Warm and dry for Closing Week
Monday, April 10, 2017
An easy forecast for me to make means tranquil weather over the Steamboat Springs area this week. The still active Pacific jet stream will drive a weak and dry wave across the Great Basin later Tuesday, briefly interrupting a steady warming trend already in progress and possibly bringing some clouds for later Tuesday and early Wednesday.
Concurrently, a powerful storm develops in the Gulf of Alaska and makes landfall along the West Coast around midweek. Our temperatures will rise to above normal on Thursday as breezy southwest flow ahead of the storm carries warm air over the Rockies. However, the storm will be deflected to our northwest and then move north of our area as the western ridge holds strong. Some cooler air will be dragged over our region on Friday and Saturday, and there may be enough moisture for some clouds both days, and even a stray shower Friday afternoon.
Behind the grazing storm early in the weekend, skies will be sunny and temperatures above normal again for Sunday and Monday as the western ridge rebuilds.
