Time to hit the slopes: Many Minnesota ski areas will be opening this weekend

The snow-making machines are purring and the lifts are up and running.

Just last weekend, people were water skiing in Minnesota. But now the weather is finally cold enough for snow skiing.

According to the Minnesota Ski Areas Association, many ski areas have opened or will be opening this weekend – and hopefully will stay open for the season. (See a list at the bottom of the page.)

That's thanks to the colder weather we've had this week, which allowed ski areas across Minnesota to make snow instead of waiting for Mother Nature to handle it. Most of central and southern Minnesota hasn't seen a major snowfall this winter, and the DNR's website shows there's no snow on the ground there, while northern Minnesota has seen a few storms, giving it 4-8 inches of snowpack as of Thursday.

Several ski areas opened for Thanksgiving weekend, but had to close because temperatures warmed and rain destroyed the snow they had made, Pam Hove, of Afton Alps, told the Star Tribune.

But there's good news coming. Snow is on the way Saturday, which could bring a few inches to southern Minnesota and help ski areas open additional runs.

What's open

Here's a look at the ski areas that are expected to open this weekend, the Minnesota Ski Area Association told GoMN. For a complete list click here or check your ski hill's website for more information.

• Buena Vista Ski Area in Bemidji will open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Coffee Mill Ski and Snowboard Resort in Wabasha will open Sunday at 1o a.m.
• Detroit Mountain Recreation Area in Detroit Lakes will open Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Giants Ridge in Biwabik will open Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Mount Kato in Mankato will open Friday from 5-10 p.m.
• Spirit Mountain in Duluth will open Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Welch Village in Welch will open Friday from 2-10 p.m.

Several ski areas are already open: 

• Andes Tower Hills in Kensington.
• Afton Alps in Hastings.
• Buck Hill in Burnsville.
• Granite Peak in Wausau, Wisconsin.
• Hyland Hills Ski Area in Bloomington.
• Lutsen Mountains in Lutsen.
• Mount Itasca in Coleraine.
• Powder Ridge in Kimball.
• Trollhaugen in Dresser, Wisconsin.
• Wild Mountain in Taylors Falls.