January 25 marks the beginning of the ‘metal rat’ year, which sounds like an idea for a Jeff Koons sculpture or something the machinist’s union would set up outside a non-union factory. And from that digression, on to the regular business.

Summary: If you want to get some weekend skiing act fast. Saturday early is definitely going to be best. Try Pineridge, Canterbury Farm, or Notchview. Start early or commit to a 36-hour getaway to ski at Prospect Mountain. You can even give Mohonk or Minnewaska a try, but bring the rock skis.

If you’re a retiree or freelancer with a light workload, you might want to see how the weather up north works out by Monday and consider a midweek getaway.

As of Friday evening, ‘State of the touring centers‘ is updated.

High Point is taking the high road; they’re closed for skiing but advising: “Skiing is still good at Craftsberry, VT, Great Glen, NH, Rikert, VT, and it looks like Osceola, NY may get more lake effect snow out of this front.  Quebec ski areas have great skiing, but the drive is longer, and you need to bring your passport.  Thank you for making High Point Cross Country Ski Center your ski destination.” Nice folks!

Mohonk says: “Trails range from good to poor”, but they’re hanging tough and say their trails are open. Stay in the woods and on the north facing slopes.

In western MA, Canterbury Farm, Notchview, Northfield Mountain, and Stump Sprouts are holding a positive outlook for skiing, at least for Saturday morning.

The snow depth graphic follows:

Forecast: starting Saturday morning, rain in downstate NY, with various gradations of rain, wintry mix, and snow as you go northward. During Saturday afternoon, it converts to all rain. Daytime temps in upper 20s for the northern mountains, to the mid-40s in NYC. On Sunday precipitation stops in downstate NY and CT, but may continue as snow and wintry mix across the Tug Hill plateau and far northern parts of the northeast. Temps Sunday will be from low 30s to mid-40s.

By Monday morning, western NY, northern NY, and northern New England can expect snow showers. Daytime temps will be in the low 20s in the northern mountains, but continue to be in the mid-40s downstate. Through Tuesday and Wednesday next week, western NY and the Tug Hill region continue to get some lake-effect love from Mother Nature, while everywhere else is dry. Temps overall will be a bit cooler in the later part of the week but still largely above freezing.

If there’s any good news in the above, the nighttime temps across the northeast will be below freezing every night except Saturday-Sunday. I guess the places that can make snow will do so.

Thanks for reading.