US and Canada Daily Snow
By Joel Gratz, Founding Meteorologist Posted 4 years ago December 26, 2019
Southwestern storm track transitions to northwest
Summary
During Christmas week the deepest snow has been in the southwest, and a storm late this week will bring another round of double-digit totals to the southwest. Then during the week of New Years, the storm track should shift to favor the Northwest and the Northern Rockies.
Short Term Forecast
Above Average
One of my favorite metrics is snowpack compared to average. We show this measurement for nearly every ski area in the western United States and Canada. The data is based on 20-40 year averages from high-elevation government weather stations which ensures a consistent record. One of the most striking graphics this season is from Arizona Snowbowl where snowpack shot up to record territory and now in late December is at levels normal for February.
Forecast for Thu, Dec 26 – Fri, Dec 27
We’ll close out Christmas week with deep powder along coastal Alaska and British Columbia as well as in the southwest.
Arizona, New Mexico, and southern Colorado will all see 6-12+ inches on top of the double-digit totals that they received before Christmas, and Southern California could see 1-2+ feet of accumulation.
Forecast for Sat, Dec 28 – Sun, Dec 29
This will be a transition time as the southwestern storm moves to the Upper Midwest and the storm track begins to favor the Northwest and the Northern Rockies.
Forecast for Mon, Dec 30 – Fri, Jan 3
A new storm track will set up during the New Year favoring the Northwest and the Northern Rockies, including British Columbia, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and maybe with some luck Utah and Colorado as well. Cold air and snow should also return to the Northeast around the New Year.
Extended Forecast
Outlook for Sat, Jan 4 – Wed, Jan 8
The longer-range forecast through the first part of January 2020 does not present a strong signal for most of the ski areas of North America.
We have high confidence that there will be very cold air over Alaska and the Yukon Territory. It’s possible that some of this cold air and storminess will head into the northeast, and it’s also possible that the storm track will continue to favor the Northwest and the Northern Rockies.
Thanks so much for reading, and check back for my next post on Monday, December 30th.
JOEL GRATZ
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