Western Weather 2016-17

[Marc_C]

And to further :stir: I'm pretty sure I don't consider a 5-7 day period in the midst of historic snowfalls to exactly be a 'dry spell'.

First, these aren't "historic snowfalls" in Utah.

Secondly, the words aren't coming from us, but, you know, meteorologists....

The low will eventually split a bit with a southern trajectory bringing some active weather to southern Utah Thursday and Friday while northern Utah dries out. Then, we all clear out for the weekend with warming mountain temps (and valley inversions).

Long Range:

Definitely looks like our first extended break in a long time. Right now, it looks like we stay dry until later next week (around the 19th). After that, we should see the west coast get more active again, although it’s too far out for any details at this point.

 

[Tony Crocker]

I'll agree with MarcC on this one. January 2017 will probably be a fairly average winter month in the Wasatch, meaning 7-8 feet of snow in LCC and maybe only snowing half the days in the month. :-({|=

 

[EMSC]

I'll agree with MarcC on this one. January 2017 will probably be a fairly average winter month in the Wasatch, meaning 7-8 feet of snow in LCC and maybe only snowing half the days in the month. :-({|=

Odd that Ootah is just average in the last few weeks when the states on either side of it are not. I note that Eldora has more 30 day snowfall than Alta :shock:

That sure ain't normal.

I also note that ootah had both a 6 day and 5 day 'dry spell' in the last 30 days. Oddly they weren't in January though, so I guess the weather folks over there must have somehow missed those "extended breaks" when they happened. :stir: Sorry just can't resist. I'm willing to bet the worst of the worst inversions probably do happen in January, when they do actually happen. But not ever buying the "never visit in mid-Jan because we always have January inversions" theory.

 

[EMSC]

Aaaand, more avi's onto I70 near the tunnels (west side), and Abasin ordered to evacuate so CDOT can do more extensive avi control all the way down Rt6 to Keystone (Loveland Pass having been long since closed).

 

[Marc_C]

I also note that ootah had both a 6 day and 5 day 'dry spell' in the last 30 days. Oddly they weren't in January though, so I guess the weather folks over there must have somehow missed those "extended breaks" when they happened. :stir: Sorry just can't resist. I'm willing to bet the worst of the worst inversions probably do happen in January, when they do actually happen. But not ever buying the "never visit in mid-Jan because we always have January inversions" theory.

That is a total misrepresentation of what we (me, Admin, local meteorologists) have been saying.

 

[Tony Crocker]

Odd that Ootah is just average in the last few weeks when the states on either side of it are not. I note that Eldora has more 30 day snowfall than Alta :shock: That sure ain't normal.

Overall on January 8 I had Utah at 112% of normal snowfall and northern and central Colorado at 106%. It's southern and western Colorado that's at 143%. But within region there are some odd anomalies in season-to-date snowfalls. How about this: Aspen 140 inches, Vail 103 inches, Keystone 132 inches? In last week's storm Aspen and Crested Butte got hammered, nearly as much snow as Wolf Creek, yet Telluride, Purgatory and Taos got less than half as much snow. The Tetons are like Utah season-to-date, just modestly above average. At any rate all of these numbers are going to be much bigger a week from now. http://bestsnow.net/seas17.htm

But not ever buying the "never visit in mid-Jan because we always have January inversions" theory.

That is a total misrepresentation of what we (me, Admin, local meteorologists) have been saying.

I'm pleased to hear that this misleading recommendation is no longer operative.

And they usually tend to happen mid-January. Sometimes there's an outlier in December or February, but over the past 12 years of direct experience, if there's one time period I don't recommend to visitors, it's from about Jan 5 to Jan 25, or thereabouts. That may or may not be true next season, but it is this year, and last,...

 

[tseeb]

Every ski area in the Sierra was closed Sunday with high winds and the rain/snow line at 10,000 feet.

http://www.firsttracksonline.com/2017/0 ... he-sierra/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Kirkwood ran a couple of not very exciting lifts Monday PM. Heavenly ran Gunbarrel hi-speed quad and their tram on Tuesday. Northstar did not run lifts that were steep enough to ski the 3' that fell and also closed early. But the Vail Tahoe resorts are trying.

 

[EMSC]

Today's Avi map still looks like yesterdays Avi map for Colorado. Basically, "Stay the h#!! out of the backcountry".

Abasin still not operating. Rt 6 closed for avi work on both sides of them... it is still snowing of course too. Could be a long week for them. At least Monarch is operating again today.

 

[Marc_C]

Crater Lake National Park closed due to avalanche, heavy snowfall

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...closed-due-avalanche-heavy-snowfall/96435202/

 

[EMSC]

here are some odd anomalies in season-to-date snowfalls. How about this: Aspen 140 inches, Vail 103 inches, Keystone 132 inches? In last week's storm Aspen and Crested Butte got hammered, nearly as much snow as Wolf Creek, yet Telluride, Purgatory and Taos got less than half as much snow.

Multiple anomalies this year for certain. I might add Vail and Beaver Creek as anomalies on the bad side of the ledger on a relative basis. CB, Keystone and Eldora stick out to me as big anomalies from normal patterns on the good side of the relative snowfall ledger.

eg Apparently Eldora, which never gets snow from normal storms that have a SW wind, actually does get snow (and big snow) when that SW wind has so much moisture with it that there is still snow in the air after all those mtn ranges in the way (gets a continental divide boost of some kind when THAT much moisture is in the air). It's been weird to see in person after so many SW wind storms that deliver grey clouds to Eldora over the years but nary a flake otherwise. Best guess is it is a similar story for Keystone also being close enough to the divide to reap the benefit from so much moisture in the air being lifted that high. Can't figure out the CB overabundance story though.

 

[Marc_C]

I'm pleased to hear that this misleading recommendation is no longer operative.

That, also, is a grossly incorrect statement. *You* think that's the case because you keep changing your frame of reference to fit your narrative.

 

[Marc_C]

Kirkwood today....(text below image)

From Coop Cooper's Facebook page:

Afternoon my friends,
Kirkwood will be closed for the day…
After assessing the mountain we need time and your patience while we begin to dig out…
The photo here was taken today while assessing the mountain after the last 48hrs and 9’ of snow…

If you have any questions on what we are doing out here, let me assure you that the first thing we need going to do is to dig out and prep for the day ahead… This has been a #Storm for the books and a return to what I remember when I first came to #KirkwoodMtn….

A few housecleaning items:

SR88 over the Carson Pass and Spur are closed with no estimated time of opening. Cal Trans is working hard to open the road, but they are dealing with just as much snow as we are… #HavePatience

Mountain priorities:
1. Snow safety
a. Front-side
b. Backside
c. Red Cliffs
2. Dig out the tops and bottom stations on all lifts
a. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9,10 & 11. Vista
3. Dig out all Villages
a. Red Cliffs
b. Timber Creek
c. Plaza (K-Bar)
4. Clear and plow all roads and parking

We will do all of the above as quickly, but as safely as possible… This is such a blessing and we want to get open, but again (caveat insert) this was one #GiantDump and we have a lot to do ahead my friends…

#TrustInKirkwoodMtnOperations #HugALifite #ThankAShovelingGuestServicesTeamMember
These folks will and do so much to open the mountain each and every day.

Stay Thirsty my friends,
Coop

 

[Tony Crocker]

Utah is odd in this storm series too: http://opensnow.com/dailysnow/utah/post/7111
Notice how far down Alta is on the list. Some of this is the practice of many Utah areas measuring high within their terrain while Alta measures mid-mountain. However, that practice is usually only enough to bring the BCC areas about equal to Alta, with other areas still trailing. This time most of the storm activity has been on a SW flow vs. the usual NW flow that strongly favors LCC.

 

[Marc_C]

According to someone from Sparks NV on Facebook, this is what the Sierra Nevada looks like today:

 

[EMSC]

Someone's pranking the Facebook: that pic was Feb of 2011...

https://weather.com/safety/winter/news/five-snowfall-extremes-20130103#/2

 

[socal]

Credit to http://mammothsnowman.com/

Looks like Mammoth was amazing today.

https://youtu.be/WvhisccWI_o

 

[Marc_C]

Someone's pranking the Facebook: that pic was Feb of 2011...

https://weather.com/safety/winter/news/five-snowfall-extremes-20130103#/2

Thank you for sleuthing that one - I had my suspicions.

 

[Admin]

This storm cycle has left some pretty impressive results around Utah. (images via Wasatch Snow Forecast):

(Park City Mountain Resort)

(Western Uinta Mountains, off the Mirror Lake Highway)

(the closest Snotel site to Powder Mountain)

 

[EMSC]

Huge % of normal across much of the west for sure. My favorite for looking at the whole west at once is:

http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/gis/images/west_swepctnormal_update.png

Though I'm not sure why it doesn't show the many more river basin's (with snowpack) that exist in California.

Pretty clear where he AR events have hit, and where they have not hit during January.

 

[Tony Crocker]

Here's one with a bit more of CA:

It still does not include the Owens Valley/L.A. Aqueduct drainage or the Central Valley south of the San Joaquin River (Kings and Kern River drainages).