Killer Sunset at The Sisters near Carson Pass
Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney: Crown Jewel of the Pacific Crest Trail
Need a Map? Lost Al near Lost Keys Lake
Emigrant Wilderness under Tropical Thunderstorm, September.
Round Top Lake
Whitebarks and Grizzly Peak in Emigrant Wilderness under Tropical Clouds during September 2013
Lost Keys Lake
 

Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney
Trail Guide, Magazine, & High Sierra Backpacker's Trails and Topics Forums

 


HIGH SIERRA BACKPACKER'S

Calendar

 

February
2018

 

 

Important Seasonal Happenings, Transitions, Events, & Dates
for
High Sierra Backpackers

 

 

Road Conditions, Resupply, Seasonal Transition Concerns, Permit Dates, Weather, Water, and Mosquitoes

 
2018
High Sierra
News
Winter
of
2018
2018
Natural Meltdown
High Sierra
Backpacking
TOPICS
High Sierra
Backpacking
TRAILS
High Sierra
Backpacking
FITNESS
High Sierra
Backpacking
SKILLS

High Sierra
RESUPPLY
High Sierra
PERMITS
High Sierra
WEATHER
High Sierra
Trail
GUIDE
INDEX
High Sierra
Trail
MAPS
INDEX
High Sierra
Trail
MILES
INDEX
Download
FONT

         
2018
High Sierra
Backpacking Calendar

January         February         March         April      May         June

July         August         September         October         November         December

 

INDEX

 

February
2018

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

TRAILHEAD

Summit City Canyon
Summit City Canyon from Mount Reba.

UNMAINTAINED TAHOE TO YOSEMITE TRAIL
Above we see the full length of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail's unmaintained route through Summit City Canyon in the Mokelumne Wilderness laid out at our feet. Note The Sisters in the upper Right hand corner, and Horse Canyon cutting deeply into Summit City Canyon in the upper-middle-left of the image. At the middle-bottom of the image above we can see the stony course of the bottom-end of Summit Creek just above where it enters the North Mokelumne River.

That point is just above where the North Mokelumne Rive begins its passage through its very narrow steep and sheer granite gorge (you gotta read this) just above where it runs past the Enchanted Forest. Below the Enchanted Forest the river runs through an even steeper and deeper cut of the river canyon from the Enchanted Forest to Camp Irene. Camp Irene is where we began this climb to our South up the NW flank of Mount Reba where we get this fantastic view of Summit City Creek's awesome canyon. We can actually see the river-bed rocks cascading down towards Camp Irene in the shot above. See 'em? That's bottom of Summit City Creek just above where it enters the North Mokelumne River.
Below that point we find the steep, deep, and narrow section where the catastrophic Spring Thaw of 1997 pushed up a massive log jam in this bottle-neck of a canyon just above Camp Irene, causing massive destruction in and around the 75 foot deep pool of surging, grinding, smashing timber backed up behind it, which swept away all in its path below it when it finally snapped.

Devastation swept across the landscape and down the river valley which can still be seen and felt today. Less and less each year.

This year's massive rains, snowpack, and thaw activity will further heal those "wounds."

 

UPDATE
Feb 22 2017
This year's vast snowpack may rip the Sierra & most of California a "new one" if present precip trends continue into the rising heat of the Spring Thaw.

Labeled Image

Trail Guide          Map          Miles and Elevations

 

End of January

 

February 2018

January      February       March       April       May       June     July     August     September       October       November       December

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

 

PRECAUTIONS AND OPPORTUNITY
Some backpackers are observing patterns and trajectory of Winter storms and temps to find Hiking Windows into the
Winter Wonderland.

Others are watching the snow activity/pack to determine when the trails will clear enough to begin their Pacific Crest Trail or John Muir Trail backpacking trips.

2018 UPDATE
Weak Snows on the Mountains!

 

 

2018
FULL WINTER CONDITIONS

2018:
WINTER COLD

The Fall Gear has long been stowed or complimented by the heavy Gear of Winter.

 

What's Going On?
See
November 28 of 2017 Report:
FULL WINTER GEAR REQUIRED

 

 

WINTER of 2018

 

 


All
High Sierra Weather Info

 



Latest Daily Snow Depth Summary

Daily Sierra Snowpack % of Normal pdf

Daily Snow-Water & Percent of Average

 

All Precipitation-Snow Data

All Snow Surveys

SWC & Snow Depth

 

 

 

 

Summer of 2018 Backpacking Plans?
Yosemite-Hoover-Desolation
&
John Muir Trail Hikers:

 

Time to
Order Next Year's Permits!

Reserved permits for June 2018 now available from Yosemite, Hoover, and Desolation Wilderness Areas. In other words, Yosemite, Desolation, and Hoover Wilderness Areas all offer advanced reservations about six months ahead of your desired hiking dates.

This means now is the time to get your JMT permit application, along with other popular hikes, into the Man.

Feb 18
Last year, during 2017, at this point in time I was estimating a powerful, potentially catastrophic Spring Thaw.

We had snow along the Sierra Crest through the whole Summer. Again, each year's thaw depends on the Winter snowpack against the profile of Spring temps and precip.

 


All Permits

Yosemite Permits         Desolation Wilderness

 

 

All Snow Information

December
Road News & Status Links

30

 

 

 

End of January

31

 

Big High
Generating Heat

Top

 

 

 

2018
Snowpack:

Percent of Average for
January 31.
(Change since Jan 26.)

N Sierra: 29%
(+2%)

Cen. Sierra: 35%
(+0%)

S Sierra: 21%
(-3%)

Ca State: 30%
(+0%)

Last
Jan 26, 2018

Statewide Summary of Snow Water Content PDF

Next
February 24

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
First "REAL" Winter since the Winter of 2010-2011

 

 

 

 

Top

1

 

Big High
Generating Heat

Unseasonably Warm

 

2018
HIGH SIERRA
--WINTER--
Temp-Snow Check

"Miderm" -long after the 17th* Snow-storm this Fall & Winter.

The last front came across on the 25th of Jan.

Let's check our reporting station snow & temp readings.

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
Jan 25, 2018

A NEW WATER YEAR

N Sierra Reporting Stations On a Map
Scroll over stations for snow & temps. Click for
full report.
"+/- & =" below are changes since last reading.

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Rubicon 7" -9
7618 feet
(16.1 H2O) +.3
53 & 37 +/+

Echo Peak 25" -10
7652 feet
(24.6 H2O) +0
53 & 37 +/+

American-Yuba Watersheds

Carson Pass 26" -7
8388 feet
(12.4" H2O) =.-
51 & 28 +/+

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

Ebbetts Pass 31 "-10
8660 feet
(18.00" H2O) +.5
54 & 33 +/+

Leavitt Lake 61 " -5
(errors)
9602 feet, East Flank
(17.8" H20) +.3
50 & 37 +/+

Marine Base
6748 feet East Flank
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-WIND
xx & xx:
(New readout page sucks... & Tech issues)

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

Deadman Creek
9250 feet, West Flank
000.0 Snow (BAD?)
(18.00" H20) +0.37
(BAD?)
56 & 21 +/+

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

Tuolumne Meadows
8600 feet, West Flank
18.03" Snow -5.96
55 & 15 +/+

Tioga Pass/Dana
9798 feet
25.78" Snow -5.05
--.--" H20) (ERROR?)
(Temps NONE)

Mammoth Mountain Ski

Mono Lake-Owens Basin

Gem Pass
10750 feet
SNO " Depth Suspect
(11.26" H2O) -.13 Suspect Suspect
temps suspect

Mammoth Pass
9500 feet
47.24" Snow -22.96
(14.16" H2O) +.96
57 & 30 +/+

South Lake Cabin
9580 feet, East Flank
(Snow BAD")
(16.0 H2O) = 0.0
56 & 27 +/+

Big Pine Sawmill
10200 feet, East Flank
2.5" Snow -1.8
48 & 23 +/+

Kings River

Bishop Pass
11972 feet
BAD-
BAD

Charlotte Lake
10398 feet, West Flank
TEMPS ONLY

-- & -- BAD
(The coldest station)

Kern Watershed

Upr Tyndall Creek
11441 feet
21.71" Snow -1.15
53 & 29 +/+
(station reporting again!)

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

* We've had more than seventeen fronts come across the Sierra, and periods of spitting snow, but only seventeen fronts of any substance.

 

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2016
Above Average
Warmer Temps
&
Higher Humidity

Not a whole lot of strong weather, despite strong El Nino

 

2

 

Big High
Generating Heat

Unseasonably Warm

 

 

 

 

 

LAST MONTH

NEXT WEEK

 

 

 


 

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top

3

 

Big High
Generating Heat

Unseasonably Warm

Feb 3
Report
Winter of 2018

2018
Snowpack:

Percent of Average for
February 3.
(Change since Jan 31.)

N Sierra: 27%
(-2%)

Cen. Sierra: 30%
(-5%)

S Sierra: 25%
(+4%)

Ca State: 27%
(-3%)

Last
Jan 31, 2018

Statewide Summary of Snow Water Content PDF

 

2017
Snowpack:
Percent of Average for
February 3.

N Sierra: 145%

Cen. Sierra: 174%

S Sierra: 198%

Ca State: 171%

Statewide Summary of Snow Water Content PDF

Last Reading:
Jan. 20, 2017

 

All Snow and Rain Precipitation Forecasts,
&
Snow Depth and/or
Inches of Water

 

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAST MONTH

NEXT WEEK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Current Snowpack:
Percent of Average for
February 3.

N Sierra: 145%

Cen. Sierra: 174%

S Sierra: 198%

 

Ca State: 171%

Statewide Summary of Snow Water Content PDF

Last Reading:
Jan. 20, 2017

Also See
Norms, Accumulations, and Anomalies

 

 

2017
Weak Low & Front Offshore moving North under overcast with light showers.

 

 

Top

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

4

 

Winter of 2018

Big High
Generating Heat

Heat Wave

 

DROUGHT CONDITIONS EMERGE IN MID-WINTER

United States Drought Monitor: West

High Sierra Weather Page
Drought & Flood

 

 

Winter Gear

I typically give a Winter Warning here, but the current HEAT WAVE makes it a bit more important...

Don't get complacent

Standard WARNING:
Be geared for
sub-freezing and sub-zero temps with wind chill

High Sierra Reporting Stations

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2016:
NOT TOO COLD AT ALL.

5

 

 

Big High
Generating Heat

Heat Wave

 

 

View of Sierra on February 5 by the...

MODIS
SIERRA SATELLITE

 

All Sat Views

 

 

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Cloudy & Cool.
Showers & Light Precip continues between Frontlines, PM showers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2016
5
RECORD
AND
NEAR RECORD
HIGH TEMPS

Great
Northeast Pacific Highs
deflecting weak storms OUT OF THE SW around the Sierra.

6

 

 

Big High
Generating Heat

Heat Wave

2018
HIGH SIERRA
--WINTER--
Temp-Snow Check

"Miderm" -long after the 17th* Snow-storm this Fall & Winter.

The last front came across on the 25th of Jan.

Let's check our reporting station snow & temp readings.

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
Feb 1, 2018

A NEW WATER YEAR

N Sierra Reporting Stations On a Map
Scroll over stations for snow & temps. Click for
full report.
"+/- & =" below are changes since last reading.

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Rubicon 7" =0
7618 feet
(16.2 H2O) +.1
54 & 36 +/-

Echo Peak 21" -4
7652 feet
(24.3 H2O) -.1
54 & 35 +/-

American-Yuba Watersheds

Carson Pass 24" -2
8388 feet
(12.6" H2O) +.2
51 & 29 =/+

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

Ebbetts Pass 31" =0
8660 feet
(18.00" H2O) +.5
54 & 33 +/=

Leavitt Lake 60" -1
(errors)
9602 feet, East Flank
(17.7" H20) -.1
48 & 32 =/=

Marine Base
6748 feet East Flank
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-WIND
xx & xx:
(New readout page sucks... & Tech issues)

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

Deadman Creek
9250 feet, West Flank
000.0 Snow (BAD?)
(17.64" H20) -0.36
(BAD?)
52 & 18 -/-

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

Tuolumne Meadows
8600 feet, West Flank
9.61" Snow -8.42
55 & 18 =/+

Tioga Pass/Dana
9798 feet
24.48" Snow -3.3
--.--" H20) (ERROR?)
(Temps NONE)

Mammoth Mountain Ski

Mono Lake-Owens Basin

Gem Pass
10750 feet
SNO " Depth Suspect
(11.18" H2O) -.08 Suspect Suspect
temps suspect

Mammoth Pass
9500 feet
43.9" Snow -3.34
(14.16" H2O) =.00
57 & 27 =/-

South Lake Cabin
9580 feet, East Flank
(Snow BAD")
(16.0 H2O) = 0.0
56 & 24 =/-

Big Pine Sawmill
10200 feet, East Flank
0.2" Snow -2.3
47 & 21 -/-

Kings River

Bishop Pass
11972 feet
BAD-
BAD

Charlotte Lake
10398 feet, West Flank
TEMPS ONLY

-- & -- BAD
(The coldest station)

Kern Watershed

Upr Tyndall Creek
11441 feet
20.88" Snow -0.83
48 & 27 -/-
(station reporting again!)

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

* We've had more than seventeen fronts come across the Sierra, and periods of spitting snow, but only seventeen fronts of any substance.

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

 

 

 

 

2017
Steady Showers, warm

 

Top

7

 

 

Big High
Generating Heat

Unseasonably Warm

All Temperatures

Graphical Interface

 

 

 

 

 

All Snow Data

Surface Low Pressure Tracks

 

Selected Resources

Radar

Visible Satellites

Water Vapor Satellites

 

MAPS

 

Sierra Forecasts

Western US Forecasts

 

Precip Animation & Charts

Graphical Precip Forecast

 

All Sierra Snow Info

Sierra Sensor Networks

 

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

High Sierra Highways

 

All Weather Information

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Snow & Temp Report

 

 

 

Top

8

 

 

Big High
Generating Heat

Unseasonably Warm

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
PM:
Big Tropical Flow out of
SW hits the Coast of Ca.

PM:
Raining across
Sierra Crest
Most stations above freezing to 40 degrees

ALL STORMS THIS SEASON HAVE COME OUT OF THE WEST & SOUTHWEST: Warm Storms...

Oroville Dam Crisis News

2017
No information about a 2017 ADZPCTKO

2017
La Nina looks ended by this date.

ADZPCTKO
"PLANNING STAGES"
2016

NONE IN 2016

TWO EVENTS
IN
2015
April 22-24
April 24-26

9

 



Big High
Generating Heat

Unseasonably Warm

All Snow Information

 

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
AM:
Rain & Snow across
Sierra Crest

AM:
Most stations above freezing & below 40 degrees

 

Top

 

 

 

2016
Record Level Temps

High Heat and Humidity...

Plum and Cherry trees blossoming at Sea Level.

10

 

 

Big High
Generating Heat

Cooler, but Warm

2018
HIGH SIERRA
--WINTER--
Temp-Snow Check

"Miderm" -long after the 17th* Snow-storm this Fall & Winter.

The last front came across on the 25th of Jan.

Let's check our reporting station snow & temp readings.

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
Feb 1, 2018

A NEW WATER YEAR

N Sierra Reporting Stations On a Map
Scroll over stations for snow & temps. Click for
full report.
"+/- & =" below are changes since last reading.

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Rubicon 5" -2
7618 feet
(16.1 H2O) -.1
52 & 38 -/+

Echo Peak 21" =0
7652 feet
(24.6 H2O) +.3
55 & 38 +/+

American-Yuba Watersheds

Carson Pass 26" +2
8388 feet
(12.4" H2O) -.2
53 & 31 +/+

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

Ebbetts Pass 30" -1
8660 feet
(17.9" H2O) -.1
56 & 35 +/+

Leavitt Lake 59" -1
(errors)
9602 feet, East Flank
(17.7" H20) =.0
51 & 36 +/+

Marine Base
6748 feet East Flank
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-WIND
xx & xx:
(New readout page sucks... & Tech issues)

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

Deadman Creek
9250 feet, West Flank
000.0 Snow (BAD?)
(17.64" H20) =.0
(BAD?)
55 & 34 +/+

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

Tuolumne Meadows
8600 feet, West Flank
9.61" Snow -2.42
54 & 21 -/+

Tioga Pass/Dana
9798 feet
23.06" Snow -1.42
--.--" H20) (ERROR?)
(Temps NONE)

Mammoth Mountain Ski

Mono Lake-Owens Basin

Gem Pass
10750 feet
SNO " Depth Suspect
(11.32" H2O) -.14 Suspect Suspect
temps suspect

Mammoth Pass
9500 feet
42.38" Snow -1.52
(14.16" H2O) =.00
58 & 29 +/+

South Lake Cabin
9580 feet, East Flank
(Snow BAD")
(16.0 H2O) = 0.0
58 & 32 +/+

Big Pine Sawmill
10200 feet, East Flank
2.1" Snow +1.9
48 & 29 +/+

Kings River

Bishop Pass
11972 feet
BAD-
BAD

Charlotte Lake
10398 feet, West Flank
TEMPS ONLY

-- & -- BAD
(The coldest station)

Kern Watershed

Upr Tyndall Creek
11441 feet
20.52" Snow -0.36
48 & 30 =/+
(station reporting again!)

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

* We've had more than seventeen fronts come across the Sierra, and periods of spitting snow, but only seventeen fronts of any substance.

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

All Sierra Forecast Zones

All Precip Forecasts

2017
Snow & Temp Repor
t

 

2017
Clearing & Drying After nine days of various degrees of precip...

Top

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

11

Winter of 2018

High Pressure Heatwave Broken-Weakened
HIGH PRESSURE ZONE MOVES NORTHWEST:
A weak Low dragging a weak Cold Front tracked Southeast around this High's Northern end, and down its Norheast flank, finally bringing cloud cover and very light precip to the Sierra with the front, and cold air coming in behind the Cold Front.

Temps down about ten degrees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Clear & Drying, High Building

12

Offshore High
Weak Cold Front Passing

Much Cooler, light Clouds Clearing

COLD
Nights

 

2018
Snowpack:

Percent of Average for
February 12.
(Change since Feb 3.)

N Sierra: 17%
(-10%)

Cen. Sierra: 24%
(-7%)

S Sierra: 17%
(-10%)

Ca State: 17%
(-13%)

Last
Feb 3, 2018

Statewide Summary of Snow Water Content PDF

 

 

2018
HIGH SIERRA
--WINTER--
Temp-Snow Check

"Miderm" after-during the 18th* Front-"storm" this Fall & Winter.

The last front came across on the 11th of Feb-today.

Let's check our reporting station snow & temp readings.

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
Feb 10, 2018

A NEW WATER YEAR

N Sierra Reporting Stations On a Map
Scroll over stations for snow & temps. Click for
full report.
South Sierra Stations

"+/- & =" below are changes since last reading.

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Rubicon 8" +3
7618 feet
(16.1 H2O) =.0
43 & 22 -/-

Echo Peak 22" +1
7652 feet
(24.9 H2O) +.3
43 & 21 -/-

American-Yuba Watersheds

Carson Pass 28" +2
8388 feet
(12.4" H2O) =.0
39 & 17 -/-

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

Ebbetts Pass 36" +6
8660 feet
(17.9" H2O) =.0
39 & 17 -/-

Leavitt Lake 61" +2
(errors)
9602 feet, East Flank
(17.7" H20) =.0
35 & 18 +/+

Marine Base
6748 feet East Flank
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-WIND
xx & xx:
(New readout page sucks... & Tech issues)

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

Deadman Creek
9250 feet, West Flank
000.0 Snow (BAD?)
(17.52" H20) -.12
(BAD?)
39 & 13 -/-

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

Tuolumne Meadows
8600 feet, West Flank
5.66" Snow -3.95
40 & 15 -/+

Tioga Pass/Dana
9798 feet
23.35" Snow +.29
--.--" H20) (ERROR?)
(Temps NONE)

Mammoth Mountain Ski

Mono Lake-Owens Basin

Gem Pass
10750 feet
SNO " Depth Suspect
(11.22" H2O) -.1 Suspect Suspect
temps suspect

Mammoth Pass
9500 feet
38.84" Snow -3.54
(14.16" H2O) =.00
41 & 16 -/-

South Lake Cabin
9580 feet, East Flank
(Snow BAD")
(16.0 H2O) = 0.0
42 & 17 -/-

Big Pine Sawmill
10200 feet, East Flank
3.8" Snow +1.7
36 & 13 -/-

Kings River

Bishop Pass
11972 feet
BAD-
BAD

Charlotte Lake
10398 feet, West Flank
TEMPS ONLY

-- & -- BAD
(The coldest station)

Kern Watershed

Upr Tyndall Creek
11441 feet
19.99" Snow -0.53
18 & 8 -/-
(station reporting again!)

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

* We've had more than eighteen fronts come across the Sierra, and periods of spitting snow, but only seventeen fronts of any substance.

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

All Sierra Forecast Zones

All Precip Forecasts

 

 

 

2017
High moving South and East,
Overcast & Dry

Oroville Dam Crisis News

Last Day
2016
CCC
Backcountry Trail Crew
Applications due

 

 

Top

13

High Building Back-In
over
West Coast of USA

High moving Southeast
into blocking position

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
High Overcast, Altocumulus leading edge (?), & High Pressure Zone dropping South, Dry

Oroville Dam Crisis News

Oroville predicted to see 7.6 inches of precip next 7 days.

All Precip Forecasts, Averages, & Anomalies.

California Major Reservoir current and historical levels

2017
Plum and Cherry trees blossoming at Sea Level.

14

Valentine's Day

Big High
--Clear Days-Cold Nights--

 

COLD
Nights

 

View of Sierra on February 14 by the...

MODIS
SIERRA SATELLITE

 

All Sat Views

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Clear and Warming.

 


15

 

Big High
--Clear Days-Cold Nights--

MAPS

 

2017
Snow & Temp Report

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Snow & Temp Report

16

 

Big High
--Clear Days-Cold Nights--

 

2015 CHANGE POINT

 

All Snow Data

Surface Low Pressure Tracks

 

Selected Resources

Radar

Visible Satellites

Water Vapor Satellites

 

MAPS

 

Sierra Forecasts

Western US Forecasts

 

Precip Animation & Charts

Graphical Precip Forecast

 

All Sierra Snow Info

Sierra Sensor Networks

 

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

High Sierra Highways

 

 

 

All Weather Information

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
NOTE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2015 CHANGE POINT

17

Yosemite Firefall

Big High Moving
Offshore
-Clear Days-Cold Nights-

POLAR VORTEX SPLITS

MAPS

Winter of 2018

Weak Cold Front Approaches

COLD
WARNING

NATIONAL HAZARD MAP

 

ALL HIGH SIERRA FORECASTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Constant precip from light to moderate intensity. Except SoCal & S Sierra. They got pounded.

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

18

 

Big High Moving
Offshore
-Clear Days-Cold Nights-

Weak Low & Cold Front Approaches
Sat View

MAPS

 

 

COLD
WARNING

NATIONAL HAZARD MAP

 

 

ALL HIGH SIERRA FORECASTS

 

 

2017
Snow & Temp Report

 

2018
HIGH SIERRA
--WINTER--
Temp-Snow Check

"Miderm" after the 18th* Front-"storm" this Fall & Winter.

The last front came across on the 11th of Feb.

Let's check our reporting station snow & temp readings.

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
Feb 12, 2018

A NEW WATER YEAR

N Sierra Reporting Stations On a Map
Scroll over stations for snow & temps. Click for
full report.
South Sierra Stations

"+/- & =" below are changes since last reading.

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Rubicon 6" -2
7618 feet
(16.2 H2O) +.1
50 & 33 +/+

Echo Peak 21" -1
7652 feet
(24.9 H2O) =.0
52 & 33 +/+

American-Yuba Watersheds

Carson Pass 25" -3
8388 feet
(12.8" H2O) +.4
49 & 27 +/+

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

Ebbetts Pass 31" -5
8660 feet
(18.3" H2O) +.4
50 & 32 +/+

Leavitt Lake 61" =0
(errors)
9602 feet, East Flank
(17.9" H20) +.2
45 & 32 +/+

Marine Base
6748 feet East Flank
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-WIND
xx & xx:
(New readout page sucks... & Tech issues)

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

Deadman Creek
9250 feet, West Flank
000.0 Snow (BAD?)
(17.76" H20) +.24
(BAD?)
46 & 25 +/+

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

Tuolumne Meadows
8600 feet, West Flank
5.19" Snow -.47
53 & 21 +/+

Tioga Pass/Dana
9798 feet
24.57" Snow +1.22
--.--" H20) (ERROR?)
(Temps NONE)

Mammoth Mountain Ski

Mono Lake-Owens Basin

Gem Pass
10750 feet
SNO " Depth Suspect
(11.73" H2O) +.51 Suspect Suspect
temps suspect

Mammoth Pass
9500 feet
39.49" Snow +0.65
(14.36" H2O) +.20
52 & 24 +/+

South Lake Cabin
9580 feet, East Flank
(Snow BAD")
(16.1 H2O) + 0.1
51 & 29 +/+

Big Pine Sawmill
10200 feet, East Flank
2.83" Snow -1.5
43 & 26 +/+

Kings River

Bishop Pass
11972 feet
BAD-
BAD

Charlotte Lake
10398 feet, West Flank
TEMPS ONLY

-- & -- BAD
(The coldest station)

Kern Watershed

Upr Tyndall Creek
11441 feet
19.99" Snow +2.41
45 & 22 +/+
(station reporting again!)

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

* We've had more than eighteen fronts come across the Sierra, and periods of spitting snow, but only eighteen fronts of any substance.

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

All Sierra Forecast Zones

All Precip Forecasts

 

 

 

2017
Snow & Temp Report

 

19

President's Day

Weak Front
&
Low Passed
Cloudy to Clearing

Maybe 6" on the Crest

Low Overnight Temps

 

Winter of 2018


COLD
WARNING

 

2017

Yosemite Natural Firefall

History of,...

History
Tourist Fire Version

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Constant precip from light to moderate intensity.

Soil Saturation and rivers and creeks at high levels.

The Spring Thaw is going to be a MESS.

 

Yosemite Natural Firefall

History of,...

History
Tourist Fire Version

 

 

 

 

Top

20

 

Between Weak Fronts/Lows
Cloudy to Clearing

 

 

 

 

 

 

COLD
WARNING

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


2018
HIGH SIERRA
--WINTER--
Temp-Snow Check

Between Fronts after the 19th* weak Front-"storm" this Fall & Winter, before 19th.

The last front came across on the 19th of Feb.

Let's check our reporting station snow & temp readings.

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
Feb 18, 2018

A NEW WATER YEAR

N Sierra Reporting Stations On a Map
Scroll over stations for snow & temps. Click for
full report.
South Sierra Stations

"+/- & =" below are changes since last reading.

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Rubicon 8" +2
7618 feet
(16.3 H2O) +.1
19 & 10 -/-

Echo Peak 24" +3
7652 feet
(25.5 H2O) +.6
22 & 9 -/-

American-Yuba Watersheds

Carson Pass 28" +3
8388 feet
(12.7" H2O) -.1
19 & 2 -/-

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

Ebbetts Pass 33" +3
8660 feet
(18.5" H2O) +.2
20 & 2 -/-

Leavitt Lake 64" +3
(errors)
9602 feet, East Flank
(18.5" H20) +.6
13 & -1 -/-

Marine Base
6748 feet East Flank
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-WIND
xx & xx:
(New readout page sucks... & Tech issues)

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

Deadman Creek
9250 feet, West Flank
000.0 Snow (BAD?)
(17.64" H20) -.12
(BAD?)
15 & -13 -/-

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

Tuolumne Meadows
8600 feet, West Flank
5.53" Snow +.34
18 & -13 -/-

Tioga Pass/Dana
9798 feet
26.38" Snow +1.81
--.--" H20) (ERROR?)
(Temps NONE)

Mammoth Mountain Ski

Mono Lake-Owens Basin

Gem Pass
10750 feet
SNO " Depth Suspect
(11.85" H2O) +.12 Suspect Suspect
temps suspect

Mammoth Pass
9500 feet
40.65" Snow +1.16
(14.36" H2O) =.00
18 & -6 -/-

South Lake Cabin
9580 feet, East Flank
(Snow BAD")
(16.1 H2O) = 0.0
26 & -6 -/-

Big Pine Sawmill
10200 feet, East Flank
1.5" Snow -1.33
18 & -11 -/-

Kings River

Bishop Pass
11972 feet
BAD-
BAD

Charlotte Lake
10398 feet, West Flank
TEMPS ONLY

-- & -- BAD
(The coldest station)

Kern Watershed

Upr Tyndall Creek
11441 feet
22.82" Snow +2.83
14 & -8 -/-
(station reporting again!)

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

* We've had more than nineteen fronts come across the Sierra, and periods of spitting snow, but only nineteen fronts of any substance.

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

All Sierra Forecast Zones

All Precip Forecasts

 

 

 

2017
Constant precip from light to moderate intensity, diminishing.

BACKPACKER ALERT
February 20, 2017

 

PCT PLANS/START TIMES GOING TO BE ADJUSTED FOR
HEAVY SNOW
&
DANGEROUS THAW CONDITIONS THIS YEAR.

 

21

 

Between Weak Fronts/Lows
Clearing to Cloudy

Front Arrives this Evening

 

 

Top

 

COLD
WARNING

 

2018

Yosemite Firefall

 

 

 

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Steady light precip, diminishing.

 

News of Note
Feb 2017:
Record Precip

Record Snopack

State fully saturated

Oroville Dam Crisis

 

22

 

Weak Front
&
Low
Passed/Passing

Little Precip last Overnight, Much Cold

Cold Snowing all day long

 

Winter of 2018

 

 

COLD
WARNING

Cold Snowing all day long

OUR OWN POLAR VORTEX

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

 

 

 

 

2018
HIGH SIERRA
--WINTER--
Temp-Snow Check

Tail end of the 20th* weak Front-"storm" this Fall & Winter, before this.

The last fronts before this came across on the 19th of Feb.

Let's check our reporting station snow & temp readings.

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
Feb 20, 2018

A NEW WATER YEAR

N Sierra Reporting Stations On a Map
Scroll over stations for snow & temps. Click for
full report.
South Sierra Stations

"+/- & =" below are changes since last reading.

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Rubicon 13" +5
7618 feet
(16.4 H2O) +.1
28 & 12 +/+

Echo Peak 36 " +12
7652 feet
(25.8 H2O) +.3
31 & 10 +/+

American-Yuba Watersheds

Carson Pass 34" +6
8388 feet
(13.1" H2O) +.4
29 & 2 +/=

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

Ebbetts Pass 42 " +9
8660 feet
(18.8" H2O) +.3
29 & 5 +/+

Leavitt Lake 72 " +8
(errors)
9602 feet, East Flank
(18.5" H20) +.=
23 & 4 +/+

Marine Base
6748 feet East Flank
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-WIND
xx & xx:
(New readout page sucks... & Tech issues)

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

Deadman Creek
9250 feet, West Flank
000.0 Snow (BAD?)
(18.12" H20) +.48
(BAD?)
23 & 4 +/+

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

Tuolumne Meadows
8600 feet, West Flank
8.72" Snow +3.19
24 & 0 +/+

Tioga Pass/Dana
9798 feet
32.61" Snow +6.23
--.--" H20) (ERROR?)
(Temps NONE)

Mammoth Mountain Ski

Mono Lake-Owens Basin

Gem Pass
10750 feet
SNO " Depth Suspect
(11.97" H2O) +.12 Suspect Suspect
temps suspect

Mammoth Pass
9500 feet
00.00" Snow ERROR
(14.64" H2O) +.28
21 & 8 +/+

South Lake Cabin
9580 feet, East Flank
(Snow BAD")
(16.1 H2O) = 0.0
18 & 0 -/+

Big Pine Sawmill
10200 feet, East Flank
3.1" Snow +1.6
15 & -5 -/+

Kings River

Bishop Pass
11972 feet
BAD-
BAD

Charlotte Lake
10398 feet, West Flank
TEMPS ONLY

-- & -- BAD
(The coldest station)

Kern Watershed

Upr Tyndall Creek
11441 feet
24.24" Snow +1.42
12 & -1 -/+
(station reporting again!)

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

* We've had more than twenty fronts come across the Sierra, and periods of spitting snow, but only twenty fronts of any substance.

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

All Sierra Forecast Zones

All Precip Forecasts

 

 

 

2017
Clearing and Cooling, High Building in Gulf Alaska.

 

2017
Snow & Temp Report

23

 

Weak Front
&
Low
Passed/Passing

Little Precip Overnight, Much Cold

Clearing

Daytime snowing clearing

 

 

COLD
WARNING

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


2018
HIGH SIERRA
--WINTER--
Temp-Snow Check

Tail end of the 20th* weak Front-"storm" this Fall & Winter, before this.

The last fronts before this incident came across on the 19th of Feb.

Let's check our reporting station snow & temp readings.

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
Feb 22, 2018

A NEW WATER YEAR

N Sierra Reporting Stations On a Map
Scroll over stations for snow & temps. Click for
full report.
South Sierra Stations

"+/- & =" below are changes since last reading.

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Rubicon 11" -2
7618 feet
(16.4 H2O) +.0
20 & 10 -/-

Echo Peak 33 " -3
7652 feet
(--.- H2O) +.0
19 & 9 -/-

American-Yuba Watersheds

Carson Pass 32" -2
8388 feet
(13.0" H2O) -.1
19 & 4 -/+

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

Ebbetts Pass 40 " -2
8660 feet
(19.0" H2O) +.2
17 & 6 -/+

Leavitt Lake 70 " -2
(errors)
9602 feet, East Flank
(19.0" H20) +.5
13 & 3 -/-

Marine Base
6748 feet East Flank
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-WIND
xx & xx:
(New readout page sucks... & Tech issues)

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

Deadman Creek
9250 feet, West Flank
000.0 Snow (BAD?)
(18.00" H20) -.12
(BAD?)
14 & -14 -/-

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

Tuolumne Meadows
8600 feet, West Flank
-.--" Snow error
26 & -3 +/-

Tioga Pass/Dana
9798 feet
30.94" Snow -1.67
--.--" H20) (ERROR?)
(Temps NONE)

Mammoth Mountain Ski

Mono Lake-Owens Basin

Gem Pass
10750 feet
SNO " Depth Suspect
(12.01" H2O) +.04 Suspect Suspect
temps suspect

Mammoth Pass
9500 feet
00.00" Snow ERROR
(14.92" H2O) +.28
17 & 4 -/-

South Lake Cabin
9580 feet, East Flank
(Snow BAD")
(16.1 H2O) = 0.0
20 & -2 +/-

Big Pine Sawmill
10200 feet, East Flank
2.5" Snow -.6
12 & -6 -/-

Kings River

Bishop Pass
11972 feet
BAD-
BAD

Charlotte Lake
10398 feet, West Flank
TEMPS ONLY

-- & -- BAD
(The coldest station)

Kern Watershed

Upr Tyndall Creek
11441 feet
24.24" Snow +1.42
11 & -4 -/-
(station reporting again!)

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

* We've had more than twenty fronts come across the Sierra, and periods of spitting snow, but only twenty fronts of any substance.

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

All Sierra Forecast Zones

All Precip Forecasts

 

 

2017
Clearing and Cool. High Building in Gulf Alaska.

This Winter is very much different from last year's Winter:

 

 

 

2016
Carson Pass
53 & 28 degrees 26 inches

Ebbetts Pass
54 & 33 degrees 63 inches

Sonora Pass
53 & 27 degrees 55 inches

Tuolumne Meadows
55 & 14 degrees 51 inches

NOTE

Top

24

 

Clear & Cold
Afternoon Cold Clouds

 

COLD
WARNING

 

SERIOUS COLD SNAP

 

All Sierra Temps

All Snow Data

Surface Low Pressure Tracks

 

 

2018
Snowpack:

Percent of Average for
February 22.
(Change since Feb 12.)

N Sierra: 17%
(=)

Cen. Sierra: 23%
(-1%)

S Sierra: 19%
(+2%)

Ca State: 19%
(+2%)

Last
Feb 12, 2018

Statewide Summary of Snow Water Content PDF

Next
March 1

 

 

Selected
Weather Resources

Radar

Visible Satellites

Water Vapor Satellites

 

MAPS

 

Sierra Forecasts

Western US Forecasts

 

Precip Animation & Charts

Graphical Precip Forecast

 

All Sierra Snow Info

Sierra Sensor Networks

 

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

High Sierra Highways

 

All Weather Information

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Clear and Cool. High Building in Gulf Alaska.

COLD WARNING

 

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

25

 

Clear & Cold
WEAK FRONT APPROACHES
Afternoon Cold Clouds
&
Light Precip

 

 

 

COLD
WARNING

Still Cold, but not as Cold

SERIOUS COLD SNAP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2018
HIGH SIERRA
--WINTER--
Temp-Snow Check

After the 20th* weak Front-"storm" this Fall & Winter, before this.

The last fronts before this impending incident came across on the 23rd of Feb.

Let's check our reporting station snow & temp readings.

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
Feb 23, 2018

A NEW WATER YEAR

N Sierra Reporting Stations On a Map
Scroll over stations for snow & temps. Click for
full report.
South Sierra Stations

"+/- & =" below are changes since last reading.

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Rubicon 9" -2
7618 feet
(16.8 H2O) +.4
26 & 17 +/+

Echo Peak 27 " -6
7652 feet
(26.6 ?H2O) +.0
26 & 15 +/+

American-Yuba Watersheds

Carson Pass 28" -4
8388 feet
(13.0" H2O) -.1
26 & 8 +/+

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

Ebbetts Pass 35 " -5
8660 feet
(19.3" H2O) +.3
26 & 12 +/+

Leavitt Lake 68 " -2
(errors)
9602 feet, East Flank
(19.3" H20) +.3
23 & 8 +/+

Marine Base
6748 feet East Flank
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-WIND
xx & xx:
(New readout page sucks... & Tech issues)

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

Deadman Creek
9250 feet, West Flank
000.0 Snow (BAD?)
(18.60" ?H20) +.6
(BAD?)
40 & 5 +/+

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

Tenaya Lake 19.71"
8163 feet, West Flank
(12.32") ?H20 +.0
40 & 3

Tuolumne Meadows
8600 feet, West Flank
8.53"
40 & -2 +/+

Tioga Pass/Dana
9798 feet
29.61" Snow -1.33
--.--" H20) (ERROR?)
(Temps NONE)

Mammoth Mountain Ski

Mono Lake-Owens Basin

Gem Pass
10750 feet
SNO " Depth Suspect
(11.89" H2O) -.12 Suspect Suspect
temps suspect

Mammoth Pass
9500 feet
50.23" Snow
(15.56" H2O) +.64
42 & 8 +/+

South Lake Cabin
9580 feet, East Flank
(Snow BAD")
(16.1 H2O) = 0.0
40 & 9 +/+

Big Pine Sawmill
10200 feet, East Flank
3.1" Snow +.6
37 & 19 +/+

Kings River

Bishop Pass
11972 feet
BAD-
BAD

Charlotte Lake
10398 feet, West Flank
TEMPS ONLY

-- & -- BAD
(The coldest station)

Kern Watershed

Upr Tyndall Creek
11441 feet
24.24" Snow +1.42
37 & 14 +/+
(station reporting again!)

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

* We've had more than twenty fronts come across the Sierra, and periods of spitting snow, but only twenty fronts of any substance.

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

All Sierra Forecast Zones

All Precip Forecasts

 

 

 

 

2017
Snow & Temp Report

 

2017
Clear and Cool. High Building in Gulf Alaska.

COLD STORM WARNING

26

 

WEAK FRONT PASSING
Cold Clouds
&
Light Precip

 

 

Winter of 2018
latest Reports

 

 

COLD
WARNING

Still Cold, but not as Cold in the N Sierra, Colder in the South!

 

 

All Sierra Temps

All Snow Data

Surface Low Pressure Tracks

 

 

 

 

2018
HIGH SIERRA
--WINTER--
Temp-Snow Check

During the 21st* weak Front-"storm" this Fall & Winter.

The last fronts before this incident came across on the 23rd of Feb.

Let's check our reporting station snow & temp readings.

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
Feb 25, 2018

A NEW WATER YEAR

N Sierra Reporting Stations On a Map
Scroll over stations for snow & temps. Click for
full report.
South Sierra Stations

"+/- & =" below are changes since last reading.

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Rubicon 17" +8
7618 feet
(17.1 H2O) +.3
38 & 17 +/=

Echo Peak 37 " +10
7652 feet
(26.6 ?H2O) +.0
38 & 15 +/=

American-Yuba Watersheds

Carson Pass 38" +10
8388 feet
(14.0" H2O) +1.0
36 & 11 +/+

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

Ebbetts Pass 40 " +5
8660 feet
(19.7" H2O) +.4
39 & 11 +/-

Leavitt Lake 70 " +2
(errors)
9602 feet, East Flank
(19.3" H20) +.3
34 & 9 +/+

Marine Base
6748 feet East Flank
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-WIND
xx & xx:
(New readout page sucks... & Tech issues)

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

Deadman Creek
9250 feet, West Flank
000.0 Snow (BAD?)
(18.40" ?H20) -.2
(BAD?)
29 & 13 -/+

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

Tenaya Lake 18.96" -.75
8163 feet, West Flank
(12.32") ?H20 +.0
29 & 12 -/+

Tuolumne Meadows
8600 feet, West Flank
9.02" +.49
29 & 6 -/+

Tioga Pass/Dana
9798 feet
29.91" Snow +.3
--.--" H20) (ERROR?)
(Temps NONE)

Mammoth Mountain Ski

Mono Lake-Owens Basin

Gem Pass
10750 feet
SNO " Depth Suspect
(11.95" H2O) +.06 Suspect Suspect
temps suspect

Mammoth Pass
9500 feet
50.99" Snow +.76
(15.56" H2O) =.00
34 & 14 -/+

South Lake Cabin
9580 feet, East Flank
(Snow BAD")
(16.1 H2O) = 0.0
27 & 17 -/+

Big Pine Sawmill
10200 feet, East Flank
1.6" Snow -1.5
26 & 13 -/-

Kings River

Bishop Pass
11972 feet
BAD-
BAD

Charlotte Lake
10398 feet, West Flank
TEMPS ONLY

-- & -- BAD
(The coldest station)

Kern Watershed

Upr Tyndall Creek
11441 feet
23.95" Snow -.29
27 & 11 -/-
(station reporting again!)

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

* We've had more than twenty-one fronts come across the Sierra, and periods of spitting snow, but only twenty fronts of any substance.

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

All Sierra Forecast Zones

All Precip Forecasts

 

 


 

 

 

 

2017
Cear and Cool to Cold.

COLD STORM WARNING

We are entering a very much needed gap in the series of storms out of the Southwest that have dominated the last three month's weather.

27

 

WEAK FRONT PASSING
Cold Clouds to CLEAR
with
Light Precip

Altitude Weather in Sierra

COLD
WARNING

Getting real Cold tonight

 

High Configuration & Performance is acting like a
CLASSIC WINTER
STORMGATE

FINALLY!

 

 

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2017
Clear and Cool to Cold.

Fierce T-Storm activity off NE Indonisia lofting huge plumes of Hot Tropical Moisture.

Watch the Tropical Weather

These are being deflected to S of Sierra by Big High in Gulf Alaska, moving South.

 

28

 

BETWEEN FRONTS
Cold Clouds to CLEAR

Stronger
Cold Northern Front
Approaches

Arrived Evening-Time

COLD
WARNING

STORM WARNINGS

NATIONAL HAZARD MAP

ALL HIGH SIERRA FORECASTS

 

 

Surface Low Pressure Tracks

 

Winter of 2018
latest Reports

 

 

2018
HIGH SIERRA
--WINTER--
Temp-Snow Check

After the 21st* Front-"storm" this Fall & Winter.

The last fronts before this incident came across on the 26th of Feb.

Let's check our reporting station snow & temp readings.

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
Feb 26, 2018

A NEW WATER YEAR

N Sierra Reporting Stations On a Map
Scroll over stations for snow & temps. Click for
full report.
South Sierra Stations

"+/- & =" below are changes since last reading.

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Rubicon 14" -3
7618 feet
(17.4 H2O) +.3
26 & 14 -/-

Echo Peak 31 " -6
7652 feet
(26.5 ?H2O) -.1
30 & 13 -/-

American-Yuba Watersheds

Carson Pass 36" -2
8388 feet
(14.2" H2O) +.2
25 & 10 -/-

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

Ebbetts Pass 47 " +7
8660 feet
(20.5" H2O) +.8
26 & 9 -/-

Leavitt Lake 72 " +2
(errors)
9602 feet, East Flank
(19.7" H20) +.4
22 & 5 -/-

Marine Base
6748 feet East Flank
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-WIND
xx & xx:
(New readout page sucks... & Tech issues)

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

Deadman Creek
9250 feet, West Flank
000.0 Snow (BAD?)
(18.60" ?H20) +.2
(BAD?)
36 & 1 +/-

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

Tenaya Lake 16.98" -1.98
8163 feet, West Flank
(12.48") ?H20 +.16
37 & 2 +/-

Tuolumne Meadows
8600 feet, West Flank
8.65" -.37
35 & -3 +/-

Tioga Pass/Dana
9798 feet
30.52" Snow +.61
--.--" H20) (ERROR?)
(Temps NONE)

Mammoth Mountain Ski

Mono Lake-Owens Basin

Gem Pass
10750 feet
SNO " Depth Suspect
(12.08" H2O) +.13 Suspect Suspect
temps suspect

Mammoth Pass
9500 feet
54.24" Snow +3.25
(15.88" H2O) +.32
36 & 8 +/-

South Lake Cabin
9580 feet, East Flank
(Snow BAD")
(16.2 H2O) +.1
38 & 1 +/-

Big Pine Sawmill
10200 feet, East Flank
3.1" Snow +1.5
32 & -2 +/-

Kings River

Bishop Pass
11972 feet
BAD-
BAD

Charlotte Lake
10398 feet, West Flank
TEMPS ONLY

-- & -- BAD
(The coldest station)

Kern Watershed

Upr Tyndall Creek
11441 feet
26.11" Snow +2.16
32 & 6 +/-
(station reporting again!)

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

*We've had more than twenty-one fronts come across the Sierra, and periods of spitting snow, but only twenty-one fronts of any substance.

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

All Sierra Forecast Zones

All Precip Forecasts

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Clear and Warming

The tropical weather observed & mentioned yesterday pounded San Diego and Southern-most US...

 

 

 

Top

1

 

March

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT MONTH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2018
HIGH SIERRA
--WINTER--
Temp-Snow Check

During the 22nd* Front & "storm" this Fall & Winter.

The last fronts before this incident came across last night & today.

Let's check our reporting station snow & temp readings.

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
Feb 28, 2018

A NEW WATER YEAR

N Sierra Reporting Stations On a Map
Scroll over stations for snow & temps. Click for
full report.
South Sierra Stations

"+/- & =" below are changes since last reading.

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Rubicon 21" +7
7618 feet
(18.1 H2O) +.7
35 & 18 +/+

Echo Peak 39 " +8
7652 feet
(27.4 ?H2O) +.9
35 & 18 +/+

American-Yuba Watersheds

Carson Pass 47" +11
8388 feet
(15.2" H2O) +1.0
31 & 10 +/=

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

Ebbetts Pass 52 " +5
8660 feet
(21.4" H2O) +1.7
37 & 14 +/+

Leavitt Lake 82 " +10
(errors)
9602 feet, East Flank
(19.6" H20) -.1
33 & 17 +/+

Marine Base
6748 feet East Flank
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-WIND
xx & xx:
(New readout page sucks... & Tech issues)

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

Deadman Creek
9250 feet, West Flank
000.0 Snow (BAD?)
(18.72" ?H20) +.12
(BAD?)
36 & 18 =/+

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

Tenaya Lake 34.49" +17.51
8163 feet, West Flank
(12.48") ?H20 =.0
34 & 22 -/+

Tuolumne Meadows
8600 feet, West Flank
22.28" +13.68
34 & 20 -/+

Tioga Pass/Dana
9798 feet
43.59" Snow +13.07
23.33" H20) (ERROR?)
(Temps NONE)

Mammoth Mountain Ski

Mono Lake-Owens Basin

Gem Pass
10750 feet
SNO " Depth Suspect
(12.75" H2O) +.67 Suspect Suspect
temps suspect

Mammoth Pass
9500 feet
??.??" Snow +?.00
(16.64" H2O) +.76
36 & 16 =/+

South Lake Cabin
9580 feet, East Flank
(Snow BAD")
(16.2 H2O) =.0
37 & 18 -/+

Big Pine Sawmill
10200 feet, East Flank
6.1" Snow +3.0
30 & 16 -/+

Kings River

Bishop Pass
11972 feet
BAD-
BAD

Charlotte Lake
10398 feet, West Flank
TEMPS ONLY

-- & -- BAD
(The coldest station)

Kern Watershed

Upr Tyndall Creek
11441 feet
27.86" Snow +1.75
32 & 15 =/+
(station reporting again!)

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

*We've had more than twenty-two fronts come across the Sierra, and periods of spitting snow, but only twenty-two fronts of any substance.

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

All Sierra Forecast Zones

All Precip Forecasts

 

2

 

 

Selected
Weather Resources

Surface Low Pressure Tracks

Radar

Visible Satellites

Water Vapor Satellites

 

MAPS

 

Sierra Forecasts

Western US Forecasts

 

Precip Animation & Charts

Graphical Precip Forecast

 

All Sierra Snow Info

Sierra Sensor Networks

 

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

High Sierra Highways

 

All Weather Information

 

Top

 

 

 

3

Backpackers

 

Time again to begin observing Winter transitioning into Spring

 

 

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LAST WEEK

NEXT MONTH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top

 

End of January

2018

January         February      March         April         May         June

July         August         September         October

November         December

March

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Classic Feb
NOTES

Short days and long cold nights are the bookends within which we plan our Winter backpacking trips.

High Sierra SNOW trips can be followed up by exciting trips into the moderate Winter Climate of Death Valley. Best time to see DV.

 

 

 

Seasonal NOTES:
December Tenth, 2015:
Intense tropical flows have so far been diverted around us by the same persistent ridge, the high pressure zone that's been gradually building, strengthening, and persisting over Winter in the Northwest and West Pac over the last fifteen years. Yup, that one. I am betting that each time this ridge breaks down from here on out we will have a good chance of North and Central California getting seriously hosed. The ridge persisting will continue the deluge that everyone from Portland Oregon, and points North, has been getting pounded with, so far this year.

The distribution of El Nino tropical moisture has been controlled by the balance of factors I discussed in the December Backpacker Alert.

Season's Greetings: Alex and all the members of Tahoe to Whitney hope you had a killer backpacking year, that you’ve seen amazing things and met incredible folks on the long trails between Lake Tahoe and Mount Whitney. Woo Hooo!

Now's the Time! November & December is the time to reserve permits in Desolation Wilderness or Yosemite National Park for next June. Half of each ‘s Wilderness Permits for these heavily used areas are available six months before the start date of the backpacking trip.

 

 

This 2017 High Sierra backpacking and backpacker's Calendar notes important hiking dates as our seasons progress to compare current and recent historical weather to determine the best gear for the conditions. We also track the expected against the actual dates our resupply locations and the trans Sierra highways that feed them open and close. We also include permit reservation timing reminder information for those who seek hard to get permits from Yosemite and Hoover Wilderness Areas.

The Seasonal Backpacker

Nature of season.

Seasonal hopes…

If so, our goals, our speed, and our expectations have fully shifted into Winter Mode.

Our changing inner perspective ideally matches external environmental changes.

May your perspective always complement your environment, and visa-versa.

 

2014 Calendar          2015 Calendar

2016 Calendar          2017 Calendar

 

The Classic Feb. Question
Piercing Cold this month or just “Normal" Cold?

2016 Answer:
Hot as heck 1st through the 15th. No Cold.

2017 Answer:
Vast Rain and Snowfall from tropical sources typically bring wet, heavy, snow to the Sierra that is subject to chances of of being subjected to rainfall across the Sierra Crest. So it has been during 2017.

Therefore this season could be catagorized as having "warm" Winter conditions, despite the occasional plunges in temps we've seen a couple of times this Winter.

Last year's warmth during Feb was Summer-like, having little resemblence to typical "Wintertime" temps and weather patterns. The Winter heat of 2015 was even more abberent.

This year we are having real Wintertime conditions for the first time since the Winter of 2010-2011, yet this year's temps strike me as being a bit "warm" for typical Winter conditions.

The Classic Feb. Question
Heavy Snow Storms or None at All?

2017 Answer:
Feb. 15 Report
We have gotten pounded with record precip & snow.

Early Implications

1> Not an early start year for PCT-JMT hikers.

2> Potentially dangerous fording and trail conditions Spring & early in Summer.

3> Moist conditions all Summer long feeding mosquitoes all Summer long.

 

2016 Answer:
Feb. 15 Report
No Storms of significance to 15th.
No real storms hitting the Sierra for over two weeks, snow looking funky, coming apart, but high humidity bringing light snow when temps drop...
Snowpack retreating.

2017 Answer:
Adding Complexity
La Nina.

Weakening as of Jan 25. Diminishing, maybe ending...

 

 

 

I am hoping my frostbite/heart is recovered enough to resume my annual Christmas-New Year Snow Camping Triangle at the end of 2016.

From Meyers to Round Lake to Showers Lake to Round Top Lake and back to Meyers is my traditional December 25 Christmas present to myself.

The terrain, the joy of navigation and route finding the snow-covered beauty of the High Sierra during Winter is a special experience well worth the efforts and hazards.

Happy Trails!

Tahoe to Whitney

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January         February         March         April      May         June

July         August         September         October

  November         December

 

2014 Calendar          2015 Calendar

2016 Calendar          2017 Calendar

 

Trailhead
 
Contact
Alex Wierbinski

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Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney

Your guide to backpacking the Sierra Crest, including the Tahoe to Yosemite, Pacific Crest, and John Muir Trails

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© 2017 Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney: Crown Jewel of the Pacific Crest Trail