Administrators NorthGeorgiaWX Posted January 3 Administrators Share Posted January 3 MD 0001 CONCERNING HEAVY SNOW FOR THE SIERRA NEVADA...FROM WEST OF TAHOE INTO AREAS SOUTHEAST OF YOSEMITE Mesoscale Discussion 0001 NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0926 PM CST Tue Jan 02 2024 Areas affected...the Sierra Nevada...from west of Tahoe into areas southeast of Yosemite Concerning...Heavy snow Valid 030326Z - 030800Z SUMMARY...Heavy snow rates in excess of 2 inches per hour may begin impacting the I-80 corridor west of Tahoe by 9-10 PM PST, if not earlier, before developing southward along the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, across and southeast of Yosemite by midnight-1 AM PST. DISCUSSION...Cloud tops have been cooling the past few hours, inland of the San Francisco Bay area toward the Sierra Nevada to the west of Tahoe. This is occurring downstream of a vigorous short wave trough, which is forecast to continue gradually pivoting across and inland of the central California coast through 06-09Z., accompanied by considerable further strengthening of large-scale ascent. Models indicate that strongest lift will focus along a frontal zone already in the process of advancing inland, south/east of the Bay area and into the northern Sierra Nevada, and within an increasing upslope flow component across the western slopes of the northern into southern Sierra Nevada by late evening. Coupled with saturating thermodynanmic profiles, including precipitable water in excess of .4 to .5 inches, strengthening lift through through mid-levels with favorable cold temperatures for large dendritic ice crystal growth (roughly between 700-600 mb in forecast soundings) appears likely to yield intensifying snow rates. By 05-06Z, if not before, guidance generally indicates that this may include rates in excess of 2 inches per hour near the Interstate 80 corridor, where cold advection may result in snow levels falling to near or below 4000 feet. As the strengthening lift develops southward along the mountains into and southeast of the Yosemite vicinity through 08-09Z, snow levels are likely to be higher (on the order of 4500 to 5000+ feet), at least initially, before gradually falling overnight. However, somewhat higher moisture content may support heavier peak rates approaching or exceeding 3 inches per hour. ..Kerr.. 01/03/2024 ...Please see www.spc.noaa.gov for graphic product... ATTN...WFO...REV...HNX...STO... LAT...LON 39282034 38832002 38131950 37361936 37671975 38162027 38772070 39082082 39282034 Read more View the full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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