Some Snow for the Tetons

Total snow accumulations predicted for today (Friday) thru Saturday morning for the Teton mountains are between 6 and 10 inches. See map below from the NAM model run by NexLab.  Click on the next map to see a loop of accumulating snow from 8 am today thru Noon Saturday, from CAIC WRF model (Colorado Avalanche Information Center).

This snow comes from second Low-pressure center that moves over the Pacific Northwest, then weakens and hangs out over the Rockies this weekend. This Low will also bring much colder air aloft over the northern & central Rockies this weekend.

Just enough moisture for clouds & some light snow showers hanging around the mountains Sunday into Monday. Do expect some brief breaks in the clouds with this very weak upper level flow. (Keep scrolling down for more Regional & National info)

Click on map below for a loop of snow accumulation thru Saturday at Noon.
This model shows the Teton Range accumulating 10 inches+ at the higher elevations, including what already fell prior to 8 am Friday.

Look at the Bigger Picture

Slow moving weather systems across the United States will be the rule through the first weekend of December. Along with a jet stream that remains over the southern portion of the U.S.

Map below shows total snow accumulations from Friday morning Nov. 30th through Monday morning December 3rd, 2018, across the entire Continental U.S.
Biggest accumulations over the southern Cascades around Crater Lake, and also Southwestern Colorado’s mountains around Telluride and Wolf Creek Pass.
In Nebraska too, but the skiing there is kinda flat!

Below are the forecast weather maps for Saturday, Sunday & Monday morning. These maps are for the 700mb level or around 10,000-ft. in the atmosphere.
Positions of High & Low pressure & the Jet Stream are plotted on the maps.
The previous 24-hours of precipitation are also shown.
(+ marks the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort)

Faint gray lines on these maps show the pressure pattern at this level. Where the lines are close together it is windier. Farther apart, it is less windy.
Here is the precip scale in inches of water to use for these maps:

Jet stream dipping further south and pulling further eastward by Monday.
Winds aloft near ridgetop level are about as light as they get for Sunday & Monday over the entire western U.S. Precipitation also tapers off in most areas.

Post and analysis by meteorologist Jim Woodmencey

Low pressure systems out in the Gulf of Alaska and along the West Coast will bring moisture inland across the Western United States on Thanksgiving Day and into the weekend. Expect some decent snow accumulations from the higher Cascades and Sierra Nevada Mountains to the Tetons of Wyoming & Wasatch of Utah and also into Central Colorado’s mountains.

Click below to watch the loop of snow accumulation from Thanksgiving morning thru Saturday morning, November 22nd to 24th, 2018.

Read on for a breakdown of what’s causing the weather, and snow & water accumulations day by day. With a focus on snow accumulations in the Teton Mountains. Good news for opening day at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort!

Weather Pattern for Thanksgiving Weekend Snow

Thanksgiving Day: A Southwesterly flow Thursday transitions to a strong Westerly flow aloft over the Western U.S Thursday night to Friday, eventually bending to more of a Northwesterly flow by Saturday.

For the Teton area of Wyoming, temps warm a bit early Thursday before cooling down later Thursday  with the first wave coming in from the Pacific.

Friday: It will warm enough Friday afternoon for some rain possibly mixing with snow at lower elevations in that strong westerly flow.

Saturday: Much colder temps coming Friday night into Saturday as the flow aloft turns to a more North-NW direction. Precip tapers off later Saturday and it looks drier & cooler for Sunday.

Happy Thanksgiving Powderhounds!

Posted by meteorologist Jim Woodmencey

A pretty good flow of Pacific moisture will be blowing inland across the Pacific Northwest this weekend, with progressively cooling temperatures (Nov. 3 & 4). Best shot of snow looks like it will come right at Northwest Wyoming Sunday & Sunday night.

Map below shows the nose of the jet stream at 250mb or 35,000-ft.  positioned just south of Jackson Hole. Winds of 100 mph+ over NW Wyoming.

Map below shows the 700mb temps and wind speeds, near the 10,000-ft. elevation. Should be cold enough for snow to valley floor Sunday also.

Map below shows Total Snowfall forecast from Friday evening thru Sunday night.

Post by meteorologist Jim Woodmencey

Jackson Hole received some new snow, down to the valley floor, last night (October 29th) with some decent accumulation up in the Teton Mountains. There was about a half an inch in the Town of Jackson and up to 4 inches reported in Kelly, Wyoming. Up at elevation, between the 8,000 & 10,000-ft. elevation, new snow accumulations ranged from 5 to 10 inches .

More snow is on the way for Halloween and into Thursday, November 1st.

Click image below for loop of snowfall accumulation between 2pm Tuesday and 2pm Thursday for the Rocky Mountains. Looking especially good for Central Colorado and Western Wyoming’s mountains. This model run shows around a foot of new snow likely for the higher elevations for these two locations.

Temperatures will stay cool initially, then warm through Thursday, which will bring some rain to lower elevations.

Find more maps on the Computer Models page

Post by meteorologist Jim Woodmencey