Ski Report

Ski Cherokee snow report

Pennsylvania, United States Apple Mountain Lake
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Snowpack
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Right now · nearest snotel
0 in snowpack
As of 2026-05-16
SWE
0.0in
Air temp
47°F
Past 24h
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Next 24h
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Ski Cherokee -- Pennsylvania ski resort
Ski Cherokee Pennsylvania · Apple Mountain Lake
About this resort

Ski Cherokee

Ski Cherokee is a top ski resort in North Carolina's Smoky Mountains, offering 17 ski slopes and trails suitable for all levels. The top trails are the advanced runs; Oconaluftee and Unto These Hills have the steepest pitches and the best views. Few people know that the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians own and operate the resort. For beginners, the gentle Bunny Slope with its Magic Carpet lift is the best option. The resort also offers a tubing hill for non-skiing activities. For the best apres ski bar, head to the cozy Rendezvous Lounge for a hot toddy or craft beer.

Terrain mix: The Cherokee Ski Resort in the United States is located in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina. The resort is situated in the Great Smoky Mountains, which is part of the larger Appalachian Mountain range. The resort offers skiing and snowboarding on a variety of mountain aspects, including north-facing slopes, south-facing slopes, and east and west-facing slopes. The varying aspects provide a diverse range of terrain for skiers and snowboarders of all levels.

StatePennsylvania
LocationApple Mountain Lake
Base elevation3,937 ft
Summit elevation7,218 ft
Lifts3
Runs5
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 CTP.

273 FXUS61 KCTP 160727 AFDCTP Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service State College PA 327 AM EDT Sat May 16 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... * No significant changes. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1) Hottest temperatures of the year so far forecast early next week && .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGE 1: Hottest temperatures of the year so far forecast early next week Daytime high temperatures will be steadily rising today through early in the upcoming week. An anomalous upper ridge building over the east-central U.S. will deliver summerlike conditions this weekend through the first part of the new week. High temperatures will peak in the mid 80s to lower 90s Monday and Tuesday and could challenge daily records in some locations. Manual adjustments were made to lower NBM maxT by a few degrees due to a known systematic bias correction issue identified during the shoulder seasons. This should also keep max heat indices under 100F for the most part. However, heat risk impacts will continue to be monitored given the quick ramp- up in heat and limited acclimation time. There will be a chance for some stray afternoon and early evening showers or thunderstorms Monday and Tuesday. A cold front (accompanied by more widespread and frequent showers/t-storms) brings relief next Wednesday into Thursday. Temperatures are forecast to cool down back to historical/climo averages for late May for the end of next week. && .AVIATION /07Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... Mainly clear skies will prevail through Saturday morning as high pressure sets up off the Mid-Atlantic coast. VFR clouds will increase west to east as a shortwave tracks across the northern periphery of this high pressure & its concurrent ridge Saturday afternoon/evening, bringing scattered showers with any flight restrictions looking to be brief and unlikely outside of any locally heavier showers. A few thunderstorms may develop across the Allegheny Plateau (KBFD/KJST) where the HREF mean MUCAPE values are around 100 J/kg. As precipitation progresses eastward, height rises and increasingly stable conditions will result in a downtrend in activity. As the shortwave exits our area during the evening, ridging will continue to build across the region, resulting in residual low-level moisture becoming trapped beneath a subsidence inversion. As a result, MVFR/IFR restrictions are expected to develop after 22Z-23Z Saturday across the Allegheny Plateau (KBFD/KJST), with lesser confidence in evening/overnight flight restrictions east of the Alleghenies due to downsloping flow and less antecedent moisture. Outlook... Sun-Tue...Mainly VFR. Patchy A.M. fog. Isolated P.M. shower or t-storm possible. Wed...Restrictions probable through Wednesday night with showers/storms along CFROPA. && .CLIMATE... Daily record max temperature for May 18-19: 5/18 5/19 Harrisburg 94 in 1962 95 in 1962 Williamsport 95 in 1962 96 in 1996 Altoona 91 in 1962/1996/2017 92 in 1996 Bradford 85 in 1962 85 in 1962 State College 92 in 1962 92 in 1934/1996 Please note: State College Co-operative observations are a 24-hour summary taken once per day around 7 AM (7AM-7AM). Therefore, a max temp occurring in the daylight or late in the day is usually reported in the _next_ day`s observation. Also, the same min temp may be reported on two consecutive days if the min occurs at observation time. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ WHAT HAS CHANGED...Lambert/Steinbugl KEY MESSAGES...Lambert/Steinbugl DISCUSSION...Lambert/Steinbugl AVIATION...Teare CLIMATE...Dangelo/Steinbugl

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 Ski Cherokee in the Snoflo app

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

FAQ

About Ski Cherokee

Where does the snow data for Ski Cherokee 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 Ski Cherokee?

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 Ski Cherokee?

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

Other resorts near here

Snoflo-tracked ski areas within driving distance of Ski Cherokee.

Premium feature

Favorites and snow alerts are part of Snoflo Premium. Save resorts, set snowfall thresholds, and get push notifications when the SNOTEL crosses.

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Manage alerts in the Snoflo app

Custom snow alerts are configured in the iOS app -- favorite this resort, set a snowfall threshold (e.g. "alert me at 6+ inches"), and you'll get a push the moment the SNOTEL crosses.

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