Beautiful weekend followed by gradually increasing moisture next week
Friday, August 12, 2016
Cooler and very dry air has invaded the Steamboat Springs area after the cool front passed through last night leading to a beautiful weekend forecast with cool nights and seasonably warm days. A trailing wave in the current northwest flow may produce some clouds Saturday afternoon and perhaps even a stray high-mountain shower, but Sunday looks to be mostly cloud-free with warming temperatures as the western ridge rebuilds behind the departing front.
A trough of low pressure crossing the West Coast on Sunday will split, with pieces of the southern portion traveling across the Great Basin on Monday and Tuesday. Some upward motion and limited moisture will allow for the chance of afternoon showers over our area those days under warmer temperatures.
Another splitting Pacific storm approaches the coast around Wednesday with the southern portion forecast to take up residence off the central California coast for the rest of the work week. The southwesterly flow ahead of the lingering trough will once again allow deeper southern moisture to travel over the region, increasing the chance of wetting rains for Wednesday and Thursday.
The northern portion of the split will be slowed as additional Pacific energy reinforces the cool air in the storm and looks to eventually bring another cool front through the area late in the work week or early the following weekend.
