To 500 and Beyond.....

First wave of the storm overnight fell apart as it cleared the crest. Sierra picked up 3 inches of snow bringing us just 3 inches shy now of 500 inches on the season.

There is a cold front approaching from the West as well as some heavier bands of snow. Then behind the cold front this afternoon convective snow showers continue into tonight. Expecting another 4-8 inches on the mountain today bringing storm totals to 7-11 inches.

There are a couple more waves of moisture that will rotate in tonight and through the day on Thursday. Looking for another 3-6 inches tonight and 3-6 during the day on Thursday. That will bring storm totals into the 1-2 foot range by the time the snow ends Thursday night.

We get a break on Friday & Saturday before the next storm moves in on Saturday night. This storm is tapping subtropical moisture from all the way down near Hawaii. This will make this storm warmer than the current storm with higher snow levels. I am expecting snow levels to be above the base lodge around 7000 ft. through Sunday until a cold front moves through Sunday night. 1-2 feet of thick snow can be expected on top above 7000 ft. Snow showers could continue through Monday as another wave rotates through behind the storm. This could bring a few more inches.

We get another break the middle of next week as the pattern undergoes a shift in the Pacific. The ridge has been over the Bering Sea allowing storms to move straight across the Pacific this week and pick up warm subtropical moisture. Next week the ridge is going to move South back to around 150-160w & 40n in the North Pacific. This is where it was the past 2 weeks, and is the ideal location for colder storms. The storms starting the end of next week and going through mid-March will go up and over the ridge and down the West coast as colder storms that will bring accumulating snows to all elevations. The storm door still looks to remain open for at least the next few weeks. BA