With wintry weather approaching, ski resorts in Poconos open this week

Winter lovers, rejoice: By the end of the week, the Philadelphia region should see some wintry weather and ski resorts in the Poconos are expected to be open.

Big Boulder is the only resort open now, but outdoor enthusiasts should be able to hit the slopes at others as early as Wednesday, according to the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau.

Spring Mountain Ski Area in Schwenksville, Montgomery County, also plans to open this week, with its winter season set to start Saturday.

The ski resort openings come as a round of true wintry weather is forecasted to hit eastern Pennsylvania this week.

A cold front Thursday will bring a sharp drop in temperatures, with highs Thursday and Friday only expected to reach the teens in higher-elevation areas and the 20s elsewhere, the National Weather Service said.

Temperatures should warm up over the weekend, forecasters said, but a wintry mix of precipitation that starts as snow, then shifts to sleet, freezing rain and rain is expected.

The winter weather is welcome news to ski resorts: Last year, a steamy December forced many local slopes to push their opening dates into January, leading them to miss out on the typically big-business week between Christmas and New Year's.