Winter Hangs Tough With Late Season Snow Across the Sierra Nevada and Rockies

Tom Moore
Published: April 24,2016
According to the calendar, spring has been with us for over a month and the calendar days are progressing merrily along toward May but winter isn't ready to give up the ghost just yet.
Upper-level energy rippling through a southward dip in the jet stream will result in snow in the higher elevations of the West at times this week. Temperatures will be marginally cold so lower elevations in the West and the adjacent northern High Plains are likely to see mainly rain or rain mixed with snow at times. That said, there is a chance some lower elevation locations could see more significant snow, but details are uncertain.

Monday's Forecast

Through Monday, a storm system will sweep into the Sierra Nevada, Great Basin and northern Rockies. The northern and central Sierra will see snow, but totals are expected to be generally light. Snow will then spread to the higher elevations of northern Utah, Colorado and Wyoming Monday night.
Winter weather advisories and winter storm warnings have been issued for portions of northern and central Nevada, as well as for part of north-central Montana.
The storm will intensify by Tuesday as it emerges into the Front Range and High Plains. This storm is likely to produce severe thunderstorms and even tornadoes over parts of the Plains and Midwest Tuesday and Wednesday as warm, moist air rides up ahead of it.
(MORE: Severe Weather Ahead for Central, Southern U.S.)
Ample moisture will remain on the back side of the storm Tuesday and Wednesday and snow is in the forecast not just over the northern and central Rockies, but also over some lower elevations of Wyoming, western North Dakota, western South Dakota and possibly western Nebraska.
As usual late in the season, even in the High Plains, there's a fine line between "35 degrees and rain" and "31 degrees and heavy, wet snow". Furthermore, snow rates have to be sufficient to produce significant accumulations, battling against daytime heating and warmer ground.
Our forecast indicates that snowfall totals exceeding 12 inches are possible in the higher elevations of the West. Only light accumulations are expected in lower elevation locations forecast to see snow. Denver will miss out on significant snow this time with our forecast showing just rain and a few thunderstorms.
There have been a few reports of over a foot of snow from Friday through Sunday in the higher elevations of California, Nevada and Wyoming, including 22 inches at the summit of Sugar Bowl Ski Restore near Soda Springs, California.

Snowfall Forecast Through Wednesday

Yet another storm will move into the West later this week, but rain and snow from this one is likely to fall farther south into northern Arizona and the Four Corners region.
(MAPS: Weekly Planner)
So, what does all of this mean in the weeks and months ahead? Most long-range computer models suggest that temperatures will be generally warmer across the West by the second week of May, so storms producing wintry precipitation should be gradually winding down.
Looking ahead to the summer months, Dr. Todd Crawford, chief meteorologist at the Weather Company's Energy Division, indicates that the West will see warm and dry conditions, strongly influenced by the recent strong El Niño.
(MORE: Predictions For The Next 3 Months)
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