Looking ahead to next week for a pattern change

We've been patiently waiting for a pattern change in the Western U.S. for a while now, and it looks chances for meaningful snow will return to the Pacific Northwest and the Rockies during the week of December 6th-10th (and possibly the Sierra beyond the 10th).

First, check out the projected snowfall over the next 5 days when the storm track will be bottled up north of the Canadian border, with rain issues extending into British Columbia early in the period.

Now, take a look at the 5-day snowfall projection for days 6-10 which looks much more promising for the West. A couple of stronger storms are possible across the Northeast during this time as well, though rain could be an issue for some Eastern areas depending on exact storm tracks.

Forecast for Wed 12/1 – Thu 12/2

December will start out on a mild note with rain and high elevation snow expected across Southern BC and Alberta on Wednesday, while Northern BC and SE Alaska will see mostly snow at ski resort elevations. A series of disturbances will move across the Upper Midwest and Northeast on Wednesday and Thursday, but warmer temperatures will result in a changeover to rain for most of this region on Thursday. 

Forecast for Fri 12/3 – Sat 12/4

A colder storm will move across the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies on Friday night and Saturday with moderate to heavy snow possible across portions of Washington, BC, Alberta, and Montana. A weak but colder storm will also move across the Upper Midwest and Northeast on Friday and Saturday with snow showers expected.

Forecast for Sun 12/5 – Mon 12/6

The pattern starts to turn more exciting early next week with a storm moving into the Northwest and Northern Rockies on Sunday night and Monday. A stronger storm is also possible across the East on Sunday and Monday, but models are in poor agreement on the exact storm track, which will determine who in the East gets snow versus rain, and where the heaviest snow will fall. 

Outlook for Tue 12/7 – Sat 12/11

Two storms are expected to impact the West during this period with the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies being the most favored, while Utah and Colorado should get in on the action as well. The East could see 1-2 storms during this period as well with possibilities ranging from rain to heavy snow depending on the individual storm tracks. 

Thanks so much for reading! Next update on Friday (12/3).

ALAN SMITH