Snowfall Report:
The scattered snow showers Saturday afternoon were a bit lackluster compared to what the forecast models were suggesting. Only a dusting of snow fell on the mountains NW of the lake including Palisades Tahoe.
We still made out well. The final forecast for the mountain put out Friday morning was for 5-8″ for this storm and the upper mountain picked up 9″ in total. That brings the season total to 298″ so far.
Sunday – Saturday:
A drier pattern returns Sunday and is expected to last through Saturday, with mostly sunny skies expected throughout most of the period. It stays chilly Sunday into Monday with highs in the 30s. Highs warming into the 40s at the base and 30s up top by Tuesday into Wednesday.
A cold front drops through the West by Thursday. That could bring a few clouds and a very slim chance of a stray snow shower. We may cool a few degrees for Thursday. Then warming again Friday into Saturday as high pressure rebuilds over the West Coast.
The winds will be breezy/gusty over the exposed ridgetops through the period. Sunday from the north gusting up to 30+ mph up top, Monday from the northeast up to 50+ mph, Tuesday from the northwest up to 40+ mph, Wednesday from the northwest up to 70+ mph, and Thursday from the north up to 50+ mph. Then lighter Fri – Sat.
Long-Range:
The long-range forecast models continue to suggest troughs in the northeast Pacific pushing into the Pacific NW starting next Sunday the 13th through the 3rd week of March. The northern Sierra will be on the southern edge of the storm track, which means the storms could stay just to our north, or some could dig south bringing rain & snow to the northern Sierra.
The first storm that could bring some rain & snow to the northern Sierra looks to be next Sunday. We’ll continue to keep an eye on that all week, and on the trends for the pattern we could see as we go through the 3rd week of March as we get closer.
BA
