Ski Report

Lutsen Mountains snow report

Iowa, United States Tofte
⚠ Red Flag Warning · Red Flag Warning issued July 13 at 2:42AM CDT until July 13 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
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As of 2022-11-21
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Lutsen Mountains -- Iowa ski resort
Lutsen Mountains Iowa · Tofte
About this resort

Lutsen Mountains

Lutsen Mountains is a ski resort in Minnesota featuring 95 runs spread across four interconnected mountains. The resort has a few signature runs like the Double Black Diamond Moose Mountain and the scenic, wide runs of Eagle Mountain. Few people know that Lutsen's longest run, "The Big Daddy," is over 5km long. For beginners, a good starting point is the 1.5 km run of "Bridge Run," where they can take in views of Lake Superior. The resort's bar called Papa Charlie's is a popular apres ski spot, serving drinks and live music.

Terrain mix: The main mountain range at Lutsen Mountains ski resort in Minnesota is the Sawtooth Mountains. The resort features four main mountains: Eagle Mountain, Moose Mountain, Mystery Mountain, and Ullr Mountain. These mountains provide a variety of terrain for skiers and snowboarders, including groomed runs, tree runs, and challenging black diamond slopes. Additionally, Lutsen Mountains has the highest vertical drop in the Midwest at 825 feet.

StateIowa
LocationTofte
Base elevation1,089 ft
Summit elevation1,913 ft
Skiable acreage1,000 acres
Lifts10
Runs92
Longest run10,558 ft
Opened1948
Terrain parkYes
Night skiingNo
Detailed forecast

Plan your day down to the hour

Same weather feed Snoflo's iOS app uses -- updated continuously from NOAA / yr.no. Watch the snow column the morning of a storm to know when to call in sick.

Hourly detail

Next 5 days, hour by hour

Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.

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Deep dive

5-day forecast table

Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.

TimeConditionTemp (°F)Snow (in)Rain (in)Humidity (%)Wind (mps)Wind dir
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Long-term outlook

15-day temperature & snow

Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks -- start of next storm cycle, end of last one.

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Forecast discussion

What forecasters are seeing

Plain-English forecast narrative from the local NWS office. Issued by NWS DVN.

022 FXUS63 KDVN 130712 AFDDVN Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL 212 AM CDT Mon Jul 13 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Above normal temperatures remain forecast through the period with high temperatures peaking in the lower to mid 90s Tuesday through the end of the week. There is a 10 to 20 percent chance of heat indices over 100 Tuesday through Thursday. - Forecast remains dry through Thursday with low chances of rain Friday and Saturday. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... Issued at 135 AM CDT Mon Jul 13 2026 High pressure will continue to sit across the area through Tuesday with a gradual moderation in temperatures each day. Think that the NBM is warming temperatures too quickly so decided to slow the warming trend slightly through Tuesday. Looking at 925 mb temperatures in the 22 to 24*C range during this period and mixing that adiabatically yields surface temperatures of 87 to 91 degrees across the area. Adjusted temperatures from that upward by 1 to 2 degrees for Tuesday. Peak heat indices on Monday will be in the mid 90s with mid to upper 90s possible on Tuesday with the dew points in the upper 60s to around 70 degrees. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... Issued at 135 AM CDT Mon Jul 13 2026 There is little change in the forecast from yesterday and decided to use the previous long term discussion from Sunday afternoon which is below with some minor edits. The upper pattern will remain in place, with increasing high pressure strength through Wednesday. However, beyond Wednesday, there is some growing support for a shift to the west of the upper high, leading to a potential back door cold front as early as Wednesday night, but more likely Thursday. Given that potential, some very very low pops around 15-20% are forecast in those outer periods. While broad support exists for highs in the lower 90s, with nearly 95% of NBM going over 90 through Wednesday, the 50th percentile remains in the 92-96F range in the period, and given our light flow beneath the high, currently under-performing temperatures, I`m inclined to cap highs at 94/95 through mid week, as the NBM has hot spots in the 96+ most days this week. Dew point values will increase through evapotranspiration, which is nearing seasonal peaks. However, that is the primary moisture source for this high pressure, and we will lack other typical moisture sources near the center of high pressure. The moisture levels will be an important feature in the week ahead, as it is certainly the deciding factor in heat headlines. For now, widespread mid 60s to low 70 dew points remain forecast, resulting in afternoon heat index of 93 to 100 for many days this week, but most confidently on Tuesday and Wednesday. LREF probabilities of heat indices exceeding 100 remain in the 10 to 20 percent range during this period. Beyond Wednesday, the greater spread in model data is showing up with highs as cool as the mid 80s in the lower 25% of NBM guidance late in the week into the upcoming weekend, but the NBM 50% remaining in the lower to mid 90s. No matter what, we`re still very much in a warm pattern through the week ahead, and heat headlines remain a possibility. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY/... Issued at 1222 AM CDT Mon Jul 13 2026 Broad high pressure continues to bring quiet weather and VFR conditions to eastern Iowa TAF sites. High pressure is forecast to remain in place through the period with dry air in place resulting in clear skies through the period. With high pressure overhead wind directions will vary across the area Forecast wind directions after 15 UTC at KCID and KDBQ will be from the west around 5 knots with northwest winds at KMLI and easterly winds at KBRL. Winds will once again become light and variable after 00 UTC Tuesday. && .DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IA...None. IL...None. MO...None. && $$ SHORT TERM...Cousins LONG TERM...Ervin/Cousins AVIATION...Cousins

Mountain & avalanche safety

Know before you go
Check today's avalanche bulletin from the regional avalanche center before any off-piste / side-country / backcountry travel. Conditions can shift dramatically between morning and afternoon on storm days.
Carry the gear, know how to use it
Beacon, shovel, probe. Practice companion rescue on a calm day, not during a real burial.
Mind the weather window
Heavy snow + wind builds wind slabs at ridgelines. The day after a storm is often the riskiest in the backcountry, even if the resort itself is open.
Respect closed terrain
Ropes are there for a reason. Even in-bounds, ducking a closure can trigger a slide that catches you and others below.

Track Lutsen Mountains in the Snoflo app

Save this resort as a favorite, set push alerts when snowfall crosses a threshold (e.g. "alert me when Lutsen Mountains reports 6″ new"), and Snoflo's iOS app will push the moment the SNOTEL station crosses.

FAQ

About Lutsen Mountains

Where does the snow data for Lutsen Mountains come from?

Snowpack, SWE, 24-hour snowfall, and air temperature come from the nearest USDA NRCS SNOTEL station. Forecast comes from the National Weather Service / yr.no feed that Snoflo's iOS app uses.

How often is the snow report updated?

Snowpack and SNOTEL data are updated continuously by NRCS (typically hourly). The 15-day weather forecast is refreshed throughout the day. Snoflo caches and renders the most recent observation -- look for the "as of" timestamp on the snowpack hero.

What's the elevation at Lutsen Mountains?

See the Resort Metrics panel above for base / summit / vertical drop. The summit elevation drives snowpack accumulation -- higher summits hold snow longer through spring.

How is "% of normal" calculated?

Today's snowpack is compared to the average snowpack on this calendar day across every recorded year at the nearest SNOTEL. 100% means right on average; 130% is a big year; 60% is thin.

What ski resorts are near Lutsen Mountains?

See the Other Ski Areas pill grid at the bottom of the page for resorts within driving distance. The sister Other Ski Areas card in the Plan-a-longer-trip grid above shows the closest few.

Can I get alerts when fresh snow hits?

Yes -- snow alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this resort, set a snowfall threshold (e.g. "alert me when 6+ inches"), and you'll get a push the moment the SNOTEL crosses.

More ski areas

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