MASSIVE MASSIVE 3-4 DAY STORM

STORM IS EXPECTED TO DROP 4 TO 16 INCHES OF WATER WHERE IT HITS OVER 3-4 DAYS.

MOST INTENSE LIKELY TO HIT SUNDAY / MONDAY

Expect 4-10 feet at the PEAK BY 22 DECEMBER

Area will be at least a 100 mile vertical path somewhere on the Sierras
then off to the rest of the country.

SNOW LEVELS 8500 FEET DURING THE DAY AND 6000 FEET AT NIGHT.

http://wxweb.meteostar.com/models/noaaport_loop.php?PATH=/var/www/leads_images/satellite/EP1/IR/&NUMBLOOP=2



HERE IT IS JUST NORTH OF HAWAII 16 DEC

http://wxweb.meteostar.com/models/noaaport_loop.php?PATH=/var/www/leads_images/satellite/NHC/IR/&NUMBLOOP=1

Forecast dropping snow levels to 5000 at night ... 7500 day.

Storm will hit from Los Angeles to Susanville. Brunt of storm from Truckee / Tahoe / Mammoth Bass Lake Huntington to KINGS canyon.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA 402 PM PST THU DEC 16 2010 .SYNOPSIS... A SERIES OF PACIFIC STORMS WILL BEGIN MOVING THROUGH THE AREA BY FRIDAY. THESE SYSTEMS WILL CONTINUE BRINGING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF MOISTURE TO THE AREA THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK WITH HEAVY RAIN AND VERY HEAVY HIGHER ELEVATION SNOW EXPECTED AT TIMES. && .DISCUSSION...LOW CLOUDS HAVE BEEN HANGING IN OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY BUT SOME LATE AFTERNOON EROSION IS NOW OCCURRING. THIS COULD BE CONSIDERED THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM OR BETTER YET CALM BEFORE THE SERIES OF STORMS. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS A DEEP GULF OF ALASKA UPPER LOW STEERING A VERY LONG FETCH OF MOISTURE BETWEEN 30N-40N TOWARDS THE CALIFORNIA COAST. RAIN IS EXPECTED TO REACH THE COAST LATER TONIGHT AND POSSIBLY INTO THE WEST SIDE OF THE SJ VALLEY BEFORE SUNRISE. PRECIP WILL OVERSPREAD THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR DURING THE DAY AND INCREASE IN INTENSITY FRIDAY NIGHT. THE WET WEATHER WILL CONTINUE SATURDAY WITH ANOTHER HEAVY SURGE OF MOISTURE EXPECTED SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. PRECIP ESTIMATES REMAIN HIGH WITH 1 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN IN THE SJ VALLEY THIS WEEKEND...HEAVIEST ON THE EAST SIDE. URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING IS LIKELY TO OCCUR AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS AND FROM THE ABUNDANT LEAF FALL RECENTLY. QPF OF 5-10 INCHES IS EXPECTED IN THE SOUTHERN SIERRA AND FOOTHILLS. HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP WITH A GOOD POTENTIAL FOR ROCK AND MUDSLIDES AS WELL AS RAPID RISES AND FLOODING OF SMALLER CREEKS AND STREAMS. THE SNOW LEVEL WILL FLUCTUATE DURING THE WEEKEND BUT IS MAINLY EXPECTED TO BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 7000 TO 8000 FEET. HEAVY SNOW WILL FALL AT TIMES WITH ACCUMULATIONS FROM 5 TO 10 FEET ABOVE 7000 FEET. A WINTER STORMS WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE SOUTHERN SIERRA ABOVE 7000 FEET FROM YOSEMITE NP DOWN TO THE KERN COUNTY LINE FROM 10AM FRIDAY THROUGH 4PM SUNDAY. LOWER QPF IS EXPECTED OVER KERN COUNTY BUT THE MOUNTAINS COULD SEE SEVERAL INCHES OF RAINFALL...WITH THE HEAVIEST PRECIP ARRIVING ON SUNDAY. THE KERN DESERT WILL EXPERIENCE SOME RAIN SHADOWING BUT STILL MAY SEE FROM AROUND A HALF TO ONE INCH OF RAIN. STRONG GUSTY SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS COULD DEVELOP ON THE FAR WEST SIDE OF THE SJ VALLEY NEAR THE DIABLO AND TEMBLOR RANGES...ESPECIALLY AROUND AVENAL AND KETTLEMAN. IT LOOKS LIKE A BRIEF LULL IN THE ACTIVITY AROUND MONDAY BUT ANOTHER STRONG WAVE IS EXPECTED TUES-WED WITH MORE HEAVY PRECIP. TOUGH TO PIN DOWN THE DETAILS FOR THAT SYSTEM YET...BUT SEVERAL MORE INCHES OF PRECIP ON ALREADY SATURATED GROUND APPEARS LIKELY.

http://sierrafire.cr.usgs.gov/swfrs/pages/WebCam.htm

Here are some pics of mountain peaks ... remember on the peaks guts over 100 MPH riht now and sustained winds >60 MPH


http://www.ourbv.com/index.cgi/Webcams

Here is one of the best webcams to see the snow on the east side of the Sierra Nevada mountains with people

http://www.mammothweather.com/live-current-conditions/live-mammoth-webcam/

Scott said:

WOW. Those radar images are crazy.
Wonder if it will fizzle out and dissipate or build steam....

Click to expand...

right now they say BUILDING STEAM ... BUT IMHO even when they say a HUGE storm they fizzle out by dumping in the ocean before they hit land.

The reason forecasters are so confident is the warm / cold streams are mixing very close to land and thats when they dump.

Richey said:

Make sure you are not greedy and send some of the snow to Utah as well.

Click to expand...

Absolutely !:drum:arty:arty:arty:

Scott said:

Cool. Can't wait to watch that one.
AND our 7 day weather model here shows that we are giong to be getting our jet stream arc from the SW...that means we would be getting the weather that comes through Reno, which is quite common.

Click to expand...

I think we are all gonnaget some :humble:

Southern Sierra wash out below 7500 feet.

Mammoth to Truckee GETTINFG LOTS OF SNOW


Coldest part of storm next 24 hours.

Sledders in Mammoth reporting 3-4 feet in town .... mountain lodge declaring 5 plus feet.

SNOWMANN said:

I hate to change the subject but I see donbrown is from LA. How far do you have to drive to ride? I assume N Cal?

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2 hours to snow ... 3 hours to groomed trails ... pulling a trailer at 60 MPH

Scott said:

that big nasty thing is still handing west of Hawaii. Not really moving.

Click to expand...

what "date time" are you looking at cause pieces break / broke off and are in Calif ? Nevada / Utah right now !