Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board FORECAST 18-DEC-08

FORECAST FOR THE OWENS VALLEY, MAMMOTH AND MONO COUNTY
PROVIDED BY DENNIS MATTINSON
EASTERN SIERRA WEATHER FORECASTER
KSRW 92.5 / 96.5 FM AND TV-33

THURSDAY, 18-DEC-08, 7:07

MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES TODAY WITH COLD ARCTIC AIR IN PLACE. NEXT SYSTEM DUE IN LATE TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY WITH ENOUGH MOISTURE TO PROVIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY WITH 3 - 6 INCHES OF NEW SNOW AND WINDY CONDITIONS. SNOW LEVELS REMAIN QUITE LOW AT ABOUT 4,500 FEET ON FRIDAY. DRY WEATHER AND A RETURN TO MORE NORMAL TEMPERATURES IS SLATED FOR THE WEEKEND. THIS IS WHEN THE FLOW ACROSS THE EAST PACIFIC TRANSITIONS FROM A STRONG HIGH AMPLITUDE RIDGE TO A WESTERLY LOW AMPLITUDE PATTERN. AS THIS CHANGE OCCURS INCREASINGLY WARMER, WETTER SYSTEMS DEVELOP. THE FIRST STORM ARRIVES IN THE LATE SUN/MON TIME FRAME, WITH A MUCH STRONGER SYSTEM IN THE WED/THURS TIME FRAME. THE MID-WEEK SYSTEM SHOWS A STRONG SUBTROPICAL PLUME DEVELOPING AHEAD OF IT, SO IT COULD BRING SUBSTANTIAL RAINS TO CENTRAL CA. WITH RELATIVELY HIGH SNOW LEVELS FOR US. STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES ON THIS ONE.

FOR THE OWENS VALLEY:

TODAY: MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES WITH HIGHS AROUND 38. SOUTHWEST WIND 6 - 9 MPH.
TONIGHT: MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH LOWS AROUND 16. WEST WIND 5 - 7 MPH.
FRIDAY: MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 20% CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. HIGHS AROUND 40. WEST WIND 7 - 11 MPH.
FRIDAY NIGHT: MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH EVENING LOWS NEAR 16. WEST WIND 7 MPH.

FOR THE TOWN OF MAMMOTH LAKES:

TODAY: PARTLY SUNNY SKIES. DAYTIME HIGHS AROUND 26. WEST WIND 10 MPH.
TONIGHT: MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 40% CHANCE OF SNOW. EVENING LOWS AROUND 8. SOUTHWEST WIND 10 - 15 MPH GUSTING TO 25.
FRIDAY: MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 90% CHANCE OF SNOW. DAYTIME HIGHS NEAR 25. SOUTHWEST WIND 15 - 20 MPH GUSTING TO 35.
FRIDAY NIGHT: PARTLY CLOUDY WITH EVENING LOWS NEAR 5. WEST WIND 10 MPH.

FOR THE REST OF MONO COUNTY:

TODAY: MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS RANGING FROM 23 - 33. SOUTHWEST WIND 10 - 15 MPH WITH RIDGE TOP GUSTS TO 65 LATER IN THE DAY.
TONIGHT: MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 60% CHANCE OF SNOW. LOWS FROM 1 BELOW TO 9 ABOVE ZERO. SOUTHWEST WIND 10 - 15 MPH GUSTING TO 40 WITH RIDGE TOP GUSTS TO 85.
FRIDAY: MOSTLY CLOUDY AND WINDY WITH A 70% CHANCE OF SNOW. HIGHS FROM 22 TO 32. SOUTHWEST WIND 10 - 20 MPH GUSTING TO 50 WITH RIDGE TOP GUSTS TO 100.
FRIDAY NIGHT: PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. OVERNIGHT LOWS FROM 5 BELOW TO 10 BELOW ZERO. SOUTHWEST WIND 10 - 15 WITH RIDGE TOP GUSTS TO 70.

NOTE: DENNIS' FORECAST ORIGINATES FROM THE FORT INDEPENDENCE EPA METEOROLOGICAL STATION. BECAUSE WEATHER CONDITIONS VARY GREATLY FROM LOCATION TO LOCATION IN THE EASTERN SIERRA, THIS FORECAST IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.

Big fun the last few days here, I know SoCal has been slammed as well. Amazing weather to watch and see the range emerge with new definition and colors. So just a few from the last few days:

Big Willie and Tyndall on Tuesday:


Sunburst behind Langley:


Chilly Afternoon (this was around 1530!):


Cloud Break Over the Inyos:


For Hightinerary and tomcat_rc, the obligatory shots of Mt. Tom on Wednesday morning. First at 0900:


Then about 1100:


Evening glow over Mt. Sill last night:

Thanks!

I miss the views. Thanks for sharing them. Ken

Spin is on order today, with most of the crest being transported:

A wee bit south of that:




Owens Peak Wilderness in the distance.

It snowed down to the desert floor, but melted out about as fast as it fell.

These shots were taken at lunch and I could see that the snow line had already risen since morning.