Atmosphere Comparison

[Jim]

The endless chatter of weather.

[azbackpackr]

Sounds great to me!

[Jim]

I miss a good strong northern Arizona snow storm! Maybe we will get one this week! The last few weeks gloom fest of rain and ice doesn't count.

A STRONG AND VERY COLD STORM SYSTEM WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE WESTERN
UNITED STATES WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. ON WEDNESDAY...
PRECIPITATION WILL BEGIN IN WESTERN AZ EARLY IN THE DAY AND SPREAD
EASTWARD AS AN INITIAL SHORTWAVE FEATURE EMBEDDED IN THE DEEPENING
LARGE SCALE TROUGH CROSSES THE STATE. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY
SNOW LEVELS AROUND 5000 FEET AND STRONG SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS
PROMOTING GOOD OROGRAPHIC (UPSLOPE) LIFTING AND WILL LIKELY PRODUCE
A PERIOD OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION ALONG AND SOUTHWEST OF THE SLOPES OF
THE MOGOLLON RIM AND OTHER NORTHERN AZ MOUNTAIN RANGES...AND WILL
POTENTIALLY PRODUCE SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ABOVE 6000 FEET.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY...THE BRUNT OF THE STORM SYSTEM
WILL ARRIVE...WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT POTENTIALLY LOWERING SNOW
LEVELS TO THE YAVAPAI COUNTY VALLEYS. UPPER LEVEL FORCING...FRONTAL
DYNAMICS...AND A CONTINUED STRONG OROGRAPHIC LIFT DUE TO STRONG
SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW WILL PRODUCE ANOTHER PERIOD OF HEAVY
PRECIPITATION. STRONG SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS...VERY COLD
TEMPERATURES...AND POTENTIALLY HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL
CHARACTERIZE THIS PORTION OF THE STORM. PERIODS OF VERY LOW
VISIBILITIES IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE
HIGHER ELEVATIONS...WHILE SNOW ACCUMULATION IS POSSIBLE AT LOW
ELEVATIONS WHERE SNOW IS RARE.

[azbackpackr]

When is it supposed to be over with?

[chumley]

That sounds great too ... perfect weather to come home to!

[big_load]

@chumleyI just saw video from Times Square on WNBC (Channel 4 in NY). There were a handful of pedestrians and a pedicab, no other vehicles of any kind. I was hoping to get out tomorrow, but it may only be on skis.

[skatchkins]

NWS

A VERY COLD STORM SYSTEM WILL IMPACT NORTHERN ARIZONA FROM WEDNESDAY
THROUGH FRIDAY.

MODERATE TO HEAVY PRECIPITATION SHOULD BEGIN WEDNESDAY WITH SNOW
LEVELS NEAR 5000 FEET AND GUSTY WINDS. THE BRUNT OF THE STORM SHOULD
HIT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON INTO THURSDAY AS A POWERFUL COLD FRONT MOVES
ACROSS THE REGION. DURING THIS TIME...HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE
LIKELY...ESPECIALLY OVER THE MOGOLLON RIM...WHITE MOUNTAINS AND YAVAPAI
COUNTY MOUNTAINS. HEAVY SNOWFALL COMBINED WITH STRONG WINDS WILL
PRODUCE HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. SNOW LEVELS WILL DROP
RAPIDLY BEHIND THE FRONT...POSSIBLY TO THE LOWER DESERT FLOOR OF
CENTRAL ARIZONA. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SNOW WILL PUSH EAST OF THE
AREA THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH LINGERING SNOW SHOWERS FOR NORTHERN
ARIZONA.

[chumley]

SNOW LEVELS WILL DROP RAPIDLY BEHIND THE FRONT...POSSIBLY TO THE LOWER DESERT FLOOR OF CENTRAL ARIZONA.

Sounds like great weather to come back to!

I just got my fill of shoveling this morning. 20" here, up to 32" in other parts around the NYC metro. Airports closed until at least 4pm today. Winds are still steady in the 30s with gusts around 50. I saw some reports of winds in the 70s and 80s overnight.

[Jim]

Man, a big snow's a'comin'. 8 to 18 around Flag, and up to 2 feet on the Peaks. This should build the base nicely for the back country. Then, cold and dry expected as it clears out. A nice strong storm. Hopefully it lives up to it's forecast. Maybe another couple of those before the end of January? I could live with that.

[azbackpackr]

I am looking forward to hiking the entire Dutchman Trail in one day, on Sunday, and hope the creeks are running. It should be fun.

[chumley]

I'm looking forward to the snow levels dropping to 2,000 feet. Its always nice to see snow capping Camelback and Squaw Peak. Not to mention the photo opportunities in Cave Creek...

[big_load]

Its always nice to see snow capping Camelback and Squaw Peak.

I've never seen that. I hope somebody gets pictures. We got about a foot yesterday, but the wind blew enough bare spots to impair the skiing.

[chumley]

I've seen it twice. Both times required a little effort as both peaks were also buried in low clouds. I've never climbed them in the snow though, so if I feel like venturing out on Friday morning when its 21 degrees, I might try it!

[Jim]

What a storm, looks like Ski Mt Lemmon might get a good amount. From the Tucson NWS:

SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...14 TO 25 INCHES ABOVE 6000 FEET AND 7 TO
14 INCHES BETWEEN 5000 AND 6000 FEET.

Mt Lemmon is under a Blizzard Warning

[chumley]

Mt Lemmon is a great little ski area when there's good snow. I'm always happy when they get a good dumping. With the forecast as it is it wouldn't surprise me if the ski area got 3+ feet from this one.

[JimmyLyding]

I second the notion that Mount Lemmon Ski Valley is a great place to ski when the snow is good, but only on weekdays because weekends are terrible when the snow is good. Besides that small ski area being jammed the entire mountain is jammed with Tucsonans heading up the Catalina Hwy to play in the snow.
As for the Valley of the Sun (how I miss the sun...) the best place to see snow is on the McDowells. I suspect that Skull Mesa would be a great place to hike to the snow.
We're getting pounded by rain (again) here in the Bay Area, and the Sierras are adding to their already impressive snow pack. Water managers down here are very excited, and so are the sturgeon, salmon, and steelhead. Maybe the local salmon won't go extinct, and maybe the rednecks will stop shooting sea lions. One can only hope.

Snow up to my knee. March 3, 2007.

NO JUGAR EN LA NIEVE! March 16, 2010

[Jim]

Some light snow this morning, maybe 3 inches have fallen on my car. It is odd to me that Mt Lemmon has a forecast total greater than Flagstaff and the Peaks, but I guess that is the luxury you can have when you sit 7000 feet above the desert floor.

[chumley]

I think it's because this storm is taking a more southern track. The White Mtns are expected to get pounded. The point-forecast around Sunrise is showing 30-45"!

[paulhubbard]

Not even a drop of rain yet in Mesa, but they're forecasting snow at 2000' - That means [hopefully] way cool oics of the four peaks area!

[maxpower]

We're getting light snow here in Prescott (5300 feet) and it started around 9:00 AM I believe.

[chumley]

Four Peaks? How about the McDowells, Pinnacle Peak, Usery Pass/Goldfields, Superstitions, White Tanks, Estrellas, South Mtn, Squaw, Camelback, and maybe even the Santans? All are taller than 2000 feet.