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Archive for February, 2019
Mammoth reports 6.5 to 10 feet of new…..More snow today…..platinum powder alert……
Tuesday February 5, 2019
Our protracted winter storm will be winding down today. However, not before dropping another 5 to 10 inches of Platinum Powder…..the upper low passes to our south this afternoon and so we will see the sun today. The bluebirds will squawk by Wednesday and Thursday…..it will be cold with highs in the teens and twenties.
The next upper low is being squeezed through the weak area over the Gulf of Alaska and will spin up over the coming days…this also looks to be a decent storm with cold temps and powdery snow. It may begin Friday. Abounts in the 1 to 2 foot range…..
The pattern will be going through a Major Transition next week as the MJO moves into phases 8 and eventually 1. This is the infamous area of the atmospheric river.
If it occurs, it is most likely to occur over Southern California the way the pattern is set up. Although it is a long ways off time wise, and not certain…..However a real possibility. Those that live in that area will want to pay close attention to the news in you area. Timing is sometime during the 2nd half of next week….
At this time it does not look like a protracted event……
will update from from time to time on progress….
The Dweeber…
Mammoth Mountain reports storm totals of up to 5 feet over the summit and so we are half way through the sequence….expect double this amount by Tuesday night…….the next storm tonight could be a trans-sierra road closer…..With blizzard conditions developing….Platinum Powder Alert Tuesday and Wednesday AM
Sunday February 3, 2019
Monday AM
Mammoth mt reports 4 to 6 feet storm total so far….
MJO is forecasted to travel to phase spaces 7 8 and most likely 1…..significant atmospheric possible later next week…..southern half of state favored at this time but stay tuned……
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Although the polar vortex does not visit the Golden State, sometimes a very cold Trof over the far west can couple with low pressure very near a westward displaced PV. When it does, we can experience one of our coldest weather type with an CPK Air outbreak…. Continental polar air can get displaced to the far western portions over the CONUS when a high amplitude ridge sets up near 140west. Such a scenario is setting up now and will put the Great Basin in the deep freeze within the next couple of weeks.
in the meantime, modified Arctic Air moving off the coast of BC,Can is chilling the next series of storms with snow to water ratios climbing quickly. This next storm for tonight may bring S/W ratios of between 12 and 14:1 over Mammoth Mt. The light fluffy snow is more uncommon over the far west and usually falls during the coldest of winters. The results of this storm tonight which will be accompanied by strong winds, will be blizzard conditions along highway 395 as very light snowflakes become more buoyant due to the cold temps within the dendritic growth zone at about 15,000 to 20,000 feet.
Additional snowfall is expected to bring another 2 to 4 feet between the Town of Mammoth and Mammoth’s upper mountain by Monday. Last but least is an ever colder storm expected Monday night. This storms S/W ratio will be in excess of 15:1. Monday night into Tuesday afternoon. The amount of snowfall expected Monday through Tuesday at these ratios will more than qualify for “the platinum powder alert”. Additionally, for thoughs that are lucky enough to get into to it Tuesday and especially Wednesday AM or when ever the top opens…it will be a once in a decade experience as the light powder will very deep as well.
Bring your snorkels…… ?
(After a break Wednesday through Thursday a new storm moves in during the weekend…..timing uncertain)
LONG RANGE:
Here comes the fun part….. There are no discussions on this from the NWS….this is strictly Dweeb Speak…..
i have have been following the RMM phase space and the MJO for sometime now. The NCEP GFS has been very consistent in its progression of the MJO through phase space 7 and 8. however, 1st there is retrogression to phase space 6, due to the progression of an easterly Rossby Wave. This is where we are picking up our cold trof over the inter mountain west. This is only transitory I believe as progression takes place again during week 2. Once this tropical forcing moves from phase space 7 to 8 get ready for the Pineapple Express…..
Biggest Storm of the Winter heads for the Sierra bringing Heavy Snow Blizzard Conditions and in the end…..Platinum Powder
Friday February 1, 2019
3:00 PM Saturday, Cold Front now climbing the Sierra with the heaviest snowfall per hour now occurring. Would expect WX front to be through by about 5:00PM and so there may be a brief break and actually some Blue Sky’s in back of the front before instability showers redevelop. Note: There is a band of showers developing in back of the front that seems to be spreading south. So snowfall rates will pick up again this evening….
The first storm will be very successful in bringing some 3 to 4 feet over the upper elevations by Sunday Morning…..
The next storm rolls late Sunday afternoon….. It will get windy Sunday night into Monday…
15:1 Platinum Powder should total between 1 and 2 feet between Monday night and Tuesday night.
Wednesday will be the day!!
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Platinum Powder Alert for Monday night into Tuesday for a foot or better of Platinum Powder…. S/W Ratios of at least 15:1
Winter Storm Warning begins at 4:00PM this afternoon through Tuesday at 700PM
Blizzard Warning Sunday Night through Monday afternoon with snow drifts deeper than 10 feet in areas
Strong Gusty Winds as high as 50 MPH will accompany the heavy snowfall locally.
Snowfall amounts of between 4 and 10 feet are expected above 7000 feet within the time frame beginning tonight through Tuesday 7:00PM
In the Town of Mammoth, between 3 and 6 feet is possible within the Warning time frame
Forest Service Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center has issues an Avalanche Warning between Virginia Lakes to the north and Bishop Creek to the South.
Avalanche danger will become high in non controlled areas from Saturday morning through the weekend.
Discussion:
Surface low west of the Bay Area continues to deepen with cyclogenesis continuing….This first system is a slow mover and will make its way into the high country late tonight with heavy snow developing and continuing through Saturday night. If there is some kind of break it will be later Sunday morning before the next system hits Sunday night into Monday. Each successive storm will be colder with the last in the series Monday night into Tuesday bringing Modified Arctic air and cold dry powder. (Platinum Powder) Wednesday looks to be Blue Bird at this time but another system may follow for the following weekend… “Who Needs El Nino” !!!!
The guidance suggests that up to 10 feet of snow is possible over the upper mountain on Mammoth Mt by Tuesday night….
Lions and Tigers and Giraffes….Oh My!!
PS, IF YOU HAVE TO TRAVEL DURING SOME OF THESE DANGEROUS PERIODS, BE SURE TO TAKE WARM BLANKETS, FOOD AND HAVE A FULL TANK OF GAS FOR YOUR CAR. IF YOU GET STUCK IN A BLIZZARD ON THE HIGHWAY, STAY IN YOUR CAR…
Dr Howard and the Dweebs…………………………:-)
