Mountain West Discussion

[finnster]

19 hours ago, Chinook said:

1976-1977 was of course as you mentioned extremely dry for the western USA, and also quite cold and snowy for the Northeast/Great Lakes. This may have been a time when great long-range weather forecaster Namias started noticing the link between El Nino, Pacific SST anomalies, and huge changes in the USA's weather systems. I think this paper says that no low pressure areas tracked through the ridge (at all) around the West Coast.

https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/mwre/106/3/1520-0493_1978_106_0279_mcotna_2_0_co_2.xml

Thanks Chinook for the link to the paper. As I recall it took some time to break out of that pattern that became entrenched in 1976-77. 

[ValpoVike]

I had a nice surprise burst of snow move thru this afternoon. It was almost like a squall but It only lasted 10 minutes, with a temp in the mid 30’s, and my gauge only logged .02” of liquid. 

[tacoman25]

All models are now pretty much in agreement for a 2-4" event for the metro area Thursday afternoon and night. With higher amounts possible further south.

[bch2014]

With last weekend's rain here on the CA Central Coast, most major climo sites have surpassed their FY norms for the "water year." Anything we get from this point will be gravy, from that perspective.

Looks a dry period upcoming - we need it here. 

[Chinook]

1 hour ago, bch2014 said:

With last weekend's rain here on the CA Central Coast, most major climo sites have surpassed their FY norms for the "water year." Anything we get from this point will be gravy, from that perspective.

Looks a dry period upcoming - we need it here. 

10"-20" in 14 days is a lot. It's above the annual rainfall of Colorado

every state other than California and North Dakota has drought.