Category: Meteorology

Snow forecast next 8 days

Tomer’s Take: No big storm cycles for the West until on/after 11/21. Current pattern includes high pressure ridge over PNW/BC/CA through 11/20. This is an anomalously strong Eastern Pacific high pressure ridge. Fast N-S jet flow favors Banff, MT, WY, CO, NM for light snow accumulation with cold fronts. Next front races north to south […]

Pattern shift on/after 11-21

Tomer’s Take: PNW/Western BC/CA stay mostly dry through 11/20 with high pressure ridge. Then the pattern shifts on/after 11/21 as the high gets dislodged and lower pressures move into the PNW/BC with a powerful jet. Between 11/14-11/21 the Intermountain West stays active with fast-moving north to south cold fronts but only light snow accumulations. This […]

Who’s favored this week for best snow?

Tomer’s Take: There are no big storm cycles on the immediate horizon for the West. This week favors the Intermountain West including MT, WY, CO, NM. Total snowfall next 8 days is 10″ or less for all resorts in this grouping. Beyond 11/20, the PNW turns more active as high pressure slides east and a […]

West pattern transition; What about late November?

Tomer’s Take: Pattern transition underway for the West. Currently a weak low is sliding south from the PNW to CA. It’s headed to NM and southern CO as a southern track low through 11/14. This low opens the door for a large trough to develop across the Intermountain West (MT, WY, CO) with a stiff […]

Snow forecast next 8 days

Tomer’s Take: Pattern is now in transition. A low slides down the West Coast but it weakens and dries up with only light mountain snow accumulation. This low becomes a weak southern track low that slides through the southern tier of the Rockies through 11/14. Behind it the pattern changes quickly to a high pressure […]

Mid November Pattern

Tomer’s Take: The final storm in the storm cycle is exiting CO/WY. What’s next? High pressure rebuilds briefly then a large, drier, colder trough develops across the West. This results in only light snow accumulations 11/10-11/17. Current Setup Infrared satellite shows the final storm system departing CO/WY and new storm systems upstream. The line-up looks […]

What’s next? Snow through mid November

Tomer’s Take: The final storm system of this storm cycle is currently tracking through UT, WY, CO through 11/10. What’s next? Storm cycle ends 11/10. High pressure rebuilds then a large trough of low pressure sets up shop across the West through 11/16. But, this trough is much drier and colder. There is a southern […]

Storm cycle ends 11/10

Tomer’s Take: Final storm system of this storm cycle now moving through California. Next stop is the Intermountain West. Powerful jet streak, orographics, and very weak atmospheric river (AR) contribution. Storm cycle ends 11/10. What happens after? High pressure rebuilds until 11/13 then a dry trough rotates through the West. Current Setup Infrared satellite shows […]

Big totals for CA, UT, WY, MT

Tomer’s Take: A powerful low pressure and jet stream deliver feet of snow to the West 11/7-11/10. Forcing ingredients include a 150mph jet stream/streak, strong orographics, and weak atmospheric river (AR) contribution. Peak snowfall times by mountain range are listed below. Current Setup Infrared satellite shows the moisture channel, storm track, and low pressure systems […]

Snowy 5-day period ahead for West

Tomer’s Take: Snow continues to fall across the Intermountain West with a WNW flow and powerful jet stream. This is associate with storm #2. Storm #3 is riding the heels of storm #2. Storm #3 delivers the best orographics and possible weak atmospheric river contributions to the Sierra and Interior Mountain West. Period of maximum […]