The Weather Prediction Center
College Park, MD
Storm Summary Message
Storm Summary Number 2 for Rockies and Western U.S. Heavy Snow
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
100 PM PST Sat Dec 25 2021
...Heavy snow to continue for the mountain ranges of the West as
cooler temperatures bring light to moderate snow to lower
elevations...
Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories are in effect
for portions of the Pacific Northwest, California, the Great
Basin, and the Northern Rockies.
Winter Storm Watches are in effect for portions of the Northern
and Central Rockies.
For a detailed graphical depiction of the latest watches, warnings
and advisories, please see www.weather.gov
At 100 PM PST...The axis of a deep upper-level trough was located
a few hundred miles off the West Coast. At the surface, two areas
of low pressure were analyzed northwest of Washington over
Vancouver Island in Canada with minimum central pressures of 994
mb, or approximately 29.35 inches of mercury. A stationary front
extended to the east of these areas of low pressure, meandering
through northern Washington, southeastward through the Northern
Rockies in Montana and Wyoming, and east into the Central Plains.
A surface trough also extended southward along the coast of the
Pacific Northwest. A second area of low pressure was analyzed in
the northern Sacramento Valley of California with a minimum
central pressure of 1005 mb, or approximately 29.68 inches of
mercury. A cold front extended south-southwest from this low
through the Bay Area and into the Pacific Ocean. An anomalously
cold airmass continued to seep southward over the Northwest. Radar
and surface observations indicated widespread heavy snow ongoing
east of the surface trough over the Cascades and Coastal Ranges of
Washington and Oregon as well as east of the cold front across the
Sierra Nevada in California. More moderate snowfall was observed
over portions of the Northern Rockies in Montana, Idaho, and
Wyoming within the vicinity of the meandering stationary front. In
addition, scattered rain showers continued along the immediate
Pacific coast from the Big Sur and San Francisco north to
Washington as well as for elevations near sea level around Puget
Sound south through Portland.
...Selected preliminary Storm Total Snowfall in inches from 400 AM
PST Wed Dec 22 through 100 PM PST Sat Dec 25...
...ARIZONA...
ARIZONA SNOWBOWL 3 WSW 10.0
GREER 7 WSW 9.0
SUNRISE PARK 9.0
FOREST LAKES 1 E 8.0
FLAGSTAFF ARPT 6.3
WILLIAMS 3.3 SSE 3.5
...CALIFORNIA...
MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN SKI BASE 40.0
SOUTH LAKE 6 ESE 30.0
NORTHSTAR SKI BASE 26.0
LONE PINE 11 SW 24.0
ROUND VALLEY 9 WNW 22.0
TRUCKEE 1.6 N 21.7
HOMEWOOD MOUNTAIN SKI BASE 20.0
LAKE DAVIS 4 SE 11.5
...COLORADO...
TURQUOISE LAKE 6 NNE 34.0
WOLF CREEK PASS 33.0
MOUNT CRESTED BUTTE 4 NNW 22.5
COAL BANK PASS 16.5
CRESTED BUTTE 1.9 NNE 16.0
MONARCH PASS 1 NNW 16.0
MOUNT ZIRKEL 4 SE 16.0
WOLF CREEK PASS 1 SE 14.0
ELKDALE 2 SSW 13.6
FRUITVALE 1 N 13.0
CAMERON PASS 9 SE 12.0
...IDAHO...
HORSHOE BEND 11 SSE 12.0
MEADOWS 6 NE 12.0
KIMBERLY 9.0
STANLEY 7.9
SPIRIT LAKE 3.6 ESE 7.0
BELLEVUE 0.3 SSE 6.8
AVERY 0.1 S 4.6
HAILEY 4.0
BOISE CITY 6.1 SE 2.9
...MONTANA...
COOKE CITY 3 N 12.0
EAST PORTAL 5 NW 11.0
BOZEMAN 1.5 SSE 4.3
...NEVADA...
MT ROSE SKI BASE 22.0
INCLINE VILLAGE 1 NNW 19.0
WHEELER PEAK 18.0
MT. CHARLESTON 1 ESE 16.0
TUSCARORA 6 W 15.0
MIDAS 2 N 11.0
GREAT BASIN NATL PARK 10.5
GRANITE PEAK 10.0
RENO 5.4 W 4.2
...NEW MEXICO...
ARROYO SECO 11 E 16.0
SAN MIGUEL 8 S 14.0
TOADLENA 5 SSW 10.0
SANDIA PARK 4 NW 4.0
...OREGON...
TOLLGATE 14.0
GOLD HILL 5.4 NNW 13.0
CRATER LAKE 11.0
APPLEGATE 8.3 SSW 5.5
KLAMATH FALLS 4 WSW 5.5
...UTAH...
HERBER CITY 10.1 ESE 11.0
FAIRVIEW 10.0
ALTA 9.5
POWDER MOUNTAIN 8.0
SPRINGDELL 8.0
PARK CITY 7.0
...WASHINGTON...
EASTON 36.0
SNOQUALMIE PASS 2.6 SSE 18.5
LUCERNE 9 W 12.0
STEVENS PASS 10.0
ELK 6.3 NE 9.5
LUCERNE 8.6 W 8.0
WHITE SALMON 4 ENE 8.0
TIGER 7 WSW 7.5
SPOKANE 3.5 NNW 2.0
...WYOMING...
SUGAR LOAF CAMPGROUND 16.5
BATTLE LAKE 2 E 15.0
WHISKEY PARK 1 NW 14.4
...Selected preliminary Storm Total Rainfall in inches from 400 AM
PST Wed Dec 22 through 100 PM PST Sat Dec 25...
...ARIZONA...
PRESCOTT 0.8 WSW 2.96
MEADVIEW 21 SE 2.80
WASHINGTON PEAK 2 S 2.80
MUNDS PARK 0.3 ESE 2.72
GLOBE 5.6 S 2.64
FOREST LAKES 6.1 E 2.36
BLACK ROCK 2.33
PAYSON 1 E 2.27
MT. TRUMBULL 1 WSW 2.22
GREER 13.4 W 2.19
QUEEN CREEK 2.08
WILLIAMS 0.4 SW 2.05
FLAGSTAFF AIRPORT 1.68
...CALIFORNIA...
LYTLE CREEK 2 WSW 7.66
BIG BEAR LAKE 1 E 6.03
MT SAN JACINTO 1 S 6.03
PALOMAR MOUNTAIN 3 NNE 5.89
OAK VIEW 0.7 NE 4.96
GOLETA 3.7 WNW 4.52
INDEPENDENCE 0.2 NNW 2.57
YUCCA VALLEY 2.7 NW 2.23
...NEVADA...
MT CHARLESTON 6.26
KYLE CANYON 4.05
LAS VEGAS 1.99
CALIENTE 14.6 SE 1.20
Over the next several days, the upper-level trough over the West
is expected to remain locked in place and slightly strengthen
through the weekend. Multiple rounds of heavy mountain snow are
likely, with several feet of snowfall accumulation forecast across
the Sierra Nevada, Cascades, and northern California mountains.
Increasingly colder air will cause the rain to transition to snow
for areas at sea level in the Pacific Northwest soon, with light
to moderate snowfall likely through Monday. The foothills and
elevated valleys of California will also see light to moderate
snow this weekend and next week. Travel will remain dangerous and
is discouraged, especially along mountain passes where long
duration closures are likely. Dangerous avalanches are also likely
in the Sierra Nevada, Washington Cascades, Northern Rockies, and
Wasatch.
The next Storm Summary will be issued by the Weather Prediction
Center at 100 PM PST Sun Dec 26 2021. Please refer to your local
National Weather Service office for additional information on this
event.
Putnam/Snell
Last Updated: 414 PM EST SAT DEC 25 2021