Snows continue through Monday with a break Friday
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
I had 3” on my deck this morning at 9 am, and the Steamboat ski area reported 2” mid / 3” top at 5 am. As of the 11 am update, they are reporting an additional 3” mid and 5” top. We had some Steamboat magic up top between 4 am and 7 am as 4” of snow fell in those 3 hours, with 2.5” falling between 4 am and 5 am!
The current complex storm will continue to produce snow for the mountain through tomorrow, though there may be a mix at the base during the afternoons. We can expect continued showers during the day before some cool air moves over the area after sunset today and increases snowfall rates for the night. Considering that 3” has already fallen at mid-mountain after the morning report, I would expect 5-10” to be reported tomorrow morning, especially if we get another round of Steamboat magic early tomorrow. Furthermore, some lightening has already been observed to our west, and we may have some of that this evening.
Snows will become more showery in nature as tomorrow progresses, though they may produce brief and localized moderate to heavy snowfall rates, similar to yesterday afternoon and likely this afternoon. Snows will end by midnight after leaving 1-4”, and skies will clear as a transient ridge moves over Friday. Though the day will start cool, though temperatures will quickly warm and showers will likely redevelop Friday afternoon.
Another trough quickly follows the ridging Friday to start snows up again Saturday morning, with showers growing heavier as some cool air enters our area around sunset Saturday. This trough is forecast to undergo some splitting, though future model runs should acquire a better handle on to what degree this occurs. Regardless, there should be some significant accumulations by Sunday morning, perhaps in the 3-7” range.
The slow moving trough will keep showers going through Sunday, though a trailing wave with a fair bit of cool air looks to reinvigorate snows beginning later Sunday, perhaps around sunset. We should do quite well from this trailing wave as it is embedded within northwest flow, and I would expect another 5-10” by Monday morning with an additional 1-4” during the day.
Finally, and for those looking for some sun, models forecast a large and strong ridge to move over the area starting Tuesday and likely lasting for the majority of the remaining workweek. Temperatures will be unseasonably warm and the weather will feel like late spring. There appears to be more energy in the Pacific behind this ridge, though models currently disagree on how this energy interacts with the ridge. Nonetheless, the active spring pattern looks to continue after then.
