Northstar snow report
Northstar
Northstar ski resort in Lake Tahoe, California offers over 100 trails for skiers and snowboarders of all levels. The resort boasts some of the best groomed runs in the area, with the Big Dipper and The Burn being popular with advanced skiers. An interesting fact about Northstar is that it was originally founded as a private ski resort for the exclusive use of a San Francisco-based club in 1972. For beginners, the beginner terrain park, Pioneer, is a great place to start. The best après ski bar is the Tavern 6330' which offers great drinks and live music.
Terrain mix: Northstar ski resort in California is located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The resort is surrounded by several prominent mountain peaks, including Mount Pluto, Lookout Mountain, and Sawtooth Ridge. The terrain at Northstar offers a variety of mountain aspects, with slopes facing north, south, east, and west providing diverse skiing and snowboarding experiences for visitors. The highest point at Northstar is at an elevation of 8,610 feet, offering stunning views of the surrounding mountains and Lake Tahoe.
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.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
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.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & snow
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks -- start of next storm cycle, end of last one.
Nearby SNOTEL stations
USDA NRCS SNOTEL stations within driving range. Cross-check whether the snow at Northstar is a one-off accumulation or a regional storm cycle.
| Station | Snowpack | View |
|---|---|---|
| Lost Lake Snotel | 19 in | → |
| Burnside Lake | 1 in | → |
| Poison Flat | 2 in | → |
| Ward Creek #3 | 1 in | → |
| Css Lab | 2 in | → |
| Nohrsc Deadman Ck Near Kennedy Meadows - Sonora Pass | 8 in | → |
| Nohrsc Horse Meadows | 0 in | → |
| Tahoe Donner Raws | 0 in | → |
| Nohrsc Burnside Lake | 1 in | → |
| Nohrsc Leavitt Lake | 43 in | → |
| Nohrsc Poison Flat | 3 in | → |
| Nohrsc Silver Lake (Goes) | 34 in | → |
Beyond the slopes
Other ski areas, basecamp options, alpine fishing, and scenic stops near Northstar -- worth knowing whether you're in for a day, a long weekend, or a season pass.
Other ski areas
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
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 Northstar in the Snoflo app
Save this resort as a favorite, set push alerts when snowfall crosses a threshold (e.g. "alert me when Northstar reports 6″ new"), and Snoflo's iOS app will push the moment the SNOTEL station crosses.
About Northstar
Where does the snow data for Northstar 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 Northstar?
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 Northstar?
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.
Other resorts near here
Snoflo-tracked ski areas within driving distance of Northstar.