For the 7th time since Folsom Dam construction was completed in 1955, the reservoir has dropped below 200,000 acre-feet in overall storage.  The capacity of Folsom Lake is approximately 977,000 acre-feet.  The record low occurred in the Summer Fall of 1977…and was just below 150,000 acre feet.

The Winter of 1976-77 was the driest year on record for Mammoth Mountain. We did not have snow making that year….

 

Earlier in the Fall we had an upper ridge that would allow California Sliders to bring wind and cold Weather to our region.  It appears now that the upper long wave ridge position has moved far enough east for the PNA index to go positive.  This makes for strong temperatures inversions and freezing levels in the 11,000 foot range.  I expect the Freezing level to pretty much remain near or above 11,000 through the end of this week. Thus strong temperature inversions will rule with air quality degrading over time….    For the most part we are locked out of precipitation for the next two weeks and possibly through mid January. There is no MJO activity forecasted through the 6th of Jan to change the pattern. The pattern is very stable with ridging in the west…..The east will become colder with time……even though the NAO is still positive.  The (AO) Arctic Oscillation is growing negative.  The word is that San Francisco is about to have its driest year on record….

Although there is a weak upper low coming though the ridge this weekend bringing us a slight chance of showers….the pattern is a dry one for the state and there is nothing at this time that can change it anytime soon…..

Expect high temperatures in the low 50s in Mammoth with lows at night in the 20s and low 30s. Lower elevations of the county will be in the teens for the most part, locked under temperatures inversions. Mono Lake Fog and Pogonip will increase over time…….

 

Through all of this…folks are having a great time up on Mammoth Mountain as the mountain had been making snow for the past two months….

 

Dr Howard and the Dweebs……………………..:-)