We are winding down the month of March.  It started quiet but we picked up 4-7 feet of snow on the mountains through the month.  We have nice weather today but we could see a few more inches of snow tonight into Thursday before we close out the month.

Highs will be in the 50's today with sun and lighter winds.  A colder system drops down from the North and brushes as it drops into the Great Basin tomorrow.  Snow levels start around 9000 feet and then fall to lake level during Thursday morning.  Winds will increase with gusts to 55 mph on the mountain tops Thursday.

Here is a look at the total precip forecast on the GFS.  The European model is wetter by about half an inch.

This storm does not have much moisture and we start with mild temperatures, so we are expecting an inch at best at lake level on colder surfaces, and 1-3 inches on the mountains by Thursday afternoon.  Here is the updated snowfall forecast.  The GFS brings in a coating while the Euro shows several inches, so this is the average of the two.

Temperatures are colder behind the front with highs only in the 40's through Friday as we clear out and the sun returns.  Then high pressure quickly builds back in for a sunny and milder weekend with highs in the 50's.

Sunday night a similar weak system with some colder air drops down the East side of the ridge into the Great Basin.  That may bring us a dusting of snow Sunday night.  It may also cool temperatures into the 40's on the mountains to start next week.

The ridge begins to break down next week as a large trough pushes into the Eastern Pacific.  That opens the door to more active weather for Northern CA.  The next storm may push in next Wednesday into Thursday.  The GFS weakens the first wave before a stronger storm behind it for Friday.  The European model is wetter with the first wave with the same wetter storm for Friday.

We will have to watch snow levels with these storms if the jet stream is just to the North and we are on the warmer side.  On the 10 day forecast on the mountain pages I have a couple inches of snow for the mountains above 7000 ft.  Then a stronger storm Friday the 7th into Saturday the 8th with possibly fluctuating snow levels.

Here is a look at the GFS 10 day precip forecast through the end of next week.

So we will be watching the storms for the end of next week with some interest to see if more significant snow could fall in April.

Stay tuned...BA

Geography Key:

East

Mt. Rose, Heavenly, Diamond Peak

Central

Northstar

West

Tahoe Donner, Homewood, Bear Valley, Dodge Ridge

Crest

Boreal, Donner Ski Ranch, Sugar Bowl, Squaw, Alpine, Sierra, Kirkwood

*Boreal and Donner Ski Ranch are forecast with the "West" mountains in higher snow levels events.