MOUNTAIN WEATHER FORECAST

Time and Day: 0830 Tuesday

 

The Snapshot:   Today will be mostly dry with scattered snow showers and possible sun breaks.   More snow begins late tonight and continues through Thursday morning.  Tomorrow afternoon into Thursday morning should be another good powder flying session.

 

The Science:   The high pressure ridge that formed last night strengthened a bit more than anticipated therefore, today’s moisture will be confined to the NW portion of the state.  The next front arrives just after midnight tonight with snow tomorrow.  A good convergence zone is expected to develop behind this front keeping the snow falling into Thursday morning.    

 

4-7day Long Range:  High pressure moves over the region on Friday for a dry and mostly sunny weekend.  A large low pressure system developing offshore over the weekend will drive more systems into the PNW next week.

 

Precipitation: 16hr Water by 4am tomorrow  = .24  Snow = 1-3 24hr water by noon tomorrow = .5    Snow =  3-6   Trend and Timing: Light scattered snow showers will persist in the mountains today.  The main front arrives around midnight tonight and intensifies through the day tomorrow.  There will a slight chance of some mixed rain and snow in the base area early tomorrow morning, but it should be short-lived. Snow will continue to fall into Thursday morning with another foot or more possible.

Base Temp and Freezing levels:  Low:24   High: 32 Freezing level: 2500’  4000’   Trends and Timing Freezing levels will rise to 4000’ tonight and then fall back down to +-3000’ tomorrow.  Freezing levels will decline even further early Thursday morning.

Winds (mph) Base: 5-15 NW Ridge Top: 10-20 WNW   Trend and Timing: Winds will shift from SW to NW as the front moves through during the early morning hours.  Strong frontal winds can be expected with ridge top gust topping 40mph at times.  Winds will likely be consistently strong throughout the day tomorrow.