A blast of winter weather is arriving this week just as two area ski resorts are opening for the season.

Hidden Valley Resort in Somerset County will welcome skiers today, Dec. 21, while Laurel Mountain Ski Area in Ligonier Township is set to open two days later.

Both attractions are operated by Vail Resorts, as is another Somerset County skiing destination: Seven Springs Mountain Resort, which opened in late November.

Snowmaking has been underway at all three resorts. An arctic front is expected to add some natural snow accumulation, along with subfreezing temperatures, before Christmas arrives Sunday.

The wintry conditions are “right on time for the Christmas holiday,” said Anna Weltz, Mid-Atlantic Region senior communications manager for Vail. “We’re super-excited.”

Hidden Valley expects to have six of its trails (Rambler, Riviera, Bobcat, Upper Continental, Lower Continental and Thunderbird) open Wednesday. Five trails (Ski Top, Upper Broadway, Lower Broadway, Deer Path and Tame Cat) are slated to welcome skiing enthusiasts at Laurel Mountain.

Hidden Valley’s planned hours of operation are 10-4 Wednesday and 10-9 Thursday. Upcoming hours for both Hidden Valley and Laurel Mountain will be 10-9 Friday, 9-6 Christmas Eve and noon-9 Christmas Day.

Each resort will celebrate its opening day with a “first chair banner break” and complimentary cookies, coffee, hot chocolate and granola bars, while supplies last.

As of Tuesday, 11 trails and 22% of the terrain were open for skiing at Seven Springs. Hours there are 9-9 Mondays through Fridays, 8-9 Saturdays and Sundays.

Staff at the resorts are “always keeping an eye on the weather” while consulting a combination of different forecast models, Weltz said.

Laurel Mountain expects a chance of 1 to 2 inches of snow Thursday and 7 to 10 more Friday morning. At Seven Springs, the prediction is for a potential 1 to 3 inches Thursday and 8 to 11 inches Friday. The forecast for Hidden Valley is 3 to 6 inches Thursday and 9 to 13 inches on Friday.

The National Weather Service has cited a chance of 1 to 3 inches of snow for Pittsburgh through the end of the week, with higher accumulations likely in the ridges to the east.

Subfreezing temperatures, with wind chills below zero, could be in store throughout the region later in the week, according to the weather service.

Weltz advised those visiting any of the area resorts to check on weather forecasts and prepare for predicted conditions.

“If you’re planning to visit in the midst of a deep cold snap, dress appropriately, take frequent breaks inside, have some hot cocoa and take care of yourself, your family and your friends,” she said.

Visit 7springs.com, hiddenvalleyresort.com and laurelmountainski.com for more details, including information on ski passes and lift tickets.

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