SUMMARY
The jet stream has pushed north primarily bringing steady light snows to Alberta and British Columbia. Light snows also will be pushing into north/central Montana. The 7-day trend is for occasionally unsettled conditions for northern Alberta and BC that may end up being a decent even by next weekend. New England may also see its first decent snowfall in the extended forecast with a tease late this weekend. Most of the cold air for the next 7 days or even longer looks to stay in the northern regions of North America.
FORECAST
Light snow is falling over northern Montana this morning. Models are also bringing some lake effect snows to the lakes region near Buffalo that will migrate into northern Vermont by Sunday. Some flakes will be possible in northern New England this weekend albeit on the light side. The Jet stream may occasionally bring some moisture further south into Montana this week but I am not seeing any single noteworthy event.
While desperately searching for a deep snow event, the only opportunity this week may be the persistent light snow in the interior of BC and Alberta focussing more in the northern regions. Heavier snow is possible in these areas late next week that could be chase worthy by Thursday or Friday.
Temps will remain cool this week (9800-foot temps at -2C) over much of interior Canada, Montana and northern Wyoming. Warmer air is likely for the Cascades, and all areas of the central and northern Rockies of Utah, Colorado and southern Wyoming.
Below: Ensembles continue to show high pressure for much of the west this week.
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Below: Temps remain consistently cool in the northern Rockies and Canada this week with warming elsewhere.
The extended has some promise of a decent event for Canada and a glimmer of hope elsewhere. New England might score in the extended.
EXTENDED
The Jet stream remains focussed on the northern portions of the Rockies with the highest odds of any decent snowfalls being in Canada through Friday. Light snow primarily in Canada early next week may increase by midweek. Some of the midweek precip is likely to filter south into Montana (Light) by Wednesday. A stronger system is likely going to enter the Pacific Northwest late next week that might bring some hefty amounts to northern BC and areas of Alberta. I would look specifically at the Thursday-Saturday timeframe. It's still too far out to predict with accuracy. Some models show some of that moisture spilling further south into the Cascades of Washington.
Below: GFS showing snow totals through Next Sunday taking the northern route over BC and Alberta into the Great Lakes and possibly New England as a wildcard. Some moisture is also possible for western BC over Whistler. The trickle effect on the southern side of the jet might bring some light snow to Montana, Wyoming, and even Colorado next week but it won't be deep.
The Jet brings most of that moisture on a northern track over the Midwest and New England by late next week. It's possible that New England grabs some freshies by late next weekend at upper elevations. NW flow and colder temps are possible for New England late next week (Colder).
Powderchaser Steve