Music to my ears! The season’s first large winter storm is bearing down on the Sierra Nevada as we speak.

It should hit Friday. Snow levels are dropping to 4000 feet or so and accumulation is expected in excess of 6 inches at higher elevations. Hallelujah.

It looks like the Sierra Avalanche Center is issuing periodic reports. We’ll see if they get one up after this storm cycle. Be sure to check in with these guys if there’s enough accumulation to warrant a backcountry outing (a big if). And BE CAREFUL of thinly covered obstacles if you head out.

The Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center will open Around Thanksgiving time.

There are some resorts already open. Boreal has a few runs open and several more are slated to open before thanksgiving.

Via National Weather Service:

...WINTER STORM TO REACH CENTRAL CALIFORNIA FRIDAY AFTERNOON... 

.THE FIRST WINTER STORM OF THE SEASON WILL MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA INTERIOR FRIDAY AFTERNOON...AND PERSIST OVERNIGHT.
SNOW LEVELS NEAR YOSEMITE WILL DROP TO AROUND 4000 FEET FRIDAY
NIGHT. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS IN EXCESS OF 4 INCHES ARE LIKELY
ABOVE 5000 FEET...WITH UP TO A FOOT POSSIBLE OVER THE HIGHER
ELEVATIONS. 

...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FROM
YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON... 

A WINTER STORM WATCH FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE
TO KINGS CANYON REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
SOUTH WINDS GUSTING TO 50 MPH WILL DEVELOP OVER THE SOUTHERN
SIERRA NEVADA AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. RAIN AND SNOW WILL BEGIN
LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON...WITH THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION FRIDAY
EVENING. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ABOVE 5000 FEET WILL BE 4 TO 7 INCHES
WITH UP TO A FOOT LOCALLY OVER THE HIGH COUNTRY OF YOSEMITE
NATIONAL PARK.
THE RAIN AND SNOW WILL CHANGE TO SHOWERS BEHIND THE COLD FRONT.
THE GUSTY WINDS WILL TURN NORTHWEST AND PRODUCE CONSIDERABLE
BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW...WITH LOCAL WHITE OUT CONDITIONS
POSSIBLE OVER THE HIGH COUNTRY NORTH OF KINGS CANYON.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... 

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW...SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL.
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.