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Prime snow forecast for Sierra, Southern California

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Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

Mother Nature must be a snowboarding, jib-riding, powder-loving babe because she is cooking up prime snow conditions this weekend for ski resorts throughout Southern California and all the way to Tahoe and Reno.

January already ranks fourth in the last 40 years or so for producing the heaviest snowfall in the Eastern Sierra. And the good news is that the white fluff continues to fall. Most resorts in Southern California and the Eastern Sierra have switched off the snow-making machines to take advantage of the near-record snowfall conditions.

“It’s been a great year,” said Chuck Allen, events director for Mountain High Resort in Wrightwood. “We have plenty of snow to last us clear into April.”

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The National Weather Services forecasts a storm front this weekend that is expected to dump as much as 3 feet of snow on the Eastern Sierra and as much as 5 inches at the high-elevation resorts in Southern California. “When it comes, it should come down pretty hard,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Kyle Mozley.

Snow Summit and Bear Mountain:

Both resorts are reporting 4 to 8 inches of new snow from the latest storm that rolled through on Thursday and Friday, with a base of 3 to 4 feet. The next storm should add an additional 2 to 5 inches this weekend.

Road conditions: Roads are open but chains are required for all cars except four-wheel-drive vehicles on Highways 330, 38 and 18 into the Big Bear Lakes area.

Snow Valley:

The resort has been coated with 4 to 7 inches of snow Thursday and Friday, with a base of 3 to 7 feet. Powder and packed powder conditions prevail.

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Road conditions: Roads are open but chains are required for all cars except four-wheel-drive vehicles on Highways 330, 38 and 18 into the Big Bear Lakes area.

Mountain High:

Jibbers and ollie-loving snowboarders in Wrightwood are plowing through nearly 6 inches of new snow, dumped in the last two days. The base at Mountain High is 2 to 3 feet.

Road conditions: All roads are open with no restrictions into the Wrightwood area.

Mammoth Mountain:

Two-plankers and knuckle draggers (skiers and snowboarders) at Mammoth Mountain are enjoying 17 inches of new snow from the latest storm, with a 9-to-12-foot base. Fresh powder abounds. Above 7,000 feet, the mountain should get 12 inches to 3 feet of new snow Saturday and Sunday.

Road conditions: Chains and snow tires are required for all vehicles except four-wheel-drive cars along Highway 395 from about 16 miles north of Bishop to the Nevada border.

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