Vail, Beaver Creek under winter storm watch, with 1-2 feet of snow in the forecast for Thanksgiving week

A winter storm watch has been issued for Vail and greater Eagle County that will last until Thanksgiving morning, according to the National Weather Service in Grand Junction.

The winter storm watch will last until Thursday, Nov. 28 at 6 a.m., with total snow accumulations of 1-2 feet in the forecast. “Travel could become difficult,” the weather service warned. “Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will become slick and hazardous.”

Ski conditions look promising, with fresh snow in the forecast each day through Thursday morning. “A storm will bring moderate snow totals on Sunday into Monday, and then a stronger storm will bring feet of snow from Monday night to Wednesday night,” Joel Gratz, founding meteorologist of OpenSnow.com wrote on his website. Gratz predicts that the first storm should bring 4-8 inches of snow, with the same accumulations repeating Tuesday and Wednesday, with additional snow early Thursday.

“My guess (just a guess) is that a lot more terrain will open on and after Thanksgiving day,” Gratz wrote.

Eagle County is guaranteed a terrain expansion, as Beaver Creek opens Nov. 27, with its Opening Day terrain report to be revealed later this week. The resort recently passed snow control by the International Ski Federation to host the men’s Birds of Prey World Cup races Dec. 6-8. The snow control date for the women’s races is Saturday, Nov. 30, with the races scheduled for Dec. 14-15. Terrain openings on Vail Mountain have continued to roll out, with village-to-village access now available.