Closest airports Seattle-Tacoma Intl. Airport - 61 mi 1 hour drive. Crystal Mountain Resort WA. Highlights Hands-down the easiest to get to from the southern suburbs Diverse terrain, including in-bounds backcountry Unbeatable views of Mount Rainier Relatively expensive and sometimes crowded. Airport - 73 mi 1. Known for Abundant intermediate and advanced terrain, and almost as easy to get to from Seattle as Snoqualmie.

Highlights Great terrain and reliable snow Upgraded lifts Convenient for northern suburbs Lack of parking. Airport - 91 mi 2 hour drive. Distance from Downtown Seattle - 83 mi 1. View Stevens Pass Ski Packages. Known for Legendary snowfall and famously extreme terrain. Highlights Record-setting snow! Relatively long season Back and side-country opportunities abound Long drive from Seattle. Airport - mi 3 hour drive. Distance from Downtown Seattle - mi 2.

Nationally, AccuWeather predicts an eventful winter similar to the season, which brought record-breaking snowfall and blackouts to some parts of the country. This year, the polar vortex may also be weaker, according to AccuWeather. This could result in colder air from the Arctic to slide southward into the U. The first official astronomical day of winter arrives on Tuesday, Dec.

Winter could pound the Northeast with a vengeance starting in mid-December before potentially intensifying in January, which could include a heightened risk for nor'easters and, yes, snowstorms at the tail end of the season. Meanwhile, the winter weather will take its time arriving in the Southeast, with only mild temps in some place throughout December. Southerners, however, could be in store for a big dip in the temperature with the arrival of , AccuWeather reports.

Spells of rain and thunderstorms are expected so keep the rain gear handy. In the Pacific Northwest, a wet winter is anticipated with plenty of snow in the mountains, AccuWeather reports.

The early arrival of the winter storms will also spell an end to the active wildfire season for the region as rain and snow help to douse any flames. In the Southwest, meteorologists predict that the lack of early-season precipitation will allow the ongoing wildfire season to extend all the way into December, an unusually late end to the season. As we move to January, the prospects for rain will increase for California - good news for areas of the state where wildfires have raged.

To see how the weather is shaping up for the remainder of the country, click here. Lucas Combos , Patch Staff.

Replies 2. Find out what's happening in Seattle with free, real-time updates from Patch. Let's go! Are you ready for the upcoming winter season? Tell us your plans in the comments section below.