Splitting To Pieces.....

Back to back storms over the weekend dropped 16 inches of snow on the mountain and with cold air behind the storm the snow guns continue to blow.  The pattern remains active with several more storm taking aim at the West coast this week.  But this time the ridge to our East is strenthening and it looks more and more like it will split the storms as they push into CA.  

When storms split the jetstream dives South trying to get around the ridge to the East and as it does so it takes with it the dynamics needed to produce snow.  Over the past couple of weeks it appeared as if we may see several strong storms this week.  The storms are still there and the conditions in the Pacific are perfect to bring the chance of big storms.  But the ridge to the East is becoming stronger than forecasted.

The storms will basically be stopped dead in their tracks right before hitting us.  With each run of the weather models the storms look weaker.  Just to the North along the CA coast there will be heavy rainfall.  The complete verdict is not in yet as it never is until the storm with these split flow scenarios so we'll watch closely as the storms approach.

We should see an increase in clouds on Wednesday with some light snowfall possible Wednesday night into Thanksgiving Day.  Right now it looks like a couple of inches at best.  There is another storm for Thursday night that looks like it will stay just to our North.  Behind that is a final storm for next Sunday.  Right now it looks as if that storm will stay just to our North as well, but it could come far enough South to bring us some light snowfall.

After that it looks like the weather could quiet down into the first week of December.  It should still be cold enough at night for snowmaking and terrain expansion.  We may see a shot of colder air that week as a storm slides down to our East.  BA