Mountain West Discussion

[Kayla]

Low of 7F this morning. Ended up with a 23/9 day yesterday. Coldest day since March 16th.

 

Looking like a few snow showers this afternoon before another system slides down the back side of this trough Tuesday night into Wednesday. Right now, I'd say we should see another 4-6" of snow.

[Front Ranger]

Had another round of snow moving through last night, woke up to almost 5" on the ground. 15 degrees...just nuts for this time of year.

 

DEN had a sub-freezing day ruined by a midnight high of 34 yesterday, but it was still the coldest Easter since 1937 - and that one fell on 3/28, so not really comparable.

[Front Ranger]

It really is amazing how much power sun angles have this late in the season. It's currently 19 degrees, snowing lightly with solid overcast, and yet the streets are bare and wet.

 

I know this has been discussed many times on this forum, but it's very rare you get to see it in action with temps this cold in mid April.

[Kayla]

Winter Weather Advisory issued here beginning tomorrow night. NWS has really upped their forecasted snowfall totals. Looks like they're going with 8-12" for my roof and 4-8" in town. Models have been trending wetter so the forecast seems reasonable right now.

[TT-SEA]

Winter Weather Advisory issued here beginning tomorrow night. NWS has really upped their forecasted snowfall totals. Looks like they're going with 8-12" for my roof and 4-8" in town. Models have been trending wetter so the forecast seems reasonable right now.

That is downright depressing.

[Front Ranger]

DEN topped out at 25 this afternoon. Barring a cruel miracle, this marks the coldest max this late in their history.

[Front Ranger]

Winter Weather Advisory issued here beginning tomorrow night. NWS has really upped their forecasted snowfall totals. Looks like they're going with 8-12" for my roof and 4-8" in town. Models have been trending wetter so the forecast seems reasonable right now.

 

Models are showing another major storm here with this system as well, 24-36 hours later. Although the timing will probably limit accumulation somewhat.

 

Ended up with 7" total from this storm. Parts of the Front Range urban corridor saw 12"+. DEN, of course, only managed an inch or two.

[Kayla]

Models are showing another major storm here with this system as well, 24-36 hours later. Although the timing will probably limit accumulation somewhat.

 

Ended up with 7" total from this storm. Parts of the Front Range urban corridor saw 12"+. DEN, of course, only managed an inch or two.

This has been a really great pattern for the Intermountain region. Dec/Jan were real duds but Oct and Feb/Mar/Apr have really delivered. I remember thinking back in Oct that the record cold/snow was probably not a good sign for winter but I’m glad to see the pattern return again this Spring.

[Front Ranger]

This has been a really great pattern for the Intermountain region. Dec/Jan were real duds but Oct and Feb/Mar/Apr have really delivered. I remember thinking back in Oct that the record cold/snow was probably not a good sign for winter but I’m glad to see the pattern return again this Spring.

 

Yeah, definitely a front and rear loaded season. Snowiest Oct/Nov in Denver history, followed by the lamest Dec/Jan I've experienced here, and then a great Feb-Mar. Boulder will probably end up with a top 10 snowiest season.

 

I'd rather have the storms concentrated more in mid winter, but that's fairly rare here. 

[Front Ranger]

Low of 11 at DEN this morning shattered the record of 17 from 2014, and is the second coldest temperature ever recorded this late in the season.

[Jesse]

Low of 11 at DEN this morning shattered the record of 17 from 2014, and is the second coldest temperature ever recorded this late in the season.

The high of 25 must not have held up?

[Front Ranger]

The high of 25 must not have held up?

 

 

It held up. Record coldest max for this late, second coldest min this late.

[Kayla]

Heavy snow began here around 7-8am here this morning. About 3" so far. Precip was delayed moving in so not very good timing for big accumulations with the high mid April sun angles.

 

The snow looks to continue with varying intensity throughout the day into tonight so we'll see what we end up with by tomorrow morning. Currently 31F.

[Kayla]

Ended up with 9" of snow over the past 24 hours. Still lightly snowing but accumulation should be just about done. We had snow coming down with a temp of 12 degrees earlier this morning. Really incredible for this time of year.

 

I'm officially ready for Spring now and to get the garden going. Currently 19F.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Front Ranger]

Forecast was for 1-3" overnight, woke up to 8". 

[Kayla]

Forecast was for 1-3" overnight, woke up to 8". 

 

Wowza!

[Black Hole]

Warm and dry in Phoenix. Looking at 80s of some variety for the next week, probably creeping into the 90s next week. It's been a good run with this being one of the later first 90s on record. 

Not going to be a lot to say down here as it often goes completely dry for about 2-2.5 months this time of year. 

[Front Ranger]

Ended up with 10" storm total here. Now we warm up to more seasonable temps the next few days.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Snowiest season on record at Boulder.

[Kayla]

First actual rain drops falling from the sky today since mid September and it feels and smells like the foliage is finally awakening again!

[TT-SEA]

First actual rain drops falling from the sky today since mid September and it feels and smells like the foliage is finally awakening again!

 

 

That is crazy!     Literally everything has been snow since September??

[Kayla]

That is crazy!     Literally everything has been snow since September??

 

Yep. It's normal to only see snow November-March here but this cold season had a cold early Fall and its been a cold Spring.

 

Funny how rain can actually become such a novelty after not seeing it for 7 months!

[Front Ranger]

Yeah, only saw snow here as well from early October through early April. Fairly unusual.

[Kayla]

Looks like we should reach 70 degrees for the first time this year on Wednesday. Will be the latest first 70 since 2011.

 

Some showers and possibly a few strong storms in the forecast today before we warm up by mid week.

[Front Ranger]

Looks like we should reach 70 degrees for the first time this year on Wednesday. Will be the latest first 70 since 2011.

 

Some showers and possibly a few strong storms in the forecast today before we warm up by mid week.

 

We should see our first 80 either today or for sure by Thursday. No idea where that ranks but definitely seems a bit later than normal.

[Jesse]

Looks like we should reach 70 degrees for the first time this year on Wednesday. Will be the latest first 70 since 2011.

 

Some showers and possibly a few strong storms in the forecast today before we warm up by mid week.

Barring some massive shift in the models, Portland is on track to see their latest first 80 since 2011.

[Kayla]

Barring some massive shift in the models, Portland is on track to see their latest first 80 since 2011.

 

Dry but cool at least! We didn't hit 80 here until June 6th last year which tied 2011 but the average first 80 is May 28th so that number isn't really all that impressive. Have to go all the way back to 1915 when Bozeman didn't hit 80 until July 21st. Take me back to that summer!

[Jesse]

Dry but cool at least! We didn't hit 80 here until June 6th last year which tied 2011 but the average first 80 is May 28th so that number isn't really all that impressive. Have to go all the way back to 1915 when Bozeman didn't hit 80 until July 21st. Take me back to that summer!

The last month has been pretty mild, just not a lot of high amplitude ridging centered right over us.

[Kayla]

Up to 73 here as of 2pm! We might squeeze out another degree or two but high clouds are already overspreading so that will likely be about it.

 

SPC has under our first severe risk category of the year tomorrow. Just a "marginal" risk though. Looks like a couple waves of moisture will move in, first in the morning along with the severe risk in the afternoon and evening hours tomorrow. Could see anywhere between 0.5-1.5" depending on where the storms set up.

[Front Ranger]

Some places will be pushing 90 tomorrow around here. Record for DEN is 90, and in fact that's the all-time April record. They are forecast to reach 87.

 

We'll be heading towards Rapid City, and it looks almost as warm there tomorrow. Good chance of showers/t-storms there by Saturday.

[Kayla]

Had some boomers early this morning but now just stratiform rain. Looks like the SPC is thinking about upgrading to "Slight Risk" for today's severe storm potential.

 

..."Northern Rockies/northern Great Basin...
Ahead of a somewhat more notable shortwave trough/speed max over the
Pacific Northwest, a lead mid-level impulse is influencing
showers/isolated thunderstorms this morning mainly from parts of
Nevada into southern/eastern Idaho and southern Montana/northwest
Wyoming. Much of this precipitation should abate with a
thinning/exiting of cloud cover into the afternoon as height
falls/cooling aloft and strengthening mid-level winds otherwise
overspread the region in advance of the upstream shortwave trough.

Although some questions exist regarding the exact degree of
destabilization later today, diurnal heating and limited but
sufficient moisture will allow for modest destabilization and
thunderstorm redevelopment later this afternoon, initially over the
mountains/higher terrain spanning southwest/south-central Idaho into
southwest Montana. Well-mixed thermodynamic profiles in conjunction
with strengthening winds aloft will support some
sustained/well-organized storms capable of hail and severe-caliber
wind gusts. Pending observational trends later today, the region
will continue to be reevaluated for a categorical Slight Risk
upgrade."

[Kayla]

The chilly Spring continues here. All models and ensembles agree on highs only in the 40's to low 60's over the next 15 days and things are trending wetter as well. Expecting a little bit of snow tonight into tomorrow.

 

We normally see 9 days at or above 70 in May but right now it's looking like we'll make it through the 20th without seeing any days above 70. The record of least number of 70 degree days is 1 set on a number of years most recently back in 2011.

[Kayla]

Snowing here this morning but not sticking with a temp of 35 degrees currently.

[Kayla]

Snowing pretty hard here and sticking while sitting at 31 degrees currently.

 

We had a cold, ranging easterly wind all day yesterday that ushered in all this cold air. Looks like we'll struggle to reach 40 today. Really impressive cold air pattern for mid May.

 

Looks like we're settling into a very wet and continued cool pattern with rain/snow forecasted over the next 9 out of 10 days.

[TT-SEA]

Snowing pretty hard here and sticking while sitting at 31 degrees currently.

 

We had a cold, ranging easterly wind all day yesterday that ushered in all this cold air. Looks like we'll struggle to reach 40 today. Really impressive cold air pattern for mid May.

 

Looks like we're settling into a very wet and continued cool pattern with rain/snow forecasted over the next 9 out of 10 days.

 

 

That is insane.   It looks and feels like the middle of summer here.    I can't even imagine snow right now.   

[GHweatherChris]

Snowing pretty hard here and sticking while sitting at 31 degrees currently.

 

We had a cold, ranging easterly wind all day yesterday that ushered in all this cold air. Looks like we'll struggle to reach 40 today. Really impressive cold air pattern for mid May.

 

Looks like we're settling into a very wet and continued cool pattern with rain/snow forecasted over the next 9 out of 10 days.

Awesome, I need to move there!

[ShawniganLake]

Awesome, I need to move there!

Tough golfing weather out that way. Pretty short season.

[TT-SEA]

Tough golfing weather out that way. Pretty short season.

 

 

You can golf in 3 feet of snow... just use an orange ball.    Easy and very relaxing in a parka.   

[GHweatherChris]

Tough golfing weather out that way. Pretty short season.

I would figure it out.

[TT-SEA]

I would figure it out.

 

 

You would not be golfing all year long.