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Ski Report

Lutsen Mountains Snow Report

Iowa, United States Tofte
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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.

086 FXUS63 KDVN 200649 AFDDVN Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL 149 AM CDT Tue Oct 20 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Above normal temperatures are expected to continue this week and a 55% chance of continuing through the end of October. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... Issued at 148 AM CDT Tue Oct 20 2026 A shortwave is visible in water vapor imagery just to our south, which has left a few lingering mid to high clouds over the area. However, these clouds have had little impact on radiational cooling, with much of the area already dropping into the low to mid 40s, though cooler temperatures may be possible in poor drainage areas. Despite the cool start to the day, today will be yet another day basking under the influence of high pressure. Winds will be weak but could support deep mixing, as was observed yesterday. If this happens, temperatures could be a degree or two warmer than the current forecast, which is in the low 70s. Another shortwave will make its way along the edge of the ridge Wednesday, though any impacts will be limited once more to an increase in cloud cover due to weakening forcing and dry low levels. Otherwise, the forecast remains quite similar to today, if not a couple degrees warmer, as we continue in this pattern of pleasant fall weather. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... Issued at 148 AM CDT Tue Oct 20 2026 By Thursday, ridge amplification will be underway. The high pressure center will shift southward over the Great Lakes. As a result, highs in the mid 60s to low 70s are expected. Occasional cloud chances each day may help temper the gradual 1-2 degree increase each day. However, while above normal temperatures are expected to continue through the weekend, a warm and dry but dreary day may be in store for at least part of the weekend as warm conveyor belt processes ahead of an approaching shortwave trough may lead to increased cloud cover. However, there is sizable uncertainty regarding whether this shortwave trough will impact the CWA and if so, when that would occur. Guidance continues to be divided on the track and timing of this trough, with the majority of models and ensembles favoring a slower track with any impacts arriving Monday or later. The exception to this is the GEFS and GFS, which favor a quicker progression with the trough reaching the forecast area by Sunday. As a result, while it appears likely that above normal temperatures will continue, there is low confidence on whether we receive measurable precipitation or continue with this stretch of dry weather. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 1157 PM CDT Mon Oct 19 2026 VFR conditions are expected through the period. A midlevel cloud deck around 20-25 kft is dissipating, which will result in clear skies by 20/13Z. Winds remain light at less than 10 kts and primarily from the south-southeast. && .DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IA...None. IL...None. MO...None. && $$ SHORT TERM...Ellingworth LONG TERM...Ellingworth AVIATION...Ellingworth

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.

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