More snowfall blanketed the Mammoth area yesterday and last night with amounts about 15 inches at elevations above 8,000 feet 24 inches at 9000 and an estimated 3 feet above 10K.

Once again, the QPF in the models woefully under estimated the combination of the moist upper flow pattern and orographics as along the 395 corridor through Long Valley….only a few inches fell. Another 2 to 5 inches was possible between Sunrise today and late this afternoon before the trof axis passes East.

The next weather feature will be the upper jet sagging south today with the Rt rear entry now effecting the Mammoth area. 1000-500mb thickness falls to 534DM along with the -15C isotherm at 700mb very close to Mammoth tonight for one very cold night in Mid December! Expect temperatures to fall all day today then bottom out tonight around 5F at the Village with temps below zero in town tonight!!  On top of the cold will be breezy conditions with northerly breezes for a wind chill factor.

Expect a couple of fair but cold days both Wednesday and Thursday. The winds will come up again especially Thursday. Highs Today through Thursday in the 20s!

The next storm is a rather large low pressure system in which the amplifying upstream ridge gets pinched off over the high latts because of the strong progressive pattern upstream. Thus the digging of the system is some what short lived and the air following the storm early Monday is not nearly as cold an the air mass as is currently invading our  today and tonight.  However, that may change the following couple of days IE Christmas eve and Christmas day as a northwest Upper jet comes screaming down through Eastern Ca, pulling with it a chilly western Canadian air mass.

RECAP:

Snow will begin falling early Friday morning and will continue on and off through Sunday night. Several feet are expect over Mammoth Mtn. Then lighter snowfall possible Christmas eve into Christmas Day with eastern sierra up slope.

(At this time) The strongest part of the storm will be Sunday into early Monday morning with gradually improving conditions Christmas eve into Christmas Day.  I expect cold weather for Christmas day with northeast winds over the Crest along with strong wind chills. Snow showers are possibly Christmas Eve and Christmas Day then Fair Christmas Day Eve into the following morning…. It looks to be a much nicer day Wednesday the 26th.   More storms are possible later that week.

That’s it for now……the next update tomorrow AM. I am sure the timing will change…it always does…..

The Dweeber…………………..:-)