From record-high temps to snow we go

TL;DR:

Light snow and clouds today, clouds and near-average temperatures this weekend, then colder and snowy next week...

Nowcast:

It's a gray morning out there - here's what the webcam near the top of PCMR's Crescent lift is seeing...

PCMR Crescent webcam, courtesy of OpenSnow

Temperatures have cooled off from their unseasonably high values from earlier this week and now hover around 30°F on the lower mountains and around 20°F at the highest summits; today, they'll top out at about 10°F above their current values. We'll also see cloudy skies, a good chance of snow, and gusty winds, especially this afternoon.

Short-term:

We'll stay dry but cloudy this weekend, and temps will remain similar to today's.

Long-term:

The long-term looks promising for those who aren't quite ready for spring and would prefer a taste of winter - have a look at the snow ensemble plumes for the next ten days:

Snow ensemble plumes, courtesy of the U of U's Department of Atmospheric Sciences

I think the first part (up until about April 1st) might be a little overforecasted - I'm not convinced Canyons-Daybreak will see 9 inches of snow in the next 24 hours - but I'm willing to believe the second part, which shows a healthy dose of snow between roughly April 1st and April 5th. A bonus: upper-mountain temps should drop to about 20°F with this storm, meaning solid SLRs and solid quality snow!

There is a good chance that this is the last USW post of the season - if another forecast does come out I'll see you then, but if not, have a fantastic spring skiing season (and summer) and thank you so much for following along this winter! We'll be back sometime in November once the snow starts falling.

As always, if you will be traveling in the backcountry, ensure you have the proper gear and training and know before you go. For the avalanche forecast and other avy-related resources, visit utahavalanchecenter.org.

From spring-like to winter-like

TL;DR:

The week will start off warm and clear and end cold and snowy, and the snowy period looks promising...

Nowcast:

(Note: I apologize if the images today are a little blurry - I'm not sure why that is, but I'll work to get it fixed for the next forecast.)

It is another clear, mild morning in the Wasatch - a precursor to another spring-like day. Here's what the webcam at Solitude is seeing at Honeycomb Canyon:

Honeycomb Canyon webcam, courtesy of OpenSnow

For today, expect weather similar to what we've seen the past few days - mountain highs in the high 30s °F, nearly clear skies, and generally light winds.

Short-term:

We have another couple of calm days ahead of us, although temperatures will gradually fall and cloud coverage will increase ahead of a weather shift slated for Thursday. Check out the long-term below to find out more...

Long-term:

Snow returns on Thursday as a trough crosses the western US, and right now things are looking quite promising on the snow ensemble plumes:

Snow ensemble plumes for Canyons-Daybreak, courtesy of the University of Utah's Department of Atmospheric Sciences

Forty inches in seven days for Canyons-Daybreak?! And there's other evidence that a quite snowy period could be ahead -- here are two other graphics from NOAA showing greater than 50% chances of above-normal precipitation and below-average temperatures:

Medium/long-range forecasts, courtesy of NOAA

I frequently say that I don't tend to trust models more than about three days out, but the ensemble plumes plus these long-range outlooks certainly have my attention and I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this...

Enjoy the next couple days of spring-like weather before snow makes a comeback, and thanks for reading!

If you will be skiing or riding in the backcountry, be sure you have the proper training and equipment and know before you go. For the avalanche forecast and other avy-related resources, go to utahavalanchecenter.org.