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Reid Griebling - The Powder Predictor
Headline RSS FeedCold northwest flow will bring Arctic air to Vail Valley with snow likely every day this week
February 16, 2010 —
Happy vibes in Happy Valley as northwest flow has squeezed out every bit of moisture that has come into our region. I know its not much (5 inches reported this morning at Vail on Feb. 16) but every little bit helps.
And as Mardi Gras week revs up, Vail and The Beav' have a good chance of snow until the weekend.
High pressure still dominates out in the Pacific Ocean, which shifts the jet stream to our north, bringing colder air and any moisture that might be lingering in Idaho and Wyoming.
Temps for the remainder of the week will be just below normal as colder arctic air dips in from Canada, expect on mountain highs in the upper teens to low 20's and overnight lows reaching the single digits. Winds will be brisk at times as this northwest flow will remain for nearly five days. Expect winds in the 10-20 mph range with gusts into the 30 mph over exposed ridge tops.
Snow is likely every day, and as I said, not much in the way of "calling in sick" snow, but enough to soften things under foot and change the attitude of northern ski town residents.
Expect snow totals for the remainder of the week to range anywhere from 3-6 inches everyday with a shot at more (4-8) Thursday night into Friday (Feb. 18-19). These storms will favor Vail over Beaver Creek, but The Beav' should see snow on the ground each day.
With higher winds than we have seen in some time, avalanche danger is again increasing as we accumulate more snow on leeward aspects. Please prepare accordingly if you plan to travel into the back/side country, as human triggered avalanches can happen.
Overall a good start for those of you who enjoy the Mardi Gras season, I for one will be giving up dry weather for Lent this year, lets hope that works.
Enjoy!
Cloudy skies will stay with a little daily snow possible
February 13, 2010 —
Another holiday weekend is upon us and still very little in the way of active weather. We do have a chance for snow every day until Tuesday Feb. 16, but with limited moisture and energy, don't expect any "powder".
Already cloudy skies will stay through Sunday Feb. 14 as isolated showers will drop small amounts of snow in the Vail Valley. Winds will increase out of the northwest as high pressure still dominates over the Four Corners. Expect winds in the 15-20 mph range with gusts into the 30 mph range over the ridge tops. Temps will still remain seasonal as on mountain highs in the 20's and low 30's can be expected with overnight lows in the teens.
Sunday Feb. 14 looks like the best chance of good snow as the strongest portion of energy will move through our area Saturday night. Expect morning totals on Sunday in the 3-6 inch range at both Vail and Beaver Creek.
Our next shot of big snow is in the distant future as the split jet stream is still wreaking havoc for the central and northern Rockies.
Expect the weather pattern to change in our favor within the next 10-12 days as the skiing in Vail and The Beav' will be relatively plain. Perfect for those of you interested in Olympic Games in Canada as Vail will see at least 5 locals vying for hardware, if Lindsey Vonn's injury can heal.
Finally, while skiing this weekend or watching the Games, Vail, and the United States lost a true hero Monday as Jimmy Huega passed away at the age of 66.
Take a moment this weekend to remember the courage and passion Jimmy had for skiing and the mountains, pass it on to your family and friends, we are truly lucky to be in this wonderful place.
Enjoy!!
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Cloudy skies in Vail for SupernBowl weekend will produce moderate snowfall
February 5, 2010 —
Look for another shot of snow over Super Bowl weekend in the mountains of Colorado.
A sweeping low pressure system will bring wintry weather to the Western Slope of Colorado beginning Friday afternoon (Feb. 5) and lasting into Saturday February 6th.
This next storm will drop most of the moisture in the San Juan's where up to a foot is possible for areas like Telluride, Silverton, and Wolf Creek.
Here in the Vail Valley cloudy skies will dominate throughout the weekend with intermittent snow showers. Some of these showers could produce moderate snowfall, not enough to make a powder day, but enough to soften the snow.
Temps will be seasonal as on mountain highs will be in the low 20's with overnight lows in the teens. Winds will gust into the 20 mph range over ridge tops but should be mild everywhere else.
Look for snow totals Saturday morning (Feb. 6) to be in the 2-4 inch range with Beaver Creek and Blue Sky Basin favored.
Overall, another below average storm for the central and northern Rockies as the jet stream is still split, leaving our area fairly dry.
Enjoy the Big Game!!
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Powder Predictor baby born during great powder week, with more expected ... snow that is
January 30, 2010 —
I have to apologize for the short hiatus as my wife and I welcomed our second child during a great powder week in the mountains.
Vail saw over two feet of snow in the past seven days as the carousel of storms in the Pacific delivered the expected snowfall for all of Colorado. Beaver Creek saw low totals altogether, as is the norm for storms with northwest trajectories. However, with the typical El Niņo weather we have seen over the past three months, ski towns everywhere will take what Mother Nature brings.
Our forecast for the weekend leading into February looks to be the same as the beginning of the new year. We have a good chance of snowfall Sunday into Monday (Jan. 31-Feb. 1) as a weakening system moves across Idaho and Wyoming, clipping the northern and central mountains with light snow. Above average temps are expected ahead of this system with temps dropping slightly as this storm moves into the Dakotas.
The first week of February we see weak high pressure build as the jet stream splits for some time. We should see some significant storms by mid-month, but for now, it looks like the northern and central Rockies will be under sunny skies.
Temps for the next week look mild with highs in the 20s and low 30s, and overnight lows in the teens and 20s. Winds will be mild except for the occasional gust as our next quick shot of snow hits Sunday and Monday (Jan. 31 and Feb. 1).
Look for Monday Feb. 1 to be a good day to ski as we should see anywhere from 4-8 inches on the ground by the Monday morning report.
Overall, we should see an average February for snow totals as the southwest will benefit the most from any storms moving in due to the split jet stream.
Enjoy!
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