Last season we talked about the massive snowfall that hammered Michigan over 2024 Thanksgiving. We’re talking four feet of the good stuff. This year I was in Chicago celebrating turkey day when the biggest November snowfall on record rolled into the city. The snow in Chicago was beautiful but it wasn’t exactly useful. Head a bit farther north though and it’s a completely different story. Ski season is off and running.
All Aboard the Lake Effect Storm Train
Just like last Thanksgiving, this storm was the perfect setup to fire up the lake effect snow machine. The main system dropped huge totals in Chicago with O’Hare seeing its biggest 24 hour November snowfall ever. Once the cold air swept across the warm lakes though, the lake effect belts lit up with even more impressive numbers especially in Michigan.
Michigan Gets Buried Before the Leftovers are Gone
The Upper Peninsula ski resorts aren’t strangers to big storms. Its ski areas deliver some of the best powder skiing in the Midwest and this November wasn’t just a strong start. It was downright impressive. Snowriver, home to the only high speed quad in the UP, scored the ultimate early season gift. Nearly thirty inches fell the night before opening day on November 28th which set the stage for an incredible powder opener. They paused operations from December 1st through December 4th to take advantage of an ideal snowmaking window and plan to reopen on December 5th.
Mt Bohemia Joins the Party in a Big Way
Over in the legendary grounds of Mt Bohemia, the storm hit hard there too. Marquette logged its third snowiest November on record with more than 49 inches in the books and more in the forecast. The powder mecca of Mt Bohemia is now set to open on December 6th.
The Entire Midwest Fires Up for Ski Season
Across the Midwest, ski resorts are flipping the lights on at a rapid pace thanks to both natural snowfall and strong snowmaking efforts. Places like Boyne and Caberfae Peaks are aiming for December 5th openings. With cold air locked in for the foreseeable future, expect terrain to come online quickly and the season to charge full steam ahead.
