Unsettled weather returns from Sunday through Tuesday
Friday, June 10, 2016
A strong Pacific storm has split off the West Coast, and the southern part of the split as well as a separate storm currently near northern Baja will bring increased chances of unsettled weather for the Steamboat Springs area as soon as Saturday afternoon.
Southerly flow ahead of the southern part of the split picks up the Baja storm and moves it over the Great Basin tomorrow. Though the storm will travel west of us, the increased moisture and upward motion will increase the chance of afternoon storms for Saturday.
By Sunday, additional energy from the north reinforces the southern part of the split and forces it eastward across the southern Great Basin, eventually moving over our area early on Tuesday.
There will still be a chance of afternoon storms on Sunday as the southern storm approaches the area, though they should be less numerous than on Saturday.
By Monday, the proximity of the storm will once again increase the chance of late-day storms. As the storm moves over us overnight or early Tuesday, rain may continue into the overnight hours and extend into the morning. Showers should wane during the afternoon as cool, dry air overspreads our area on the backside of the departing storm.
By Wednesday, our flow backs from the northwest to the southwest ahead of yet another large Pacific storm approaching the northern West Coast. This will bring much drier air for the rest of the work week and extending into next weekend, along with increasing temperatures.
Steamboat Springs area weather forecast from Monday
Monday, June 6, 2016
There will still be a small threat of afternoon storms on Tuesday, though less than on Monday, as a weak Pacific wave, currently in Nevada as of Monday afternoon, moves some dry air over our area as it travels eastward across the Great Basin.
This weak wave weakens further as it interacts with the dominant western ridge, and due to its dry nature, it affects on our area will be minimal as it loiters in Colorado for a few days.
By Wednesday and through the first part of the weekend, the ridge rebuilds and temperatures will continue to increase to their warmest readings of the year, though there will still be a chance of afternoon storms, some possibly strong, as southwest flow increases ahead of a much stronger Pacific storm forecast to cross the West Coast around Saturday.
The Pacific storm is now forecast to split on Sunday, with most of the energy staying to our northwest as in previous forecasts, but some of the energy moving across Arizona and New Mexico by early in the next work week. Due to the dry nature of the southern part of the split, the chance of afternoon storms will be reduced starting Sunday and lasting into the next work week.
If you’ve made it this far, my future blog posts will be returning to a less frequent publishing schedule. I’ve been publishing daily since mid-January hoping to increase viewership and revenue from the ads on my site, but I am no longer able to spend as much as the hour a day it took to produce these forecasts with the meager revenue the ads are producing. At this point, I am thinking an early-week blog around Monday to let readers plan for the week, and a late-week blog around Thursday or Friday for the weekend.
Feel free to post comments if you have thoughts about this change. Or if you would like to advertise on my site.
Steamboat Springs area weather forecast from Sunday
Sunday, June 5, 2016
A weak wave to our north will pass through the area Monday, again leading to the chance of afternoon thunderstorms, though they may produce more wind than rain as the lower levels of the atmosphere remain quite dry.
Tuesday will keep the threat of afternoon showers present, though less than Monday as a weak Pacific wave, currently in northern Nevada as of Sunday afternoon, moves some dry air over our area as it moves eastward across the Great Basin.
This weak wave weakens further as it interacts with the dominant western ridge, and due to its dry nature, it affects on our area will be minimal as it loiters in Colorado for a few days.
By Wednesday and through the rest of the work week, the ridge rebuilds and temperatures will continue to increase to their warmest readings of the year, though there will still be a chance of afternoon showers as southwest flow increases ahead of a much stronger storm forecast to cross the West Coast around Saturday. Current model have the storm weakening as it moves to our northwest through the western ridge, but it may be close enough to increase winds by the end of the week.
Steamboat Springs area weather forecast from Saturday
Saturday, June 4, 2016
Temperatures at the top of Storm Peak reached 60F degrees this afternoon, and the Yampa through town should reach around 3500 cfs at midnight tonight. Rivers should stay high tomorrow and Monday as temperatures continue to warm.
Tomorrow will be another beautiful and warm day, though a weak wave passing to our north and east will re-introduce a chance of afternoon showers. A weak Pacific storm that will begin to affect us later Tuesday will be crossing the northern California coast during the day as well.
Another weak wave for Monday and better moisture will further increase the threat of afternoon storms
Tuesday will keep the threat of afternoon showers present, with the chances increasing each day.
The weak Pacific wave weakens further as it interacts with the dominant western ridge, and due to its dry nature, it affects on our area will be minimal, only keeping the threat of showers around and cooler temperatures under the increased cloud cover.
By Wednesday and through the rest of the work week, the ridge rebuilds and temperatures will increase to their warmest readings of the year, though there will still be a chance of afternoon showers.
A much stronger storm will have crossed the West Coast midweek. Current model have the storm weakening as it moves to our northwest through the western ridge, but it may be close enough to increase winds by the end of the weak.
Steamboat Springs area weather forecast from Friday
Friday, June 3, 2016
Weak waves passing to our north and east tonight and tomorrow night may bring some mid and high clouds, but mostly dry conditions and warming temperatures from near normal to above normal can be expected through the end of the weekend.
There will be an increased chance of afternoon showers Sunday afternoon as atmospheric moisture is trapped between a developing trough over the central to eastern US and and the western ridge.
The chance of mostly afternoon showers will increase further on Monday as another weak wave again skirts our area early Monday.
Surprisingly, an active jet stream continues across the Pacific, likely reinforced by still cold air in Siberia and northern Canada that rotates southward across the northern Pacific. The end result is a battle over the western US as a building ridge is moderated by incoming Pacific energy.
A weak Pacific storm forecast to cross the central California coast late in the weekend will be the first test of the resiliency of the ridge. The storm is forecast to move through the ridge and over our area later Tuesday or early Wednesday. The storm is fairly dry, so the main effect may be the continuation of afternoon showers, though there may be increasing clouds ahead of wave.
After that, a much stronger storm approaches the West Coast midweek. Current model have the storm weakening as it moves through the western ridge and keeps the storm north of our area, possibly allowing temperatures to reach their warmest readings of the year.
