Things could get deeeep! Photo: Joshua Reddekopp//Unsplash
After a brief respite on the West Coast, winter is returning with a vengeance. With it comes a series of storms (or an atmospheric river, if you will) that will dump feet of snow on resorts from Canada to the Southern Sierra. The Sierra Nevada, in fact, is set to get the brunt of the storm, with two to four feet forecast for California’s preeminent mountain range.
Our friends at PowderChasers are calling for the storms to get started today and tomorrow, with Wednesday evening set to bring the bulk of the moisture. And, as mentioned, nearly every region will score snow on the lighter side, thanks to cool temperatures that will accompany the weather system.
“Huge overnight dumps slam the Sierra (Wednesday night),” wrote PowderChasers. “By Thursday morning, Kirkwood, Sugar Bowl, and Mammoth can see 10–25 inches of fresh from Wednesday night alone (SLR ~11–16). Expect snorkel-worthy conditions, especially above 7,000 feet. Windy early, but epic deep turns once lifts spin at many areas. Winds (will be) decreasing and colder.”
Much of the same is predicted across the West. Resorts in the Pacific Northwest are set to get pummeled. Mt. Baker and Stevens Pass in Washington could get 10 inches tonight. Utah, according to PowderChasers, won’t heat up until Wednesday night when that same storm pattern could dump 10 inches or more. Colorado, especially southern Colorado at places like Crested Butte and Wolf Creek, could get as much as 17 inches from this cycle. But California is right in line to receive snow all the way into the weekend.
According to forecasts, the storm could start off warm in a few spots, and there might be some wind, but overall, it sounds as though this might be one of the best storms of the season in terms of snow quality (low temps bringing dry snow).
One thing to watch for in California, especially the fire-ravaged areas of Southern California, is low-elevation rain that could cause flooding and mudslides. An inch to two inches of rain could fall, according to preliminary reporting. But again, this is predicted to be a high-quality snowstorm, and snow levels could be as low as 3,000 feet by Thursday.
All in all, it should be stellar skiing and riding throughout the Sierra this week, as well as on the rest of the West Coast.
