Western US Daily Snow

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By Alan Smith, Meteorologist Posted 11 months ago May 3, 2023

Spring Warmth Gives Way to Cool, Wet, & Snowy Weather

Summary

Most areas of the West have experienced their first stretch of extended spring warmth over the past week or so. A slow-moving trough of low pressure located over California is bringing chilly temps along with rain & mountain snow to California. This pattern will eventually take hold across the remainder of the West over the next 5 days with a trend back to chilly & unsettled conditions.

Short Term Forecast

Snowpack Update:

We are coming off of a huge winter season across the West with some areas receiving record-breaking snowfall. Heading into May, snowpack is above average across most of the West except for the North Cascades and Northern Idaho/Montana where snowpack is slightly below average. North of the border, snowpack is generally below average in BC and Alberta where snowfall was lighter this winter.

Areas with above-average snowpack are going to see a later melt-out than usual on the trails, so be patient as we head into hiking and mountain biking season. 

Also, be sure to check out our interactive Estimated Snow Depth Map over the course of the spring. This map is based on model data, not actual observations, but gives a good general idea of how much snow to expect and the map updates daily.

Active Weather Returns to the West Following a Warm Spell

Over the past week, nearly all areas of the West have experienced their first extended warm spell since last October. In fact, some areas have even flirted with record-high temperatures, which is quite a change following a consistently cold late winter and early spring. 

As is often the case in May, we are now reverting back to a cooler and more active weather pattern thanks to a slow-moving trough of low pressure which is currently located over California.

The Sierra Nevada Range is already feeling the effects of this system with snow falling across the Tahoe region. The California Coast all the way down to LA is also experiencing some wet weather with this system.

As the week progresses, rain and snow will gradually pick up across most of the remainder of the West (much of AZ & NM excluded) and temperatures will also be trending downward as colder air associated with the trough works its way across the region from southwest to northeast.

On Wednesday, temperatures will be below average across California and parts of the Southwest, while most other areas of the West will remain warmer than average.

 

By this weekend, the colder airmass will have expanded across the West with below-average temperatures expected in all areas west of the Continental Divide. Milder temperatures will persist east of the Divide, however.

Snow levels will also be on the decrease from southwest to northeast over the next 5 days as the colder airmass takes hold. Check out our 5-day snow forecast for mid-mountain elevations of ski resorts, with the highest totals expected around Tahoe. Keep in mind that snow amounts will vary a lot by elevation at this time of year.

Forecast for Wednesday (May 3):

The heaviest and most widespread precipitation will be along the California Coast and coastal ranges from the Bay Area down to LA while snow showers can also be expected across Tahoe with snow levels down to lake level at times. 

An embedded disturbance moving northward will result in showers and thunderstorms developing across the Cascades and into Interior BC with snow levels staying high in these areas. Isolated showers and thunderstorms can also be expected across the Rockies with high snow levels due to warmer temperatures.

Forecast for Thursday (May 4):

The trough will begin to move inland on Thursday and precipitation will become more widespread across the Pacific Northwest, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado while California will also remain active. 

Snow will largely remain confined to the Sierra and portions of Nevada, while the Rockies will only see snow across the higher peaks with higher snow levels expected. The Cascades will also see high snow levels with rain expected on all but the highest peaks.

Thunderstorms will also be possible for all areas of the West receiving precipitation, with the highest threat existing across the Cascades and the Rockies.  

Forecast for Friday (May 5):

Shower activity will become lighter and more isolated across the Sierra on Friday, while heavy rain and high-elevation snow can be expected across portions of the Inland Northwest and extending into BC. In fact, there will be some flooding concerns across portions of Idaho and Eastern Oregon due to the combination of heavy rain and melting snowpack.

Thunderstorm activity will be lower overall across the West as the cooler airmass begins to take hold with the best chance of lightning across the Central Rockies. 

Forecast for Saturday (May 6) to Sunday (May 7):

A secondary trough of low pressure will move across the Sierra, Great Basin, and Rockies this weekend while a trough originating from the Gulf of Alaska will also work its way into the Pacific Northwest. The result will be a wet, active, and in some cases, snowy weekend across a large portion of the West with the Southwest having the best chances of escaping with dry conditions.

Snow levels will also be lower with accumulating snow likely at times across the mid to higher elevations of the Sierra, Rockies, and Cascades.

The eastern slopes of the Continental Divide from Montana to Colorado may see a relative uptick in shower and thunderstorm potential as well, though confidence is low. 

Extended Forecast

Outlook for May 8th-12th:

Next week, temperatures are expected to be colder than average across the Sierra and Cascades and parts of the Western Rockies, and near average (with day-to-day fluctuations) closer to the Continental Divide.

A generally unsettled and showery pattern is also expected to persist across the Northwest, Northern Sierra, and Northern Rockies with drier conditions across the Southwest and Southern Rockies.

Thanks so much for reading! Next update on Wednesday (May 10).

ALAN SMITH

About Our Forecaster

Alan Smith

Meteorologist

Alan Smith received a B.S. in Meteorology from Metropolitan State University of Denver and has been working in the private sector since 2013. When he’s not watching the weather from the office, Alan loves to spend time outdoors skiing, hiking, and mountain biking, and of course keeping an eye on the sky for weather changes while recreating.

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