0430 temp. at 6350′ in Carnelian Bay: 28.8 deg. & 98% RH

1-2″ new snow

0515 temp. at 8650′ Tamarack TH: 18 deg.

2-3″ new snow

Backcountry obs.:

Skiing has vastly improved in the past 24 hours. Cold temps, cloudy skies, and few inches of new snow have primed the backcountry for brilliant mid winter pow skiing. Fast, light surface snow, combined with a dense, springy base underneath made high speed, elongated pow turns and playful pops over pillows and features feel effortless.

Cloud cover and cold temps. expected today should preserve conditions and maintain the trend towards improving post-storm stability.

Overcast skies, cold temps, and very light winds graced the backcountry this morning. A dusting of 2-3″ of new, cold snow filled yesterday’s tracks. Areas of patchy fog and low clouds drifted gently through the forests and along the ridge tops all morning.

The recent storm snow has begun to settle and consolidate. Vigorous pole plunges still easily reach 1-2′ deep. A few density changes are noted when probing, but they are more subtle than yesterday. Outside the skin track, skis drop in about 3-6″ into the snow when breaking trail without a collapsing trap door feel. Surface snow is cold and light with supportable, dense storm snow beneath.

Winds were very light this morning from the TH to the summit. Soft surfaces without wind texture extended all the way to above treeline terrain.

No obvious signs of instability were noted today. It feels like the snowpack is settling down.

Weather and forecast thoughts:

Today cold temps and cloudy skies will prevail across the region with a few snow showers developing from late morning through the afternoon. New snowfall amounts should be less than an inch in mountain communities up to a couple inches in the backcountry. Tonight will be cold and cloudy with stray showers passing through. Little accumulation can be expected tonight. Temps today will range from the low to mid 30’s around lake level to low to mid 20’s in the mountains above 8000′.

Weather the rest of the week will be similar to today with chances of snow showers each day and seasonably cold temps in the 20s and 30s. Temps. cool off a degree or two Weds. – Fri with another impulse of energy passing through late in the work week with the potential to drop a few more inches of cold snow on the mountains. Winds look to remain light.

A large scale trough of low pressure in the wake of the weekend storm is slowly moving W to E across our region. The trough allows small surface low pressure systems to drop in from the N and W generating instability and a few snow showers as they pass. Additionally, each wave will bring a modest reinforcement of cold air. Expect this pattern to keep backcountry snow conditions in excellent shape through the work week.

As the trough progresses east at the end of the week, a final shot of light snow and cold air will drop in late Thurs./Fri. before a ridge of high pressure begins building for the weekend and next week. The ridge will deflect Pacific storms to the N and S of the Sierra and modestly warm temps. This weekend could be sunny and bluebird.

Models indicate the ridge of high pressure holding on for next week keeping our weather fairly quiet.

Get it while you can.