WEATHER FORECAST FOR THE OWENS VALLEY AND MAMMOTH AREA
PROVIDED BY DENNIS MATTINSON
EASTERN SIERRA WEATHER FORECASTER
BROADCASTING ON THE SIERRAWAVE 92.5 / 96.5 FM

LAST UPDATE: 2:24 PM PDT SEP 19, 2007

AN UNSEASONABLY COLD AND STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS NOW MOVING OVER THE BAY AREA, THEN IT WILL TRACK SOUTH DOWN THE COAST. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING LOCALLY WINDY CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING TO BOTH THE OWENS VALLEY AND THE HIGH COUNTRY WITH POSSIBLE GUSTS TO 60+ MPH OVER THE CREST. A RED FLAG WARNING WILL BE IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM THIS EVENING. LOCALLY GUSTY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE INTO THURSDAY. AS OF NOW, THE BULK OF THIS SYSTEM WILL REMAIN ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF CALIFORNIA WITH MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION ALONG THE COASTAL AREAS UNTIL IT STARTS TO MOVE INLAND ON FRIDAY. HOWEVER, MAMMOTH AND THE HIGH COUNTRY SHOULD RECEIVE ENOUGH MOISTURE TO WARRANT A CHANCE OF RAIN AND SNOW STARTING THIS EVENING.

TONIGHT FOR BISHOP AND THE OWENS VALLEY: MOSTLY CLOUDY TONIGHT WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS LATE. LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER 40S. WINDS BECOMING SOUTH @ 20 - 25 MPH GUSTING TO AS HIGH AS 35 IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

TOMORROW FOR BISHOP AND THE OWENS VALLEY: PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A 20% CHANCE OF SHOWERS. HIGH TEMPERATURES AROUND 69. LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 30S. WINDS FROM THE SOUTHEAST @ 10 - 15 MPH GUSTING TO 35.

TONIGHT FOR MAMMOTH AND THE MONO VALLEYS: MOSTLY CLOUDY AND WINDY WITH A 40% CHANCE OF SHOWERS LATE IN THE EVENING. CHANCE OF SNOW DOWN TO 8,500 FEET. LOW TEMPERATURE AROUND 34 FOR THE MAIN LODGE AND 43 FOR THE MONO VALLEYS. WINDS FROM THE SOUTHWEST @ 15 - 25 GUSTING TO 40.

TOMORROW FOR MAMMOTH AND THE MONO VALLEYS: MOSTLY CLOUDY AND WINDY WITH A 50% CHANCE OF SHOWERS. CHANCE OF SNOW DOWN 7,500 FEET. HIGH TEMPERATURES AROUND 50 FOR THE MAIN LODGE AND THE LOW 60S FOR THE MONO VALLEYS. LOW TEMPERATURE RANGE 32 - 40. WINDS FROM THE SOUTHWEST @ 10 - 15 MPH.

AS MENTIONED, THE UPPER LOW WILL REMAIN FAIRLY STATIONARY THEN MOVE INLAND FRIDAY. THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE A CHANCE OF RAIN AND SNOW WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IN THE HIGH COUNTRY THROUGH THE PERIOD. THE BEST SHOT FOR MEASURABLE SNOW IN THE UPPER ELEVATIONS IS FRIDAY MIDDAY INTO SATURDAY MIDDAY. THE OWENS VALLEY WILL ALSO SEE ITS BEST CHANCE OF MEASUREABLE PRECIPTATION ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AS WELL. THINGS START TO CLEAR OUT SATURDAY LATE WITH DRYING CONDITIONS SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. FOR THOSE HIKERS ATTEMPTING MT. WHITNEY, OR VENTURING INTO THE HIGH COUNTRY, THERE WILL BE A CONTINUED CHANCE OF ON AGAIN, OFF AGAIN SNOW SHOWERS STARTING TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

That does not bode well for this weekend...

A question for those fimiliar with the mountain.

We have a Sunday (9-23) permit and were planing on a 2am start......

we are ready for cold, but if it's cloudy, we will probably be in the clouds/fog from 8,000? feet up. Is it even worth our time driving down there from Sacramento??

It is our last opportunity this year.

I know......the mountain will still be there next year.

Any insight is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

AS OF RIGHT NOW, THAT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SHOULD HAVE MOVED THROUGH THE AREA BY SUNDAY; HOWEVER THERE IS GOING TO BE RESIDUAL ACTIVITY WITH COLD AIR LINGERING AROUND; SO, YOU SHOULD PLAN FOR, AT THE VERY LEAST, THE CHANCE OF PARTLY CLOUDY CONDITIONS UP THERE ON SUNDAY WITH GUSTY CONDITIONS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME MOISTURE.

DMATT

I hiked over Kearsarge Pass on 9/18 with 2 others to resupply some JMT hikers. We camped at Onion Valley on 9/17. As we were about to hit the trail on 9/18, we ran into the campsite host and he stated that a weather system was about to move in. The weather on 9/18 was absolutely clear, not a cloud in the sky. As we went over the summit of Kearsarge Pass, there were several hikers saying that they were getting out of dodge. They had heard from a ranger that the weather system was moving in late Wednesday. When we reached our group on the JMT, we reported to them what we had heard. They opted to hike out with us today. There were also several JMT hikers heading out over Kearsarge Pass because of the incoming weather system. When we got to the top of Kearsarge Pass there were numerous ominous looking clouds to the West. The lastest weather report that I can gather is that it is expected to begin raining and snowing (at higher elevation) some time Thursday and continue on through Saturday. For those who are thinking about doing Whitney, be careful!!! Even if it stops raining by Saturday, it is likely to be icy on trail on Sunday. One last thing, we camped just West of Bullfrog Lake and woke up to frost and ice on our tent this morning. Be safe.

Thanks Dmatt for the quick response,


Thanks also to icantiwont,


I think we will wait for a better day,

Bill

Went up to Lone Pine today to pick up the rest of my JMT group. We decided to drive up to Whitney Portal since we were so close already. It was overcast and began to snow lightly at the portal. I can only imagine what is was like on the Western side.