A snow forecast looks simple — a number, a date, done. But most people read the wrong number for the wrong place. Here is how to read one properly, in about three minutes.
Snowfall, not snow depth
First, the distinction that causes the most confusion: snowfall is new snow falling in a given period. Snow depth (or base) is how much is sitting on the ground. A resort can report a 120 cm base while forecasting 5 cm of fresh snow this week. Both are useful, but they answer different questions. If you are chasing powder, you care about the snowfall number.
Which elevation?
Snowfall changes with elevation — sometimes a lot. A storm that drops 40 cm at the summit might drop 15 cm at mid-mountain and rain at the base. Always check the elevation you will actually ski. Our resort pages show base, mid and summit side by side for exactly this reason.
Which window?
The 24-hour number tells you what is falling now and tomorrow. The 7-day number is your week ahead. The 14-day number is a trend, not a plan — models get meaningfully worse beyond a week. A useful habit: book around the 7-day number, and re-check the 24-hour number the night before.
The freezing level and the rain–snow line
Snow reaches about 300 metres below the freezing level. If the freezing level is forecast at 2,200 m and your resort’s base is at 1,800 m, expect rain at the bottom and snow higher up. This single line is often the difference between a powder day and a washout.
The snow ratio
Not all snow is equal. A centimetre of wet, heavy snow comes from less water than a centimetre of dry powder. Cold, dry snow is lighter and deeper per millimetre of water. Forecasts estimate this; it is one reason two sites can read the same storm differently.
Trust the range, not just the headline
We blend four independent models. When they agree, the forecast is confident. When they disagree, we show the spread between the wettest and driest. A wide range means the headline number could move — plan accordingly.
That is the whole thing. Elevation, window, freezing level, range. Read those four and you will make better calls than most people on the mountain.