The West stays stuck in “gray squares” mode (read: basically nothing falling), while winter keeps piling up east of the Rockies — and it’s about to get wild.

Mike and Evan recap a quiet stretch across the Sierra/Cascades and most of the West, with only a few bright spots (hello, sneaky Colorado upslope and a Southwest storm aimed at AZ/NM/CO). Then OpenSnow meteorologist Zach Butler returns with a full breakdown of a head-spinning Mid-Atlantic storm: major snow potential from Virginia into West Virginia/Maryland, plus a serious icing threat farther south — with the exact storm track making (or breaking) the forecast by the mile.

To close it out, Evan sits down with Adam Fair, Digital Marketing Manager at Alta Ski Area, for a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to market one of America’s iconic powder mountains… during a season that’s been light on the powder. They talk terrain openings, visitor behavior in lean years, storm-chasing logistics, and Alta’s 88th season campaign — including the dream of bringing back a Powder 8s competition when the snow finally cooperates.

Pray for snow in the West, and good luck (and good planning) to everyone in the East dealing with whatever precipitation type the “snow sandwich” decides to serve.

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BA is out this week at Operation Sierra Storm, so Mike and Evan take the mic — and stare down a stubborn January ridge that just won’t budge.

They break down why the West has gone quiet on the powder map (hello, gray squares) and why parts of the Sierra’s snowpack story are strangely uneven heading into a dry stretch. Meanwhile, the Great Lakes and Northern New England continue to see snow with lake effect and a favorable storm track.

Plus, OpenSnow meteorologist Zach Butler joins for a quick snow-science chat on SWE vs. snow depth and the Community Snow Observations (CSO) project — and how community-submitted measurements help improve snowpack modeling across Tahoe, Oregon, and Colorado.

Thanks to Alta Ski Area and Smartwool for supporting The Flakes Podcast. Whether you’re waiting out the ridge or chasing storms elsewhere, we appreciate you being part of the Flakes community.

If you’re hunting fresh turns this week: go east… or Japan — because out West, the moose is still standing in the trail.

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A mid-winter Flakes check-in with plenty to unpack ❄️

They dive into:

Plus, a clear-eyed look at the evolving late-January pattern, why patience matters right now, and where cautious optimism might be justified.

As always: honest forecasting, zero hype, and a whole lot of map-watching. ❄️

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Ring in the New Year with a special New Year’s Eve episode of The Flakes Podcast 🎉❄️

Bryan and Mike break down where it’s been snowing across the country — from massive lake-effect totals in the Great Lakes and New York to feet of snow in the Sierra — and where things have been… well, weird. Very weird.

They dive into:

Huge recent snowfall totals across the Northeast, Great Lakes, Rockies, and West Coast

Why California is piling up snow up high while battling rain and high snow levels down low

A strange subtropical storm track pulling moisture north from Baja

Ongoing snow-level issues across the West and Rockies

What’s ahead for New Year’s weekend travel, skiing, and mountain impacts

A deeper discussion on La Niña, warm Pacific waters, the MJO, and what it could mean for January

Plus, Bryan shares some big industry news as OpenSnow becomes the official forecasting partner for Ski California and several major ski organizations — a win for grounded, no-hype forecasting.

As always, the goal is simple: clear, honest mountain weather insight without the 100-inch clickbait. Whether you’re chasing powder, planning a ski trip, or just snow-curious, this episode closes out 2025 with perspective — and plenty to watch as 2026 begins.

Happy New Year, and may the flakes be ever in your favor. ❄️🥂

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A Christmas Snow Miracle… For Some! 🎄❄️

It’s a Christmas Eve special on The Flakes Podcast, and while some regions are still sweating through record-breaking warmth, others are waking up to a full-blown holiday snow miracle.

BA, Evan, and Mike break down a wildly uneven Christmas forecast across North America:

The crew also dives into season-to-date snowfall leaders, shifting snowpack trends, and what a classic La Niña pattern means for where to chase powder as we head into January. Plus: heli-ski dreams in British Columbia, why patience is key after a big dump on bare ground, and a reminder to show some love to the crews working through the holidays to make skiing possible.

A white Christmas isn’t guaranteed everywhere — but for some lucky spots, winter has officially arrived. 🎅⛷️

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Forecast stress is real — and this week, it’s off the charts.

In Episode 4, BA and Evan break down a messy pattern across the West: warm atmospheric rivers, flooding and washed-out access roads in Washington, and snow levels bouncing around resort elevations from Tahoe to Utah. Translation: there’s moisture, there’s potential… and there’s a giant asterisk.

They also spotlight where winter is showing up (hello, British Columbia and a banner start in northern Vermont), then Evan sits down with Tahoe skier Maya Bickert to talk skiing, travel, and living (and thriving) with Type 1 diabetes — plus how to support loved ones and push back on misconceptions.

And as always: be kind to your local forecaster.

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As the West keeps waiting for winter to show up, Bryan’s beard is getting longer… which, if you follow Tahoe lore, is not a good sign. This week the crew takes a cross-country tour of where the snow actually fell—from JP’s monster totals to fresh storms in the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, Montana, and interior BC.

Evan debates a spontaneous powder mission north of the border, Mike breaks down why the Northern Rockies keep winning, and Bryan accidentally transforms into Santa while filling out government forms. The gang also shares first impressions of OpenSnow’s new PEAKS AI forecast system and cautiously circles a glimmer of hope for a pattern shift as Christmas approaches.

Lighthearted, mildly chaotic, and full of weather nerdery—just another week on The Flakes.

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La Niña is acting more like Hot Nina this December, leaving Tahoe dry while the Northern Rockies and Northeast cash in on cold and snow. The Flakes crew breaks down who’s getting the goods, who’s stuck waiting, and why the long-range forecast is so tricky this season.

Grab your Smartwool, thank Alta for the Flakes Podcast Bump™️, and join us every Wednesday morning as we chase the season’s first real storm cycle. Winter will come… right?

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Winter is off to a weird start… and the Flakes are back to make sense of it.

In the Season 6 premiere, we dive into one of the strangest early-season patterns in years: warm storms, delayed openings, disappearing forecasts, and a desert southwest that somehow has more snow than the northern Rockies. We break down what’s happening, why the models can’t agree, and whether the long-range “fantasyland” holds any hope for real powder.

Plus:

Grab your Smartwool, thank Alta for the Flakes Podcast Bump™️, and join us every Wednesday morning as we chase the season’s first real storm cycle. Winter will come… right?

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OpenSnow.com welcomes The Flakes listeners with a special pre-season episode with your hosts (and OpenSnow forecasters) BA & Evan Thayer! Your hosts invite meteorologist Alan Smith to discuss what he thinks this upcoming season could look like based on the current models.

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