HikeArizona.COM

The endless chatter of weather.

I don't think I can recall previous storms at the end of December where the snow level was as high as it is for this storm. The forecast is calling for periods of rain mixing with snow even above 10,000 feet.

Slow steady rain most of the night here on the riverbank in Needles, California. This is unusual for this area. The airport is reporting .52 inches over the past 72 hours. It rained a little yesterday, as well. So, we're just a tad over our average total for the month of December, according to the US climate data page. With another storm coming in, it would be nice to double that number, and hope for a good show of spring wildflowers here in the Mojave Desert. Total average annual precip for Needles is 4.65 inches.

Since I'll be house-bound today if this rain continues (I don't go out in the rain, thank you), at least I can amuse myself breaking Christmas lights.

It's snowing in Page and raining at Snowbowl. Go figure.

@chumley
We were thinking about heading up to Flagstaff next week to play in the snow, but now I am reconsidering. I would think all of this rain will either melt it off, or turn it into ice...

The_Dude wrote:@chumley
We were thinking about heading up to Flagstaff next week to play in the snow, but now I am reconsidering. I would think all of this rain will either melt it off, or turn it into ice...

What snow? There is no snow on the ground below 9000' or so. They are calling for snow this weekend, but every storm so far this season has produced less snow than the forecasters called for. They've already reduced the Flagstaff forecast from 8-12 to 5-8 inches.

@The_Dude
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/FXC/wxstory.php ... Story1.png

Reconsider, reconsidering. Yes, this warm subtropical system is bringing rain, but a separate and colder storm will bring snow this weekend. Totals are evolving for the western Rim area, but could be around a foot.

@Jim_H
I saw that forecast yesterday, and it must have bumped up a bit since I looked at it. I guess I can keep my fingers crossed and hope...

@The_Dude
it will snow, but the NWS never really knows how much until it is on the ground. Wait and see.

Sweet low-hanging cloud action on the McDowells this morning. Took a couple pics!
@Jim_H
Long time no see!

@hippiepunkpirate
I'm still around!

Snowbowl reports a decent storm total to now, more coming, and the Snow Slide Snotel shows an increase, so perhaps things are getting better in the subalpine backcountry of Arizona.

Nice little snow fall over night at home

Snowbowl reports a storm total of 42 inches, presumably at 10,000' and mid-mountain. Not bad. Their 24 hour mid-mountain total is 26 inches.

and in Pine as well!

The storm was good for air quality... this is the first Christmas I can recall in at least a few years that ADEQ didn't declare a no burn day.

While Arizona sits under depressing overcast and cool maritime like conditions, California appears to be under an extremely wet pattern over the next 5 to 7 days. It will remain to be seen if 2 feet of liquid actually falls over the Sierra, but the forecast for such shows just how wet the next week there will be. Perhaps the models will dip some of that a bit further south and the Peaks will pick up another foot or so of new snow over 9,000'. Socal doesn't get much either. Time will tell. Wet for sure, and I'm glad I'm in Arizona. It just needs to be SUNNY!

Big day and night ahead in the Sierra. It sounds like snow level will be the key. If it stays above 9000 feet, the flooding from rain on top snow could be catastrophic, but if it drops to 8000 flooding will be much less destructive. Either way, there will be a lot of something falling from above. Nearly the entire Sierra range is forecast to receive over 10 inches of rain (or snow equivalent higher up).

The reports over the next day or two should be interesting.

I've been reading some reports out of the Sierra. Impressive.

Mammoth reports 84 inches of new snowfall over the last 3 days.
The Tahoe area resorts are all reporting 80-100 inches in the last 7 days.

Rainfall totals in the 8-13 inch range have been reported across the area.

NWS continues to forecast wind gusts from 100-150mph across the peaks, ridges, and passes and another snow event tomorrow with 2-7 feet of more snow in the mountains!

The California State Wide (Sierra?) snowpack is averaging 163% of normal right now. http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/snowap ... art.action

Thats just great for a region that typically sees no precipitation or clouds for 6 months in summer.


Is anyone else sick and tired of the endless gray, overcast, and cloudy conditions we've had here for the last month?

Jim_H wrote:Is anyone else sick and tired of the endless gray, overcast, and cloudy conditions we've had here for the last month?

I grew up attending the Seattle Rain Festival (11/1 - 10/31), so my response is, huh?

Jim_H wrote:Is anyone else sick and tired of the endless gray, overcast, and cloudy conditions we've had here for the last month?

Almost. I'm sick of the endless gray, overcast, and cloudy conditions we've had here for the last month. (I also experienced them in Iowa City and Portland OR in that period). Fortunately I was just in Tampa for a couple days, where I saw a bright yellow disk in the sky part of the time.