"California is in for a prolonged, increasingly wintry stretch, with the biggest mountain snow piling up from late Tuesday through Christmas and then continuing in waves into next weekend. Early in the period, snow levels run high and snow quality is generally poor to fair, but a midweek cooldown drops snow levels into the mid-mountain zone and boosts SLRs for much better powder potential, especially at higher Sierra and Eastern Sierra resorts where totals can reach 56″-100″ (Kirkwood) and 44″-81″ (Mammoth) by Sat night (12/27)."
"Through the weekend into Monday, the pattern is wet and windy with snow levels mostly too high for consistent top-to-bottom quality at many Tahoe and Central Sierra bases. Expect a breezy start, then a more organized push Sunday into Monday with snow levels generally around 8,000-9,000 feet in the Tahoe region, keeping lower elevations prone to denser snow or mixed precipitation while higher terrain accumulates. Any snow that does accumulate during this window will be extremely dense."
"Late Tuesday through Christmas brings the main shift, as cooler air arrives and snow levels drop sharply, turning the midweek storms into the best window for accumulating, higher-quality mountain snow. Snow levels trend down into the 5,000-7,000 feet range by Christmas in the Tahoe and northern Sierra zones, with a similar cooling signal in the Eastern Sierra. As temperatures fall, SLRs climb into the 10-17:1 range in the Eastern Sierra and into the low teens at times around Tahoe, so snow quality improves"
A prolonged wintry stretch will bring the biggest mountain snowfall from late Tuesday through Christmas, then continue in waves into next weekend. Early in the period snow levels remain high and snow quality is poor to fair, with a midweek cooldown expected to lower snow levels into mid-mountain elevations and improve SLRs for better powder, particularly in the higher Sierra and Eastern Sierra. Through the weekend into Monday the pattern turns wet and windy with snow levels around 8,000-9,000 feet, producing dense accumulations at lower elevations and building coverage aloft. Cooler air late Tuesday into Christmas will push snow levels into the 5,000-7,000 foot range and raise SLRs into the low teens to 10-17:1, improving snow quality at many resorts. Forecast totals remain uncertain and may change as storms evolve.
Read at SnowBrains
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