Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together. -Ted Deits

By now you should have a pretty good idea of what is coming.

Howard and I are going to make the call that Tuesday, January 24th, 2017 will be one of the best days of the year, if not years. (Howard made that call three days ago)

The powder will be deep, probably bottomless, with clearing skies. Snow ratios may approach 15:1 with what snow falls Monday evening with the cold evening temperatures in the single digits.

We may issue a Platinum Powder Alert on Saturday, depending on what the temperatures are forecast to do on Saturday. So far, it's green lights - cautious green lights. Even at 13:1, it's going to be awesome.

Time to get serious.

I love deep powder just like everyone else. maybe a bit more since I am a self professed "Weather Geek", so not only do I appreciate the powder, I also appreciate what it takes to make a rare powder day. In short, it takes serious cold storms. Nice segue into the weather discussion.

Before we get to the powder day on Tuesday, we have quite a bit happening before we can enjoy the steep and deep.

Saturday night is when the last of the storm series makes its presence known. Prior to Saturday, the weather will be a mixed bag of semi snow, semi clearing most of the day.

This storm will announce itself late Saturday with winds over the crest of 150 kts. Snowfall rates at 2-4" per hour can be expected.

Sunday, the storm will continue, with a good possibility of blizzard conditions in and around Mammoth, Tahoe, and likely on 395. If you have never experienced being snowed in, Sunday may make that happen. Periodic road closures will be a fact of life until the storm breaks on Monday afternoon. Then the cleanup will start and the repairs can begin. The road crews are already exhausted from this long run of record snow. I think they are doing a great job, and hope they continue for the next 3 days.

Expect up to 6' of new snow by Monday evening, with the possibility of lingering showers here and there on Tuesday.