Brought to you by Howard Sheckter
One more Atmospheric River to hit the Sierra hard tonight and Friday with 1 to 2+Feet in the Town of Mammoth…..3 to 4 feet expected on the Mountain will be a Challenge by Saturday AM….
Thursday February 9, 2017
They say in Meteorology that the 3rd or last storm in a series is often times the biggest. This series may not be an exception….as Mammoth Mt apparently is in the Bull’s-eye sights, for this last storm in the series…..
Snow-plow driver are weary. Not only do they have a schedule to keep during storms, but in-between storms they have to create snow storage for the next storm. Many are so exhausted working around the clock that they are numb. We have a man power loader driver shortage. There are opportunities now, for some, that want to work in Mammoth, that knows how to drive snow removal equipment. We also have a big-big shortage of snow shoveler’s. Many are making at and over $30.00 per hour. Got shovels? Call any of local roofer’s. They are looking for bodies to shovel. One more issue….You will also have to find a place to live which is a challenge in itself.
This winter has been a major challenge, as not only is Mammoth out of snow storage, but the designated storage areas yesterday, had ramps weakened so badly by moderate rains over the lower elevations, that they were unusable. Now a small storm for Friday has turned into a big storm for the town. We all have to deal with one more.
Note:
There is another major storm cycle headed our way in about a week. I will have a special “weather letter edition” for my subscribers this Monday on it. If you have not subscribed yet, it is only $10.00 at this time. It pays for staff, computer replacement and IT maintenance.
To Subscribe : http://data.mammothweather.com/landing/
The forecast shows about two feet+, headed for the elevation of the Village at Mammoth by Friday night. Winter storm warnings are hoisted and travelers should carry chains in all vehicles tonight and Friday when traveling Highway 395 and 203.
Technical Discussion:
Latest vapor satellite loop this morning shows a well-defined Atmospheric River. The latest guidance shows this fetch will continue to impact the Sierra today and tonight and Friday. This is particularly true for the Central Sierra tonight as the elongated moisture feed remains in place tied to the inter tropical convergence zone north of the Equator. The TPW loop shows this well. Integrated water vapor transport values per the ESRL are several deviations above normal maxed out at climatological values.
The Hose will be focused upon Northern California today, then shift south into Central California tonight. PWAT is generally above the 99th percentile as well…..Then increasing to near record levels as the core of the AR shifts south across the central coast.
Dynamics:..
Deep forcing within the warm conveyor belt, ahead of the upper trof will be well supported by frontogenic forcing by the front right entrance region of the northern jet axis. That will be combined with strong orographics, as the cold front and upper trof of shifts south. This allows for a robust dynamical set up for heavy snowfall in the Mammoth Lakes and Mammoth Mt Tonight through Friday AM. Expect a period of intense snowfall rates of 2 to 4 inches an hour, early Friday morning.
Dr Howard and the Dweebs………………….:-)