Guest Post by Robert Felix at Ice Age Now
“Very early” winter storm to affect the southern Sierra Nevada late Tuesday night through Wednesday night… “Dangerous early season storm.”
4 Oct 11 – NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
A STRONG STORM DROPPING OUT OF THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL BRING UNSEASONABLY COLD WEATHER TO THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INTERIOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS COULD BE AS HIGH AS 20 INCHES OVER THE HIGH COUNTRY…WITH 6 TO 12 INCHES DOWN TO THE 7000 FOOT LEVEL.
SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON – TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 6 TO 12 INCHES ABOVE 7000 FEET…AND 12 TO 20 INCHES IN THE HIGH COUNTRY.
* SNOW LEVEL LOWERING TO 6000 FEET DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY.
* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST INCLUDING BIG MEADOWS AND BUCK ROCK AREAS. SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK…QUAKING ASPEN…PONDEROSA AND SHERMAN PASS.
* WEST WINDS OVER THE HIGH COUNTRY WILL GUST TO 70 MPH CAUSING CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.
* THIS IS A DANGEROUS EARLY SEASON STORM. HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS MAY CAUSE MOUNTAIN ROADS TO BECOME BLOCKED.
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/view/nationalwarnings.php?map=on
via Up to 20 inches snow expected in Sierra Nevada.
The question is was this really unusual? I checked the Huntington Lake COOP Weather Station at 7,020 feet in the Southern Sierra. The record is from 1914 to the current date. In the 97 year record only three times has it snow more than 20 inches in October. Only ten times did it snow ten inches or more, there were other years with a dusting less than ten inches. Getting 20 inches this early in the year is a bit unusual. As you can see the last time it was in 1939, which was during another cool cycle PDO. Stay tuned, I will check back for the actual snow fall at Huntington Lake.
I just hope the winds don’t topple any trees. The carburator for my generator is in pieces in my garage as I await for a diaphragm I ordered from a small engine shop.
Another interesting metric from KTVU:
http://www.ktvu.com/news/29385123/detail.html
“According to the Central Sierra Snow Lab, the flurries predicted with this storm will make the shortest duration between snow storms since 1969. The lab – located in Norden – got its last measurable snow on July 1 – 96 days ago.”
KCBS reporting this morning that most major sierra passes have chain requirements in place due to snow and icy winter conditions.
Here is the Caltran page on HWY 80.
http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/display.php?page=i80
In the Lies, Damn Lies and Ski Area Snow Reports department, Sugar Bowl is claiming 22″. Not bad for Oct 6, even if it means something between 0″ and 22″.