One Last Powder Day? Up To 7 Inches of Snow Forecasted for Mammoth Mountain, California
A slow late-May low is already producing mountain snow in the Sierra, with the best additional accumulation from Wednesday into Thursday night (May 27-28, 2026).
Mammoth is the clear chase leader and could finish the storm with 5-7 inches, while Kirkwood and Mt. Rose (both closed for the season) are next in line with 4-5 and 3-4 inches.
Snow quality will be mixed but skiable where elevations stay high. Snow levels generally run near 6000-8000 feet during the main push, rising toward 8000-9000 feet as the storm winds down, so the upper mountain and higher passes do best.
Mammoth is the only current lift-served ski option, with operations advertised through June 7. Tahoe-area winter lift-served skiing has wrapped or shifted to non-ski summer access, so those totals are most relevant for upper-elevation coverage and human-powered terrain where access is appropriate.
Ski Resort Snowfall Totals May 27-29, 2026
- Northstar: 1 inch
- Palisades Tahoe: 1-2 inches
- Sugar Bowl: 1-2 inches
- Heavenly: 2-3 inches
- Mt. Rose: 3-4 inches
- Kirkwood: 4-5 inches
- Mammoth: 5-7 inches
Storm Timing and Discussion
The first wave is already underway around Tahoe and the northern Sierra, while Mammoth fills in more strongly through Wednesday and Thursday. The individual models converge well on timing, keeping showers active through Thursday night before a Friday morning to early afternoon taper, but they diverge on intensity in the southern Sierra; a wetter outlier pushes Mammoth much higher, while the rest of the guidance still keeps Mammoth favored but more modest. That spread supports Mammoth as the top target without chasing the biggest outlier number.
The guidance is mostly aligned with rising snow levels and limited wind impact. Snow levels start near 6000-7000 feet across Tahoe and the Sierra, then lift toward 7000-8000 feet Thursday and locally 8000-9000 feet late in the storm. Kirkwood, Mt. Rose, and Mammoth hold the colder profiles, while lower Tahoe bases may see wetter snow or limited accumulation. Winds are not the primary problem, but gusts in the teens to low 20s around exposed Tahoe ridges could make the light totals feel more variable; Mammoth's Thursday snow looks moderate-density with manageable wind.
Confidence is strongest from Wednesday morning, May 27, through Friday afternoon, May 29. Within that period, published totals favor Mammoth at 5-7 inches, Kirkwood at 4-5 inches, Mt. Rose at 3-4 inches, and Heavenly near 2 inches, with the rest of Tahoe generally 1-2 inches or less.
Extended Outlook
After the Friday taper, the pattern turns much warmer and mostly dry through the weekend and early next week, with only a weak chance for isolated afternoon showers. Snow levels climb well above the ski terrain as the region warms, and the longer-range signal favors above-normal temperatures with near-to-below-normal precipitation for California, so the late-May refresh should fade quickly on solar aspects while high shaded terrain preserves it best.
Related: Want To Ski In June? Mammoth Just Extended Its Season, Again
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This story was originally published May 27, 2026 at 8:22 AM.