While not unprecedented, it certainly is odd for the last week of June to see a weather bulletin with snow accumulation like this from NWS/NOAA. Here’s the storm system:
WWUS46 KSTO 272133
WSWSTO
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
233 PM PDT MON JUN 27 2011
..UNSEASONABLY COOL AND SHOWERY WEATHER SYSTEM TUESDAY AND
WEDNESDAY.
.A VERY DYNAMIC AND COOL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CONTINUES TO APPROACH NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FROM THE GULF OF ALASKA AND WILL MOVE OVER THE SIERRA NEVADA TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO WEDNESDAY. THIS SYSTEM IS PROJECTED TO BRING WELL ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR ALONG WITH CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS.
CAZ069-280945-
/O.NEW.KSTO.WW.Y.0074.110629T0900Z-110629T2100Z/
WEST SLOPE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA-
233 PM PDT MON JUN 27 2011
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 2 PM PDT
WEDNESDAY ABOVE 7000 FEET…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY ABOVE 7000 FEET FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW OVER
THE WEST SLOPE OF THE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA…WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM 2 AM TO 2 PM PDT WEDNESDAY.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: UP TO 5 INCHES OF SNOWFALL OVER THE CREST TO
INCLUDE CARSON PASS ON HIGHWAY 88…EBBETTS PASS ON HIGHWAY 4
AND SONORA PASS ON HIGHWAY 108.
* ELEVATION: EXPECT SOME SNOWFALL ABOVE 7000 FEET WITH MOST
ACCUMULATION ABOVE 7500 FEET.
* TIMING: BEGINNING AFTER MIDNIGHT AND ACCUMULATING BY 3 AM PDT.
* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: CARSON PASS ON HIGHWAY 88…EBBETTS PASS ON
HIGHWAY 4 AND SONORA PASS ON HIGHWAY 108.
* WINDS: SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45
MPH.
* IMPACTS: HIGHWAYS ARE OPEN THROUGH PASSES, SO ACCUMULATION MAY
CAUSE DELAYS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW AND/OR
BLOWING SNOW WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.
&&
Discover more from Watts Up With That?
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
The low doesn’t seem to be all that wet in this water vapor loop:
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/west/nepac/loop-wv.html
But you can clearly see the circulation of the Aleutian high which is unusual for this time of year. It generally breaks down by March.
http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/abs/10.1175/1520-0469%281996%29053%3C2088%3AACOTAH%3E2.0.CO%3B2
rbateman says: “…What do you want to bet this is a pattern we’ll see repeated in July & August?”
If this repeats in July and August, we’re in serious trouble.
The front has arrived here in the Bay Area. The low its attached to is prog’ed to drift south, to a position just off the Golden Gate. Then a jet streak is forecast to push it on shore. TPW is trending upward. This could break all time records.
Moderate Republican, you need to review your talking points. Extreme weather events are not inconsistent with anthropogenic climate change. Don’t ya know.
Meanwhile, in South Hemisphere: Brazil, a Tropical Country? I don’t think so… look this:
http://www.metsul.com
Snow and much more in the next weekend!
Ps: Global Warming? Where?
Getting some good rain here from the initial impulse. Sky’s lightening a bit but there will probably be additional impulses through tomorrow.
Amino Acids in Meteorites says:
June 27, 2011 at 6:59 pm
How will global warming believers damage control this?
Amino;
Answer: They won’t have to. The MSM will not report it, and very few people will know about it.
Jay
The triple digit heat broke in Arkansas with a cool front and now there’s lots of welcome rain for the crops. Temperatures running in the 70°s. It’s raining all over the south from TX & OK eastward. My thinkolator is recalling 2008 and all the rain after Chaiten. Right about on schedule, but there was an eruption in Mexico as well as another big one in Chile.
Pouring rain in San Jose. I have seen a thundershower before in late June / early July, often with very little rain (most evaporates before it hits the ground) and some “dry lightning”, but this is the first time I have seen a winter pattern storm this late in the year.
One thing I have noticed from watching the water vapor map over the past several weeks is that Hawaii seems to have had pretty bad luck with the clouds. It looks like Hawaii has been nearly constantly cloudy this summer. Anyone living in Hawaii that can confirm that?
Hajimemashite.
[welcome ~ac]
SteveSadlov says:
June 28, 2011 at 9:59 am
The front has arrived here in the Bay Area. The low its attached to is prog’ed to drift south, to a position just off the Golden Gate. Then a jet streak is forecast to push it on shore. TPW is trending upward. This could break all time records.
===================================================
I was quite surprised while listening to the weather forecast this morning on the radio. The weatherman was having a laugh at “global warming” – on a San Francisco radio station no less.
In similar news, do I hear of a Marlins / Athletics game that is being delayed tonight by rain….in Oakland….on June 28th?
How unusual is that?
Must be climate change, and of course, the “AGW models” account for such.
Right, Gates?
Chris
Norfolk, VA, USA
Now what I am wondering is, was this system a very late spring one or an early fall one? It will be interesting to see if we get a proper dry season this year. Now that we are past the Solstice, the question needs to be asked.
Wrhoda, the cat on my lap wrather liked your first answer.
Rhoda Ramirez says:
Reference my comment above: wrather = weather. Typing around a cat. Difficult.
Much easier than typing through one 😉
BTW, after the rain we had today in San Jose, per Wunderground, the numbers say we set a new all time record for the day:
http://chiefio.wordpress.com/2011/06/28/record-rain-in-san-jose/
Having my morning coffee near Sonora, Ca., still raining. Started about 7:00 last night, nice bit of lightning show, flashes every 5-10 sec for about an hour with heavy rain. Rained all night. Curious to see the totals, probably around .5-.75 inches. Rain is no so unusual for the foothills, but the duration and amount is..
Participating in a large community garden. Didn’t have to water it until June 15th, looks like we can stop for a week or two. 100 degrees forcast for this weekend. Sounds steamy!
I live in Lake Tahoe, at the 6400′ level, and we actually had some snow flurries this morning.
Yesterday I took advantage of the cool weather to hike into the mountains. Two weeks ago the snowpack was so deep so low I could only get 40 minutes in. Yesterday I got almost 2 hours in before having to turn back from the deep snow. Will need to bring snowshoes next time.
Now comes the great melt. Now about those levees … 😮
Speaking of water, a squirt pistol will do the job if a taser isn’t available. Careful not to drip into the kb, tho’!
I remember the last ‘Nina back in the 90’s. I went swimming in the creek in February because of temps in the 90’s, and the following June, had a fire going to keep warm.
Just like this year…