MOUNTAIN WEATHER FORECAST

Time and Day:  0700 Christmas Day.

The Snapshot:  Cold temperatures with light snow today. The rest of the last week of 2017 will remain cold with occasional snow showers. Warmer air arrives on Friday with potential measurable snow for the weekend.  

The Science

Current Observations: Light snow is falling this morning with 3” of poof-da that fell overnight.  The temperature is 12^of , the RH is 91% and the barometer is holding steady at 1015mb’s.   The winds have switched to westerly on the upper mountain but remain light and easterly in the base area. Satellite imagery has snow showers in the convergence zone heading towards Stevens Pass.

Forecast:  The low-pressure trough that brought us the snow will slowly drift east today. Unstable westerly flow will keep the chance of snow for most of the day.  Pressure gradients will begin to weaken over the next 24hrs allowing this cold and relatively dry airmass to remain in place through most of the week.   

The Long Range:  A stronger system is expected to bring warmer and wetter weather to the region starting on Friday.   

24hr Precipitation ending at 4 a.m: Today 24hr water: .25   snow: 1-3 Tomorrow’s 24hr water: Lt.10 snow: trace Trend and Timing: Lights snow will slowly diminish over the next 24hrs.  Tomorrow will be mostly dry.

24hr temperature ending at 4 a.m:  Low:  12   High: 20 Freezing level:0-500’ Trend and Timing:    Freezing levels will remain low.

24hr Winds (mph) ending at 4 a.m: Base: 0-5 E Ridge Top: 5-10 W Trend and Timing: Light east flow at the surface and westerly flow aloft will be the wind regime for the next 24hrs.

jM