Transition Period

TL;DR: As this past storm system rolls to our east we will have a brief ridge (high pressure) move into the region which will be quickly replaced by zonal flow (westerly flow). Two weak shortwave troughs embedded in the zonal flow will bring a sprinkle of snow to the Utah-Idaho border around Monday with only a chance of dusting for the high Wasatch.

Nowcast: It has stopped snowing and it is currently 13 F at the base of Alta with winds light from the NNW. High temperatures today will hit the mid to upper teens at the base of Wasatch resorts. Expect clouds to briefly clear throughout the day today and then move back in on Sunday. Alta’s base depth now sits at 74”.

(Mt Baldy, Alta: https://www.alta.com/weather)

Snow Report: (Thursday-Saturday 5 am)

Alta/Bird: 28”/24”

Solitude/Brighton: 23”/24”

PC/Deer Valley: 16”/ 14”

Short-Term: The near future doesn’t have anything special in store for us. High pressure moves into the region on Saturday which quickly turns into zonal flow by Sunday. Expect daily highs to rise through Monday. Two shortwave troughs embedded in the zonal flow will affect regions in lower Idaho but brings no notable snowfall to the Wasatch (maybe a dusting). Looks like we need to enjoy what we have for the time being.

(Real Time 250 mb height plots: https://weather.rap.ucar.edu/upper/. An upper-level jet resides over the region as high pressure pushes into the Western US resulting in NNW flow at 700mb (~11,000 ft))

Long-Term: An unusual weather pattern begins to form after Monday as a shortwave trough digs its way into the SW united states and becomes a cutoff low. A ridge building its way behind the cutoff low will eventually push it out and take over the region. All while this is happening a mid-latitude cyclone forms over the pacific ocean with no clear track in mind. None of this brings notable snowfall to the Wasatch.

(Utah Weather Center: https://weather.utah.edu/ Left image: showing the shortwave trough digging itself into the SW United States which will become a cutoff low (L) & High-pressure ridge waiting to move into the region behind it (H) for 5pm Tuesday. Right Image: small chance of snowfall for northern Utah, nothing notable)

 

Backcountry Comments:

The snowpack has been rapidly evolving so make sure you have the latest information from UAC