Sierra slopes could be blanketed in snow by Thanksgiving

TAHOE, Calif. - Ski season is underway around Lake Tahoe, with early resort openings already taking place across the region.

Snow in the Sierra 

Why you should care:

Crews have been blending natural snowfall with active snowmaking operations as cold temperatures and clear skies remain in place.

However, a brief warming trend over the weekend is expected to force several area resorts to temporarily pause their snowmaking efforts.

Despite the short-term warm-up, forecasters are tracking an atmospheric river pattern that could bring several feet of snow to the area by Thanksgiving.

"The good news is that we've got another big system coming in," Kevin Cooper said on Friday morning. "We need that really heavy Sierra cement to come in and really lay it down on the base."

Meteorologists note that colder northern low-pressure systems are essential to build a solid, dense base.

Tahoe skiers remain optimistic that favorable weather shifts could still yield an exceptional winter ahead. 

CaliforniaWeather