High-Level Discussion
The April storms continue for the Sierra next week, with a decent cold front due by later Tuesday night into Wednesday. Moisture spreads into the Rockies from Wednesday PM to Friday. 2 Low pressure systems are showing up for the Rockies next week. Arctic cold air moves into the northern Rockies by Thursday/Friday. You can ride and chase powder from the Sierra to the Rockies next week
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Powder Details
Today's models are consistent in bringing a good right-side-up storm to the Sierra on Tuesday/Wednesday. Snow develops on Tuesday and peaks in the nighttime hours. Cold air on Tuesday night will bring good quality powder to the Sierra Range by Wednesday morning. The models are still waffling on the exact locations to ride the deepest powder, but it's reasonable to say it's nearly an even mix between Palisades up north and Mammoth to the south. The Sierra Crest near the lake might report slightly higher totals (9-15 inches above 7500). This storm comes in dense later Tuesday (High snow levels) and finishes cold (5K snow level). '
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Below: Low pressure enters the Sierra on Tuesday (Start of this loop) and traverses east over the Central and northern Rockies from Wednesday to Thursday. A secondary front with colder air moves into the Rockies later in the week (Loop ends on Friday).
Below: The European model brings nearly 3/4 of an inch of water to the Sierra Crest by Wednesday morning. Mammoth is slightly lower with this solution, but its higher elevations will make up for it. Expect 9-15 inches of snow to greet your turns by Wednesday morning, with 2-4 inches from Tuesday.
Below: The American GFS is even more bullish (Not uncommon), showing 1-2 inches of water south of the lake (Kirkwood is closed) and extending to Mammoth.
Below: Cold air spreads into the Sierra by Tuesday evening and into the Rockies on Wednesday/Thursday. Warmer air from the south seems to want to invade this cold front midweek, but only makes it to the southern regions of Utah and most of Colorado. Arctic cold air is seen entering Montana by the end of this loop (Thursday/Friday). This might enhance snow totals and certainly quality in the northern Rockies.
STORM TRACK INTO THE ROCKIES -Wednesday to Friday
The period from Wednesday to Friday is when the Rockies will peak from the Wasatch, Tetons, Idaho, and Montana. Thursday morning likley hits the highlight of the deepest 12-hour totals; however, this map extends into Saturday with lighter snow that continues. The models still fluctuate on storm totals for Alta/Snowbird (Open) Thursday morning. Our best guess is 9-11 inches by Thursdy mid morning in the Cottonwoods (Open Resorts)and similar totals into the Tetons (Resorts are closed) and perhaps Big Sky (Opens Friday-Sunday). Higher totals are possible in the northern regions mentioned above.
Snow levels migrate in the Rockies from 7K on Wednesday (Snow showers, SW winds to as low as 6500 by later Wednesday night into Thursday (W, NW flow). This storm could bring good-quality right-side-up snow to the Rockies as the temps slowly cool by Thursday morning. Caveat: A few models show lower totals in the Cottonwoods (4-9) with the emphasis further north to the Tetons.
Chases: Good chase potential from the Sierra Wednesday morning into the Rockies for Thursday/Friday (Wasatch, Tetons, Montana, Idaho). High-quality powder is likley next week.
Forecaster: @powderchasersteve (Instagram)
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