Strong storms continue out West early this week

Two strong storms will impact California from Monday to Wednesday with deep totals expected once again from Tahoe to Mammoth. The Central Rockies will also see heavy snow as these storms move inland with the deepest totals expected across Utah. Check out our deepest 5-day snow forecasts courtesy of the Powder Finder. 

Forecast for Mon, Jan 9 – Tue, Jan 10:

A strong storm will impact the Sierra on Monday with snow also reaching Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, and Colorado on Monday afternoon and Monday night. Moisture and energy on the northern fringe of this storm will also bring snow to the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. Another strong storm will arrive on Tuesday, favoring the Sierra and the Central Rockies once again.

Two weak storms will impact the East during this period with light snow showers across the Mid-Atlantic which will taper off on Monday morning, followed by a round of light snow across New England and New York on Monday night/Tuesday morning.

Forecast for Wed, Jan 11 – Thu, Jan 12:

Snow will taper off across the Sierra on Wednesday morning while the Rockies will continue to see snow on Wednesday and into Wednesday night. The storm track will then aim northward into NorCal and the Pacific Northwest from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday, but this storm will involve warm air & subtropical moisture with rising snow levels and a changeover to rain for some areas on Thursday. 

A storm will reach the East on Wednesday night and Thursday with precipitation starting out as snow across the Northeast before changing over to rain, while the Mid-Atlantic will stay all-rain during this period.

Forecast for Fri, Jan 13 – Sat, Jan 14:

Rain showers with high snow levels will continue across the Pacific Northwest during this period, while British Columbia will see a mixed bag of high-elevation snow and low-elevation rain at most ski areas. By Saturday afternoon, snow will become possible again across the Sierra as the next storm approaches.

A strong storm will impact the East during this period with rain for all areas initially, but as colder air wraps around on the backside of the storm, a changeover to snow is likely for most ski regions from New England to the Mid-Atlantic with the potential for decent accumulations in some areas.

Outlook for Sun, Jan 15 – Thu, Jan 19:

An active pattern will resume out West during this period, while unseasonably warm air will return to the East. Initially, the storm track will favor the Sierra and the Central/Southern Rockies early in this period. By later in this period, the storm track should lift northward and favor the Northwest and Northern Rockies. 

Thanks so much for reading! Next update on Wednesday (Jan 11).

ALAN SMITH