Light snow Sunday and likely heavier snow Tuesday into Wednesday
Friday, December 27, 2013
A ridge in the Gulf of Alaska is keeping mild northwest flow over the area. The Storm Peak Lab near the top of Mt. Werner did not get much below 15F last night even as the valley reached 0F in the cold temperature-inverted airmass. A beautiful sunny and seasonably warm day on the hill is on tap for today before a splitting shortwave rounding the top of the ridge affects our area by midday Saturday beginning with high cloudiness and falling temperatures.
Snow is expected by midnight Saturday and through the rest of the night, but amounts are forecast to be light and only in the 1-4” range. A couple of disturbances in the northwest flow should influence our weather through midweek. The first wave will bring some more snow by late Monday night or early Tuesday with the second stronger and moister wave continuing heavier snows Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Snow showers should continue through Wednesday evening before we may see some clearing on Thursday.
Another wave in this northwest flow may affect the area by Friday, although current forecasts have this one grazing us and producing only very light snow. After that, major disagreements in the models appear in the 10 day period as one is forecasting a pattern change by breaking down the Gulf of Alaska ridge while another keeps that ridge intact.
Snow a possibility for Sunday and early next week
Thursday, December 26, 2013
As a weak wave exits the area today, warming should occur through Saturday morning on the mountain slopes as the valleys stay cold in well established temperature inversions.
Another weak and dry wave moves across the area later on Saturday bringing cooler temperatures, but no snow. However, another moister and stronger wave quickly follows and may produce some snow for Sunday. Models originally predicted this wave to our east, but have since trended further west improving our chances for precipitation.
A nice Monday morning before another wave is forecast to begin affecting our area by late Monday. Again, models have trended stronger and further west with this system, and current forecasts have snow starting late Monday as the cool wave approaches in moist northwest flow. Snow may continue Tuesday into Wednesday morning before ridging once again takes hold creating warmer and dry conditions to close out the workweek.
An active weather pattern appears likely to persist, with models tentatively predicting another storm for later in the weekend.
Snow ends this evening with dry weather to follow
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
The well advertised wave moving through northwest flow did not begin to affect our area till around 4am this morning. We had a burst of snowfall between around 9-10am that was falling at several inches per hour, and another band looks to cross the area later this afternoon. The snow that fell earlier was relatively dense, and with some round graupel particles mixed in, the snow should fill in the tracks on the hill nicely. Temperatures should be falling through the day and hopefully we can get some accumulating snow crystals called dendrites to add a layer of light and fluffy powder for later today. I expect outstanding skiing on the hill today as the storm passes through.
If skies clear tonight, it could be a chilly start to the day tomorrow, although it should be a brilliantly sunny day. A dry wave passes Thursday and that may knock temperatures down a few degrees before they rebound to produce unseasonably warm weather by Friday. Valleys will likely stay cool as temperature inversions reform and persist over the the fresh snowpack.
Another weak wave to our north that grazes the area on Saturday will create more seasonable temperatures that look to last into and possibly through the next work week. Models are struggling with the forecast for the following weekend as one flattens the ridge in the Gulf of Alaska possibly leading to some weather for our area while another rebuilds the ridge and keeps us dry.
Final wave in this storm cycle passes early Tuesday for more snow
Monday, December 23, 2013
It looks like we are going to add to our 2 foot storm total as the final wave affects our area beginning after midnight. This wave is relatively quick moving, but it is moist and cool and in northwest flow. We sometimes get more snowfall than expected with this setup, and optimistically I see another 5-10” on the hill by tomorrow afternoon. I would expect some Steamboat Magic to occur between report time at 5am and ski time around 9am creating several hours of heavy snowfall rates.
We may see some sun in the valley by tomorrow afternoon as snow showers on the hill wind down, and if skies clear Tuesday night, Christmas day will start sunny and cool. A weak wave passes by on Thursday, but that likely won’t even affect our sunny skies that are forecast to persist into the weekend. A wave in northwest flow is currently forecast to produce some snow showers by Saturday afternoon, but the eventual westward extent of this wave will determine how much snow we receive.
Skies clear after the weekend disturbance passes, so the beginning of the work week should start out nice before another wave in northwest flow is forecast to affect us as early as Tuesday.
More snow through Tuesday
Sunday, December 22, 2013
About 2” on my deck this morning from about 9pm last night, although the Steamboat ski area reported 7.5” at mid and 8” up top on the morning report. A ridge over the Gulf of Alaska is forcing moist northwest flow over our area, and embedded waves will continue to produce light snow through today and most of tomorrow. One such wave is currently moving through the area, and another is timed for tonight, with both producing another 5-10” by the Monday morning report.
Snow showers may taper off by the end of the day Monday before beginning again early Tuesday as the last wave in this series passes over the area midday. Only light snow is expected, and the fast movement of this last wave should only produce 1-3” by Wednesday morning’s report.
Warming and drying should commence Christmas Day and last into Thursday, though valleys become noticeably colder than the hill as inversions reform and strengthen. A dry and weak wave grazes our area on Friday, producing some clouds and slightly lower temperatures. Weather will turn nice again for at least the first part of the weekend before another storm is forecast around Sunday.
