Big storm cycle for the BC Coast Range

A powerful series of storms brought heavy snow to Coastal British Columbia from Thursday night through Sunday. Over the course of three days ending Sunday morning, Whistler and Mt. Washington had both received 80 cm (32") of snow – and more snow was falling after the latest reports on Sunday as well. Check out the snow stake cam at Whistler from Friday morning, after they had received 40 cm of snow in less than 12 hours. 

Forecast for Mon, Mar 8 – Tue, Mar 9

A slow-moving area of low pressure will be the main weather producer across the West over the upcoming week. As the low approaches the West Coast, a leading-edge disturbance will bring light to moderate snow to the Northern Rockies on Monday and Tuesday, with snow spreading south into California by Tuesday afternoon.

In the East, a round of light snow showers will develop across Northern New England on Monday night and Tuesday. 

Forecast for Wed, Mar 10 – Thu, Mar 11

Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada Range extending south into Southern California will be favored for moderate to heavy snow on Wednesday. Snow showers will also develop across the Central and Southern Rockies on Wednesday and Thursday with locally heavy upslope snow for the eastern slopes of the Continental Divide in Wyoming.

Forecast for Fri, Mar 12 – Sat, Mar 13

The storm will slowly work its way across the Four Corners states on Friday and Saturday with snow for portions of Southern Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. The San Juans and eastern slopes of the Continental Divide in Colorado and New Mexico will be favored for heavier totals, but there is still plenty of uncertainty regarding the track of the storm this far out.

In the East, a storm will bring widespread rain to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Friday, but a cold front will arrive behind this storm and some backside snow showers will be possible across Northern New England on Saturday.

Outlook for Sun, Mar 14 – Thu, Mar 18

The next storm out West is projected to track across the Southern Rockies during this time frame and may develop into a cut-off low around the Four Corners region. These types of storms are difficult to nail down but tend to favor the San Juans, Northern New Mexico, and Colorado Front Range more than other areas (similar to the previous storm).

Farther north, the Pacific Northwest could see a storm arrive later in this period. Meanwhile, a more active pattern is also expected to develop across the East with improving snow potential.

Thanks so much for reading! Check back for my next post on Wednesday, March 10th.

ALAN SMITH