Plummeting temperatures appear to be a surefire sign that ski season is just around the corner.

With the drop in temperature, Blue Mountain Ski Resort planned to make snow as early as Friday evening, when it's expected to complete a full test of its advanced snowmaking system.As temperatures begin settling into the low 20s at night, it figures to create an ideal snowmaking environment at Blue Mountain.So much so, that guns are projected to begin dusting trails on Blue Mountain as early as this evening, temperatures permitting."We're awful grateful that it's turned cold so we can put some snow down there," said owner Barbara Green. "It looks like Mother Nature is in our favor."As the region's leader in snowmaking, Blue Mountain has invested in snowmaking capacity, efficiency and automation for the past 19 years.Over half of Blue Mountain's acreage is now fully automated with the industry's latest equipment and software along with their entire water pumping system.This summer, Blue Mountain added six new snowmaking pumps, increasing their output to an impressive 14,000 gallons a minute.The water capacity, coupled with 55,000 cubic feet per minute of snowmaking air and the latest automation technology, could make this winter at Blue Mountain the best yet, Green said."We're excited, we're ready, and sales have been the best we've ever had," she said. "I think we're going to get more and more people out here this year."In fact, Green said snowmaking could go for the next week or so, temperatures permitting."It looks like from the forecast, we're going to be making snow for a good seven nights straight," she said."It depends on how cold it gets every night, when we're going to open."Green said the ski resort has not yet set an opening date, but once the temperatures are consistently between 24-28 degrees, guns will be cranked at full capacity.Last year, the ski area opened the day after Thanksgiving. Green said it has targeted a similar time frame this year for its opening.Opening day will be announced on skibluemt.com, as well as Blue Mountain's social media channels, to alert guests and season pass holders to gear up and hit the slopes.