Weather
A cold start and dry conditions will persist into early Wednesday before a significant storm system delivers widespread snowfall and strong winds to the Sierra and surrounding ranges from late Wednesday through Friday, bringing heavy accumulations at upper elevations. Expect additional, albeit lighter, precipitation over the weekend followed by a potential break early next week.
Colder air remains entrenched today, keeping temperatures on the chilly side with generally dry skies. Residual cold will linger into early Wednesday, setting the stage for lower snow levels initially. By Wednesday afternoon, conditions should begin to deteriorate in Northern California and the Sierra ahead of a potent moisture feed moving in from the west.
The primary storm takes aim Wednesday night through Friday, featuring an influx of moisture that will favor heavy snowfall along the Sierra crest, with moderate spillover into the foothills and some lower elevations. Snow levels will start as low as 1,500-3,000 feet in far northern areas and around 3,500-4,000 feet farther south, rising to roughly 4,500-5,500 feet by Thursday. Mountain gusts could exceed 60-70 mph, creating periods of intense blowing snow and reduced visibility at higher resorts. Expect potentially several feet of accumulation in the central and southern Sierra, especially at elevations above 6000 feet, before tapering by late Friday.
A weaker wave arrives over the weekend, likely Saturday night into Sunday. This system looks less impressive, delivering only light snowfall amounts and milder winds. Some scattered snow showers may linger into early Monday, but overall accumulation appears minor. Looking further ahead, medium and long-range outlooks hint at additional unsettled weather patterns later next week, though confidence on timing and intensity remains moderate. Temperatures may trend cooler than average overall but could vary with each passing wave.
7-Day Resort Forecast Totals
These totals are intentionally conservative; there is a good chance that final resort reports exceed these totals–fingers crossed!
- Mammoth – 30″–46” Wed night (02/12) – Fri night (02/14)
- Kirkwood – 26″–41” Wed night (02/12) – Fri night (02/14)
- Sugar Bowl – 22″–35” Wed night (02/12) – Fri night (02/14)
- Palisades Tahoe – 21″–33” Wed night (02/12) – Fri night (02/14)
- Northstar – 15″–23” Wed night (02/12) – Fri (02/14)
- Mt Rose – 12″–18” Wed night (02/12) – Fri (02/14)
- Heavenly – 11″–18” Wed night (02/12) – Fri (02/14)
