PLACERS COUNTY — Ski areas are preparing for opening day and recent storms could bring the season closer than expected.

Recent video released by Palisades Tahoe shows a blanket of snow covering the Olympic Village. Snow fell Thursday afternoon, with another six inches expected on Friday.

The resort is expected to open on November 27, but thanks to these early storms, officials say that could be moved up. The resort also uses its snow cannons to speed up the process.

Another positive from the recent storm system is the type of snow they produce. It’s wet and heavy, which is ideal for a sturdy base layer. Patrick Lacey, spokesman for Palisades Tahoe, said this year is off to a good start.

“This year, things look a lot different than last year. Last year it was all man-made snow. We had the temperature, but we just didn’t have that natural snowfall,” Lacey said. “But Mother Nature is taking care of it for us now, as you can see right behind me. We couldn’t be happier with opening day.”

Palisades also expanded its fleet of snowmaking and snowcats this year. So the resort is working very hard to get the snow where it needs to be before opening day.