Hello skiers,
Weve had snow for the last couple of days in the Cascades, but it hasn't been much - about 2 - 6. There will be a little more overnight tonight (1). Its not enough snow get the ski areas open. At least we are headed in the right direction, but sadly it wont last. Washington and British Columbia will be drying out and cooling down in the days ahead, while heavy snow falls to the south.
An intense low will develop off the southern Oregon Coast on Tuesday, spreading heavy snow into Oregon and California. Washington and western British Columbia will get little if any snowfall from this system as most of the snow action heads to the south into Oregon and California . Very cold weather will settle over the Pacific NW with a cold and mainly dry airflow from the northeast with strong chilly winds at times.
On Tuesday the weather system off the southern Oregon coast will undergo explosive cyclogenesis which is rapid intensification. Its call a bomb, which indicates the low will drop in pressure more that 24 millibars in 24 hrs very intense! The system will spread snow through Oregon 6-12 plus. Hood, Bachelor, Ashland, Willamette Pass will all benefit with abundant new snow. Expect low snow levels ( 500 -1000ft) with the cold air. The snowfall will spread to California and the southwest (AZ) in the next few days with 1-3 ft of snow. Unfortunately, Washington and western BC will get little or no snow (only cold) as we will be stuck in the chilly dry air to the north of the low. But there is a chance of 4-8 at Mission Ridge on the east slopes of the Cascade picking up snow in the counterclockwise return flow from the low as it moves to the south of us.
The cold and dry pattern will continue in WA and western BC through the weekend. After the weekend, I have low confidence in the forecast pattern, but it doesnt look like significant snowfall is in the cards for the Northwest at this time.
Larry Schick - meteorologist -- Grand Poobah of Powder
Weve had snow for the last couple of days in the Cascades, but it hasn't been much - about 2 - 6. There will be a little more overnight tonight (1). Its not enough snow get the ski areas open. At least we are headed in the right direction, but sadly it wont last. Washington and British Columbia will be drying out and cooling down in the days ahead, while heavy snow falls to the south.
An intense low will develop off the southern Oregon Coast on Tuesday, spreading heavy snow into Oregon and California. Washington and western British Columbia will get little if any snowfall from this system as most of the snow action heads to the south into Oregon and California . Very cold weather will settle over the Pacific NW with a cold and mainly dry airflow from the northeast with strong chilly winds at times.
On Tuesday the weather system off the southern Oregon coast will undergo explosive cyclogenesis which is rapid intensification. Its call a bomb, which indicates the low will drop in pressure more that 24 millibars in 24 hrs very intense! The system will spread snow through Oregon 6-12 plus. Hood, Bachelor, Ashland, Willamette Pass will all benefit with abundant new snow. Expect low snow levels ( 500 -1000ft) with the cold air. The snowfall will spread to California and the southwest (AZ) in the next few days with 1-3 ft of snow. Unfortunately, Washington and western BC will get little or no snow (only cold) as we will be stuck in the chilly dry air to the north of the low. But there is a chance of 4-8 at Mission Ridge on the east slopes of the Cascade picking up snow in the counterclockwise return flow from the low as it moves to the south of us.
The cold and dry pattern will continue in WA and western BC through the weekend. After the weekend, I have low confidence in the forecast pattern, but it doesnt look like significant snowfall is in the cards for the Northwest at this time.
Larry Schick - meteorologist -- Grand Poobah of Powder
