After a stormy first 3 weeks, October is coming to an end fairly quietly in the west, with a ridge bringing warm and dry conditions.

(image courtesy of weatherbell)

This will soon come to an end during the last few days of the month, as the ridge retreats to the west, eventually building into a mega ridge over Alaska. A ridge over Alaska a good pattern, in general, for cold and snow in the west, because a trough tends to develop downstream over the western US and Canada.

(image courtesy of weatherbell)

The trough (stormy pattern) over the west should stick around for the first two weeks of November, providing several chances for cold and snow.

In a La Nina-like pattern, the cold will initially set up in the central and northern US. Later in the month, this pool of cold air from Canada could shift farther west and impact more of the rocky mountains.

(image courtesy of weatherbell)

Similar to the cold air, the chances for snow will initially focus on interior BC, Alberta, and the eastern side of the rocky mountains.

(image courtesy of weatherbell)

But, as the ridge retreats further into Alaska, the trough will shift west as well, bringing the storm track farther west and bringing snow to the Pacific Northwest and Northern California.

(image courtesy of weatherbell)

Stay tuned for detailed forecasts as we move closer to the first storm, which could start around the middle of next week!

-Powderchaser Luke