If one thing has defined our weather so far this season, it has been the “dirty ridge”. Generally, when we talk about ridges during the winter, it’s the kind of thing that can bring us a couple of weeks of spring-like weather in the middle of January. In fact that has happened so often, that any California skier worth their salt is familiar with the term June-uary. In 2014-15, things got so dry that we learned all about the RRR, or “ridiculously resilient ridge.” This is the year of the dirty ridge, the kind of ridge that doesn’t really stop storms from coming in, it just directs them to the north. So we get a lot of these “nuisance storms”, the kind that only bring an inch or two of snow or snain.
It’s that sort of pattern that we have seen the last two days. In the mornings, it has felt like you are skiing in San Francisco. There’s been a drizzly fog that occasionally turns to snow. Sucker holes offer a short respite with a glimpse of sunshine teasing improved visibility, usually on the other side of the mountain. By the time you get there, it is gone.
For Monday, this actually lead to some great ski conditions. The day ended with rain on Sunday, and a typical clear night would have lead to a freeze that created coral reef conditions. Instead, the high humidity overnight decreased evaporative cooling of the snow and prevented a hard freeze. So the groomers were perfection in the morning, and off piste conditions were quite skiable as well, subject to visibility.
For Tuesday, clear skies overnight did allow for more of a freeze, and a tease of a sunny day. Many of us viewed the webcam around 7:30 AM and saw sunny slopes, only to find a cloudy drizzle by the time we arrived at the mountain. Fortunately that drizzle did a bit to soften slopes and the drizzle became snow showers by our second run. Visibility still was a challenge and winds did creep up through the day, and the new snow probably amounted to 7mm.
Looking ahead, we have one more chilly day ahead with an east/northeast wind for Wednesday. NOAA forecasts an east wind to 75mph for tomorrow, which would mean a likely windhold for Summit and potentially other lifts. Visibility should be better. By Friday and Saturday, a solid ridge builds in and we should see some very springlike weather, with highs into the 50’s.
Don’t get used to it, as another quick shortwave moves in for Sunday. Looking at the models for now, another 6-8inches of snow could fall, with snow levels running right about the base level at Alpine Meadows. If that sounds familiar, it’s pretty much a carbon copy of last weekend. In the longer range, another dirty ridge moves in and we will continue to see cooler weather and nuisance storms next week.
Nuisance storms? I know some of you are followers of Doug Coombs, who said “There’s no such thing as too much snow.” But I would rather take it as weekly storms that bring a foot of snow, rather than daily storms that bring an inch or two of snow. No matter what, I am one lucky person, being able to spend so much of my time sliding on snow.
Hey Mark,
Nice column, nice summation of what’s been going on of late this so-called snow season. I much preferred it to your past forecast outpourings. As far as them I’d caution don’t quit your day job. Yes, I know that’s a cliche. Sorry, I try to avoid them like the plague.