Wednesday’s lake-effect snow might not have been great news for those with long driveways to shovel, but skiers and resorts in western New York have plenty of reason to be excited.

Herb Stevens, the Skiing Weatherman, drops in with great forecasts for Peek’n Peak, Holiday Valley, Swain, HoliMont and elsewhere in his weekly video report:

Herb Stevens, the Skiing Weatherman, filed his weekend forecast for the New York resorts ahead of a forecast storm that could make conditions optimal for the state’s slopes. Peek’n Peak is likely to get moderate fresh snowfall and Holiday Valley and HoliMont will get boosts in an already snowy week.

Peek’n Peak is just one of the western New York resorts rich with packed powder after this week’s snowfall. Holiday Valley, Kissing Bridge, Swain and Holimont also offer sweet conditions for the weekend, according to Herb Stevens, the Skiing Weatherman:

The Skiing Weatherman – Western New York – 01/24 from Jux House Media on Vimeo.

This week’s snow doesn’t do much for our ability (or desire) to get around in northwestern Pennsylvania, but it has created lots of reasons you should consider getting out when it’s safe to do so.

Peek’n Peak has 27 trails and five lifts open as of this morning.

Mount Pleasant of Edinboro has a 6-inch to 16-inch base and is getting snow and making snow.

Wilderness Lodge is gearing up for a great weekend of cross country skiing.

Snowshoe hikes are on for Saturday at Erie Bluffs State Park and Pymatuning State Park and weekdays and snowy Saturdays at Jennings Environmental Education Center in Slippery Rock.

Snowmobile club members from the the McKean Snowriders and Presque Isle Snowmobile Club among others will be looking to get out on the trails.

Ice isn’t safe enough yet for ice fishing, but it won’t be long at this temperature. Here’s a look at some essential ice-fishing gear for the season ahead:

This week’s storm brought welcome snow to the Erie area’s ski resorts. Here’s a look at conditions as of this morning:

Peek’n Peak:The Peak received 15 inches of snow over the past two days and features bases from 4 inches to 18 inches. There are 13 trails and five lifts open, plus the 180 terrain park.

Mount Pleasant: The Edinboro skiing and snowboarding facility opened Thursday with a 1-inch to 6-inch base and is making snow. The tube park could open as soon as Saturday.

Wilderness Lodge: The Wattsburg-area cross country facility had 5 miles of skate-ready trails as of Thursday.

Herb Stevens, the Skiing Weatherman, visited Holiday Valley at the right time for his weekend report on conditions at western New York resorts. Wednesday’s storm dumped a foot of fresh snow on Holiday Valley, and many resorts had their best snowfall in nearly two years. Peek’n Peak’s 180 terrain park is open, too.

The Skiing Weatherman – Western New York – Dec. 27th from Jux House Media on Vimeo.

Northwestern Pennsylvania emerged relatively unscathed from Sandy’s appearance earlier this week, although creeks aren’t necessarily fishable after all of the rain we’ve received since Monday.

What Sandy did leave behind is a bonanza for birders. Birders’ reports to ebird show seabirds and shorebirds that were caught up in Sandy’s heavy winds were dropped like Dorothy and Toto on area waterways.

Surf scoter, black scoter, semipalmated plover, red-necked phalarope and red phalarope were spotted at Woodcock Creek Lake, Crawford County. And a Pomarine jaeger was identified at Clark Island, in Pymatuning State Park. Black scoter and long-tailed duck sightings also were reported at Presque Isle State Park.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which runs ebird, suggests being on the lookout for uncommon pelagics and passerines all weekend throughout the Great Lakes and Northeast.

Evening grosbeaks also are being seen routinely in Erie, Crawford and Warren counties.

Let us know if you see any uncommon birds in your travels.

U.S. Forest Service personnel reported that a storm that lashed Warren County July 26 caused “moderate to high levels” of damage to trees across the Allegheny National Forest.

Many trails on the Marienville Ranger District were closed as of Friday including the Timberline ATV trail. Crews were clearing district roads that are generally open to the public. Trails that were open were Marienville ATV, Rocky Gap and Willow Creek. Crews were working during  the weekend to clear the Timberline trail. 

Riders should be more debris than is usual on all trails.

“Trails will be assessed once key roads have been made passable,” according to a news release.

If you’re headed to the forest and need a status update, check with the Marienville or Bradford ranger districts for updates.

The Marienville district office was closed Friday because electric and telephone service were out. Brochures and maps were still available to visitors.

The Bradford district office was operating on a generator. Power was out in the surrounding area heading into the weekend.

Most of the recreation areas and access roads around the reservoir, Jakes Rocks, and Rim Rock had been cleared of downed trees.

The ice fishing contest scheduled for Saturday on Canadohta Lake has been postponed until Feb. 18.

VanTassel’s Timberland Bait’s annual tournament is scheduled to award as much as $500 to anglers who catch the longest fish in a classification.

Weather permitting, the rescheduled contest will run from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A tournament scheduled for Feb. 4 on Conneaut Lake was postponed to Feb. 25 a week ago because of insufficient ice.

In each event, the longest musky brings $500, the longest pike $325, and the longest perch and crappie $50 each.

Registration is $15 for each tournament at Timberland Bait, 36320 Dutch Hill Road, Union City. Registration also will be available the morning of the Conneaut Lake tournament.

For information, call (814) 694-3474 or (814) 882-8369, or visit www.timberlandbait.com.

Weather could make or break your fishing, hiking, hunting or other outdoors outing this fall and winter. GoErie can help you can register to receive local forecasts and severe weather alerts on your mobile phone, or to get an RSS feed of daily weather reports and updates from GoErie.com/weather.