If you are a frequent Weather Channel watcher, you have probably heard the terms they use to describe a variety of winter storms, such as, “Atmospheric Rivers”, “Polar Vortexes” and “Bomb Cyclones”. All of which sound quite ominous! It reminds me of that line in the Wizard of Oz, “Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh … Continue reading Creating a Winter Atmosfear →

Low-pressure systems have been swinging across the Southwestern U.S. this past week or so, but leaving the northern & central Rockies to catch the fringes of those weather systems. That is about to change, for the start of the New Year. Current Weather Pattern This series of 700mb maps (@10,000-ft.) shows the transition of the … Continue reading New Snow for the New Year →

The outlook for fresh powder in the Western United States between Christmas and New Year’s Day is not looking too cheery for many locations. A split jet stream flow in the Pacific will send three separate Low pressure systems on a southerly track across the Southwestern U.S. That will favor the southern Sierra Nevada (Mammoth) … Continue reading Holiday Snow Update →

This Saturday is the Winter Solstice and the official start to the winter season, according the calendar at least. Next week is Christmas and then it’s a whole New Year! To help you plan you your travels, or your ski destination, or to just to get a sense of how white your Christmas is going … Continue reading Holiday Snowfall Forecast →

A West to Northwesterly flow aloft over the Western U.S. will yield additional snowfall through this coming weekend. A large area of Low pressure in the Gulf of Alaska, combining with a smaller Low-pressure center currently further out in the Pacific will rotate Pacific moisture across the Cascades, Sierra Nevada, and the northern & Central … Continue reading Mid-December Snowiness →

Back in early September I did my first outlook for the winter season in this blog. That was just after the Farmer’s Almanacs came out with their predictions. Two of those Almanac forecasts had most of the Mountain West painted under cooler and snowier conditions, overall. Those forecasts don’t change, once they are published in … Continue reading Thanksgiving Winter Outlook Update →

This article first appeared in the Jackson Hole News & Guide on Sept. 11, 2019 I get it all the time, starting in late August, when I am the grocery store, out hiking on the trail, from people passing in the opposite direction while on my mountain bike. I can’t seem to go anywhere this … Continue reading Outlook for Winter 2019-20 →

With the weather starting to change from summer-like to fall-like this past weekend, and more cold storms rolling across the Western U.S. this week, I thought it might be a good time to remind people to be more weather-vigilant when planing excursions into the mountains. Whenever I see that first cold weather system approaching on … Continue reading Summer Snowstorms →

Forecast Thursday, August 29th, 2019: The Western U.S. looks to stay generally dry & warm through Labor Day. Some showers or thunderstorms possible Thursday night & Friday in the Rockies (UT-CO-WY-MT), just before the kick-off to the weekend. Saturday through Monday look good, except for some afternoon build-up & isolated thundershowers developing over parts of … Continue reading Labor Day Weekend Outlook →

From fishing, boating, hiking and climbing, to softball, soccer and golf, summertime activities can frequently expose us to the dangers of lightning. Knowing the dangers and what to do if caught outdoors in a thunderstorm, may help you avoid being zapped this summer. So, as I do every year, I’ll review some lightning safety tips … Continue reading Be Lightning-Safe this Summer →